3 men on a walk 2015: Through the orchards around Matfield

Matfield loop via the "Halfway House"

We seemed to be plagued by "senior Moments" today. First Ivan got muddled on his way to the meeting point and ended up travelling towards Mayfield instead of Matfield - still they did both start with an "M"! 15 minutes after he should have arrived we got a phone call saying "where should I be heading" !! Later on at the lunch stop I checked to see how many miles the pedometer was saying we had walked only to find I hadn't switched the thing on!. So today's stats are a best estimate from the second half of the walk and adjusted to take into account that after lunch figures are usually DOWN on before lunch ones!

The meet point was at Matfield and we initially picked up the High Weald trail that we have walked before, walking in an easterly direction through Petteridge and on to Palmers Green. Just after Palmers Green we left the High Weald Trail and walked south east looping back towards the lunch stop at the Halfway House. For most of the 4 miles or so from the start we had walked through Apple Orchards, either newly planted or ancient old disused ones. The Halfway House is a new addition to our list of hostelries and a very old and very nice pub it was.

More orchard walking followed after lunch as we swung north to arrive back at Matfield. Generally a very nice walk and one that we should repeat in the spring when the Apple Blossom is out as the views through the orchards were amazing.