This 9-10 mile joint West Kent/Sussex, largely flat and circular ramble, will take us through fields, orchards and woodland typical of the Rother Valley. We'll start in medieval Robertsbridge passing the cricket bat factory where WG Grace was a customer and the High Street's timber framed houses. As we leave the village, we'll see the hop fields that once supplied Guinness and the remains of the abbey, where Abbott Robert may once have lived (he of the bridge). We'll continue along the hidden bank of the River Rother which flows down through the valley to Rye. We then take a gentle climb up through woodland on a sunken path typical of the area to the village of Ewhurst Green, a pretty village with a great pub and garden with views of Bodiam Castle (NT). We'll have our picnic lunch overlooking the valley or after walking down in to Bodiam, where we can walk through the grounds of the impressive castle built in 1385 as a sea defence when the river was navigable and navy ships were docked nearby. We'll walk back through country lanes and ancient woodland where we'll be on the lookout for bluebells and orchids. Blossom should welcome us into the apple orchards before we arrive in the hamlet of Salehurst where the garden of the Salehurst Halt may offer refreshment. It's then about 30 minutes back to Robertsbridge station.

Approx time: 5 hours including half hour picnic lunch stop; there are three pub stops possible en route and two further pubs in Robertsbridge when we return; if the weather is good, I definitely recommend a pint in the garden of the lovely Salehurst Halt with views over the valley before the final 30 minutes back to Robertsbridge's pubs.