Discovering the High Weald AONB
Ancient farmland, sunken lanes, and heathland heather — a guide to exploring one of England's most unspoilt landscapes.
The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers 1,460 square kilometres of East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex. It is one of the best-preserved medieval landscapes in northern Europe, characterised by its ancient woodland, ghylls (steep-sided stream valleys), and a network of sunken lanes worn deep into the sandstone over centuries.
For walkers, the area offers everything from gentle strolls across Ashdown Forest to more demanding routes through the Medway valley. The Weald Way and the High Weald Landscape Trail both cross the AONB, offering multi-day adventures for those who want to go deeper.
Whether you come for the bluebells in spring, the heather in late summer, or the turning colours of autumn, the High Weald rewards every visit.