Discover the High Weald Walking Festival 2025: New Routes and Experiences

Now in its 8th year, the High Weald Walking Festival has planned new routes and experiences to help more people discover the beauty and history of the High Weald’s national landscape.  The festival is free and runs from 13th – 21st September 2025.

In 2024, the Festival attracted over 600 walkers from across the High Weald, the UK and abroad.  This year’s Festival programme is now live and has been expanded and designed to enable every level of walker to experience the High Weald’s landscape.

New Themes & Experiences
The High Weald’s 2,500km of public rights of way give you a great opportunity to explore ancient forests, great estates and incredible views but this year, some of the walks take a closer look at life in the High Weald.  In ‘A Walk with a Poet’ award-winning poet Jemma Borg shares how the High Weald has inspired her work on a walk in Mayfield, while Sussex naturalist, Michael Blencowe, leads a family wildlife walk on Ashdown Forest exploring the rare habitat and species of lowland heathland. 

Improved Accessibility
For people without cars, there are an increased number of walks that can be accessed by train or bus. For those who’d prefer a shorter walk, we’ve teamed up with East Sussex Health Walks (The Conservation Volunteers – TCV), Sussex Wildlife Trust and Bedgebury National Pinetum for a series of wellbeing walks of about 1-1.5 hours that are both accessible and social.

Over 20 Partners Across the Region
The High Weald National Landscape runs this event with help from a long list of partners, not least local Ramblers’ Groups who are integral to organising the event. The walks are led by knowledgeable guides from partners across the region including:

• Hastings Country Park
• Kent Wildlife Trust
• Sussex Wildlife Trust
• Buchan Country Park (West Sussex County Council)
• Worth Abbey
• RSPB – Broadwater Warren
• Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
• Forestry England – Bedgebury Pinetum
• Ashdown Forest Conservators
• Gravetye Estate
• East Sussex Health Walks (The Conservation Volunteers – TCV)
• Kent & East Sussex Railway in partnership with Tenterden Footpaths Group
• Tenterden & District History Society
• Hop Pickers’ Line Heritage Group

Lucy Bowyer, Community Engagement Officer, High Weald National Landscape Partnership comments,

“With nearly 60 guided walks in the programme plus a self-guided walk programme, it really is a great year to get out with experienced guides to explore the High Weald’s history, nature and landscape, no matter your previous walking experience.

Huge thanks should also go out to local Ramblers groups whose knowledge and experience is always hugely valuable for putting together such a varied programme of events.  We’re looking forward to seeing everyone.”  

Key information for how to take part

The Festival programme goes live on Monday 25th August.  All walks are free and led by experienced guides.  Most walks are run on a ‘turn up on the day’ basis. Due to popularity and available space a number of walks will require pre-booking.  Please check the website for details.

The full programme and FAQs are available on the website at www.highwealdwalks.org.
Or follow latest updates on www.facebook.com/HighWealdNL or on Instagram @HighwealdNL