Walking at Bateman's

Waymarked walk sign on a gatepost into a field — Three waymarked walking routes start from Bateman's, East Sussex | © National Trust/Laurence Perry

The beautiful Sussex countryside around Bateman's has changed little since the Kiplings lived here, and it provided the inspiration for many of the author’s famous characters. There are three different routes that you can follow across the 300-acre estate to take in some of the best features of this inspiring landscape. Some parts of the routes can be muddy after wet weather, so don’t forget your wellies.

Kipling's countryside: one estate, three walks

Each of the three estate walks is between 2 and 2½ miles long. You can read more about each walk below, and download the route map here: Bateman’s walks

Puck's walk: 2½ miles long and 1½ hours to complete: This gentle walk is inspired by Kipling's famous story 'Puck of Pook's Hill', which was written for his children. The route takes you out to the mill, through woods and over hills towards Burwash Weald before looping back to cross the river and back to the mill pond.
The Ironmaster's walk: 2 miles long and 1 hour to complete: This walk takes in the area around Bateman's that was historically the centre of small-scale iron production. The area had all the ingredients for successful iron production: a plentiful supply of iron-ore, timber for charcoal and availability of water. There's not much left to see today but if you look carefully you could see signs of the tell-tale waste from the smelting process, the occasional mine pit and faint evidence of a forge.
Dudwell Farm walks: 2½ miles long and 1½ hours to complete: There are a number of routes to Burwash village and Kipling would have walked these many times. There's lots to see in the village, including a memorial in the church to Kipling’s son John, a framed order inside the butchers and a historic pub that hosted the family before they moved in to Bateman’s. Keep your eyes peeled for Rampydene, a beautiful 17th-century house that was home to Kipling's great friend, Colonel Henry Wemyss Feilden.

Good walking and countryside practice

The walks have sections where the route is on roads, sometimes with no pedestrian footpath. Please take extra care at these locations and walk in single file, facing the oncoming traffic. You may also find traditional French Limousin cattle grazing on the estate. Please keep to the footpaths and take care not to disturb the cattle, especially when they are with their young.

The front lawn and sandstone house at Bateman's, East Sussex

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