Cuckoo Trail

Cuckoo Trail is an 11 mi (18 km) surfaced track through the East Sussex countryside. It follows the path of the old Tunbridge Wells to Eastbourne railway from Heathfield (although it is possible to cycle to Tunbridge wells from Heathfield using local roads (the route is well signposted).

The railway line closed to passengers in 1965 and to freight in 1968; along the route there are various station buildings, signals and other infrastructure left behind.

It is so named from the tradition that the first cuckoo in Spring was heard at the Heathfield Fair.

Along the route of the trail are six original sculptures which act as mileposts. In 1993, a dozen wooden benches were installed which had been hand-carved by a local artist from trees felled during the Great Storm of 1987.

Have a well-maintained bike and a puncture repair kit; since there are few bike shops and at certain times of the day and certain sections of the route, traffic can be a bit sparse.

• 50.9656110.2557131 Cycle Revival, Oxford House, Hailsham Rd, Heathfield, ☏ +44 1435 866118. Mon-Sat 9AM-5:30PM. Service and sales for bicycles and e-bikes.  (updated Sep 2021)

All the towns and villages the trail passes through—Heathfield, Horam, Hellingly, Hailsham and Polegate—have cafes, shops or takeaways within a short walk of the path, so there's no need to carry much food for a single day's ride or walk.

All the towns and villages that the route passes through have at least a pub. Tap water is readily available in each of these towns, though there are few taps directly on the trail itself, so it's worth topping up bottles before setting off on longer stretches.

There's no accommodation directly on the trail itself, but Heathfield, Hailsham, Polegate and Eastbourne all have hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses within easy reach.

The trail runs at low elevation along a former railway line and is largely sheltered by trees and hedgerows for much of its length, so it doesn't see the exposed, fast-changing conditions of the nearby Downs. The surfaced path can get slippery in wet weather and after leaf fall in autumn, so care is needed on a bike regardless of season.

Free car parks are provided at Heathfield, Horam, Hellingly and Hailsham; parking at Polegate and Hampden Park is on-street. Horsebox parking is available at the Hellingly car park on Station Road, which has an easily graded ramp and a mounting block onto the trail.

Stagecoach South East's service 51 (Eastbourne - Hailsham - Heathfield - Mayfield - Tunbridge Wells) runs roughly every 30–60 minutes and calls at Polegate, Hailsham, Horam and Heathfield, making it the most useful single service for reaching most of the trail. Local Stagecoach services 52 and 53 also link Hailsham with Eastbourne and Bexhill respectively. Check current times on bustimes.org or with Traveline South East, as routes and timetables are revised from time to time.

• 50.82160.24421 Polegate - On the East Coastway line, with Southern services to London Victoria, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings/Ore.
• 50.79690.2780832 Hampden Park - Also on the East Coastway line, with the same Southern services towards Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.

The Cuckoo Trail is a safe, largely traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders, forming part of National Cycle Route 21. From 50.970.261MISSING WIKILINK Heathfield the trail runs gently downhill the whole way, dropping about 122 m by the coast. Just south of Heathfield it passes Heathfield Tunnel, closed to the public, then settles into woodland and open grassland. Watch for the brick arch bridges further along, and for green woodpeckers, orange-tip butterflies, wild garlic and orchids along the verges. Six sculptures mark the way as mileposts, and a dozen benches, carved from oak felled in the 1987 storm, offer places to rest.

After 2.5 miles the trail reaches 50.930.242 Horam ; another 3.5 miles brings you to 50.890.253 Hellingly , and a further 2 miles to 50.86470.25774MISSING WIKILINK Hailsham, where a short 300-m stretch runs on a minor residential road. Hailsham is also the turn-off for Michelham Priory, a moated Augustinian priory with England's longest water-filled medieval moat. Three more miles bring you to 50.82160.24425 Polegate , and a final 3 miles to 50.79690.2780836 Hampden Park in Eastbourne, where a lake with ducks and swans makes a good place to finish.

All the towns and villages along the way have at least a pub, with benches and picnic tables dotted throughout. Cycling the full length takes about 55 minutes; walking it takes roughly 3 hours 40 minutes.

• Cycle carefully: many people have been hurt by 'speeding' cyclists
• Avoid walking along the path at night without good lights: many areas of the path have steep sides and are near to roads
• Keep dogs on leads or at least under control

The trail connects to The Forest Way at Heathfield, forming part of the cycle route from London to Paris via Newhaven, while Eastbourne at the southern end offers onward trains and buses along the coast, including to the South Downs Way.