Absolutely charming
Bedelands Farm Local Nature Reserve is a charming place, with a choice of woods and meadows. There is a multitude of walks, most well repaired, mainly by volunteers it seems, to whom I am grateful. There’s a large pond in the north, and nearby a viaduct, perhaps not up to the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Harry Potter, but if viaducts are your thing, just up the line there’s the Ouse Valley Viaduct. Its 37 arches puts Glenfinnan’s mere 21 in the shade. But let’s not be harsh. It tried. Let’s not mention Welland.
One of the joys of Bedelands is that a visitor can spend half an hour on a refreshing stroll, or a couple of hours walking at a reasonable pace, taking in various meadows, woods and ponds, and return to their car all within a couple of hours. There’s a water meadow that lives up to its name in April (and May in 2026) and dries out in summers. It has a range of insects and birds. For those with quick eyes, it has a selection of lizards.
There are few seats I’m afraid, and no picnic tables I’ve seen, but to counter that, maps abound all though the Reserve. If you pick your time with cars, you will be overwhelmed by wildflowers. It is charming – really quite wonderful. Blossom brightens the woods and meadow boundaries.
There are two main areas to park. One is in the recently extended parking area for Burgess Hill Town Football Club although I’d suggest not going of a Saturday or Sunday when, quite naturally, it is used by supporters of the team, and for various age ranges. If the weather is wet, a day or two following might be best avoided as well.
The other place to park is in Maple Drive, confusingly an extension of the road the football club is in. It is easy to get to as you will see in the video. There is ample parking space along the road adjacent to the entrance to the reserve although the layby is normally occupied. In any case, there’s a basketball hoop on a wall at one end of the layby meaning it is best avoided.
Bedelands can become incredibly muddy. A river runs through it, but so also do a lot of horses. At pinch-points it rivals the Grimpen Mire. There is always a way around though.
It is well worth a visit, at any time of year. Wellies when wet and ankle supporting boots when it is dry as there can be furrows from where horses have been. It is fairly level, with no climbs. You drop down towards the pond but the climb out is hardly a great effort. I suffer from hay fever, and you’ll probably hear a bit of me wheezing on videos, but even I don’t breath heavily after coming up from the pond.
I’ve never seen a wheelchair, and pushchairs are rare. The routes are not difficult but the gates exclude them. I’ve no idea how the horses get in.
The plan is to post routes with video and images, and maybe a pdf of two of the various footpaths and bridleways. Keep watching the website.
