GPS Cycle and Walking Routescycle iconwalk icon

Barcombe Mills

2.5 miles (4 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This delightful area of East Sussex has riverside trails, a small reservoir and lovely countryside views. It's located just to the south east of the village of Barcombe Cross in the Lewes District. You could follow footpaths from the village to the site but this walk starts from the Barcombe Mills car park, just to the south of the reservoir. From here you can easily pick up the trails heading between the River Ouse and Barcombe Reservoir. It's a lovely path, with a number of weirs, little wooden bridges, attractive waterside woodland and nice countryside views. Keep following the river north until you reach the Anchor Inn. The pub is a great place to stop for refreshments with its riverside beer garden and picturesque setting. You can also hire boats from this location.
After enjoying a drink in the pub the walk returns on footpaths through the countryside on the western side of the river.
The area is also a nature reserve so look out for wildlife including moorhen, mallard, mute swan, greylag goose, rabbit, barnacle goose, Canada goose, robin, blue tit, herring gull and grey wagtail.
To extend the walk you can continue north along the Sussex Ouse Valley Way to the little village of Isfield. Here you can pick up the splendid Lavender Line heritage railway from Isfield Station.
If you follow the river path south it will take you all the way into Lewes where you can visit the South Downs and Southerham Nature Reserve and enjoy a climb to Mount Caburn. There's great views and lots of flora and fauna to enjoy here.
Just to the west of this walk there is a permissive bridleway along the disused trackbed of the railway to Anchor Lane. This is a good options for cyclists wishing to explore the area.

Postcode

BN8 5BX - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Barcombe Mills OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Barcombe Mills Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Just a couple of miles to the south of Lewes you'll find the interesting village of Iford. The historic settlement includes 18 listed buildings, a 12th century church and a sundial marking the Greenwich meridian which runs through the village. From here you can enjoy a walk up to the viewpoint at Iford Hill on a particularly lovely section of the South Downs. On the Iford walk there's also Rodmell where you can visit the National Trust's Monk's House. The 16th-century weatherboarded cottage was once the home of author Virginia Woolfe and her husband. Next to the village there's also the Castle Hill National Nature Reserve. The significant site includes chalk grassland with ancient settlements and lots of interesting flora and fauna to see.

Photos

Weirs, Barcombe Mills - geograph.org.uk - 1611100

Weirs, Barcombe Mills

Weirs, Barcombe Mills - geograph.org.uk - 1435029

Weirs, Barcombe Mills

Waterway Junctions, Barcombe Mills - geograph.org.uk - 1413834

Waterway Junctions, Barcombe Mills

Beam Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1398181

Beam Bridge

River by the Anchor Inn - geograph.org.uk - 79777

River by the Anchor Inn

The "Anchor" on the Sussex Ouse Valley Way - geograph.org.uk - 1072089

The "Anchor" on the Sussex Ouse Valley Way

Old Mill Brook - geograph.org.uk - 1398098

Old Mill Brook

The River Ouse at the Anchor Inn, Barcombe - geograph.org.uk - 1348595

The River Ouse at the Anchor Inn, Barcombe

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Barcombe Mills.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Barcombe Mills.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)