Walk 8, “A Walk Amongst Friends,” is a circular route from Friends Clump via Nutley Windmill and through Millbrook Valley. Its circular layout sets it apart from route sections where distance and walking time provide the guide. When planning your walk, you can first decide whether a circular route or a stated distance matters more to you.

Route Length and Time Required

Weald to Waves includes a 13.1 km walking section from Nutley to Forest Row. Check the path conditions before setting out. This gives you both endpoints and the precise distance for this section, without equating the walk with circular Walk 8.

The High Weald Welly Walk is 3.9 miles, or 6.2 km, long. Without stops, it takes about 2.5 hours, depending on conditions and the number of participants. The time estimate is explicitly subject to these conditions: allow extra time for breaks and treat the duration as a guide, not a fixed time requirement.

In a direct comparison of lengths, the Weald to Waves section is more than twice as long as the Welly Walk. The Welly Walk also has an approximate walking time that excludes stops. This offers a different planning measure from the simple route length of the section from Nutley to Forest Row.

Path Conditions and Views

The Weald to Waves section first skirts the edge of Nutley, then continues across Ashdown Forest. The ground is mostly sandy, and there are sweeping views to the north and south. Ground conditions and visibility depend on the weather. The High Weald Welly Walk also runs mostly through Ashdown Forest and offers wide-open views, which may change with vegetation and weather. Check the path conditions before walking; for the Welly Walk, you should also check the rights of way.

Windmill and Local History

Nutley Windmill is considered the oldest working windmill in Sussex. Parts of it date from the 16th century. The windmill is also a waypoint on circular Walk 8, linking the walking route with a long history of windmills.

Airman's Grave is a memorial to the crew of a Wellington bomber who died when it crashed in Misbourne Valley on 31 July 1941. A large number of people gather there every year on Remembrance Sunday to remember those killed in the war; attendance may vary.

Another historical perspective is ironmaking: the raw materials needed for it were abundant on Ashdown Forest and in Nutley. Together with the windmill and the commemoration at Airman's Grave, this gives you more than just a walking profile to consider when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Catsfield, Brightling, Hurst Green, Peasmarsh, Piltdown, Robertsbridge, Crowborough, East Hoathly.

For the broader travel overview: East Sussex.