Walk on the edge of a rocky outcrop with ancient yew tree roots for company letting the Rock Walk take you to another time and place.
Updated June 22, 2025
At the end of this post, I have included coverage of the Loder Valley Nature Reserve, nested within Wakehurst Place, once again open to the public.
Introduction
I regularly find myself drawn to the Rock Walk at Wakehurst Place. In this post, I want to convey its magic through words and images. I have a suspicion that most paying visitors do not reach the Rock Walk. It is far away from the main attractions and amenities which adds to the otherworldly charm. The Rock Walk stretches for about half a mile with the walk to the Rock Walk longer than the walk itself. I tend to approach it via Westwood Lake which makes for a breathtaking route. The Rock Walk is signposted on maps and with signage. However, there is a path above the outcrop at times which could mean you walk parallel to the outcrop photographs featured here, which would be a pity.
The Kew.org website succinctly captures the special essence of this walk.
The Rock Walk is a magnificent hiking experience, full of looming rock outcrops, gnarled yew tree roots and shafts of light and deep shade. Tracing the side of Bloomers Valley, this breath-taking part of the High Weald dates back 140 million years.
This quotation neatly captures the time-travelling element of the walk. Also, the ‘shafts of light and deep shade’ is very appropriate. The light changes with the different seasons and the colouring of the rock and the vegetation changes dramatically with the seasons. My last visit when I took the photographs featured here was Friday 8th December 2023. My expectations were not high given what a damp winter that we have had. However, the greens were particularly vivid and the dampness seemed to enhance the spectacle, though I am biased. My one deviation from the official descriptor would be ‘hiking experience’. It is a relatively short walk, though it packs a lot of charm into a short distance.
Another Perspective
My camera tends to be my companion on walks, but I felt it would be good to compare my impressions with somebody else. After a short search, I found the most popular and informative post was on the Wild About Here site. The are many excellent photographs of the Rock Walk and information about the geography and origins of the Rock Walk. Kriss MacDonald (the photographer/author) includes Luce and Theo in many of her photographs, reminding me that part of the magic of this walk is indulging my inner child. There are parts of the walk which conjure up notions of being on the edge of a mythical world. Think of the Peter Jackson film sets for his Tolkien adaptations.
The Yew is a magical tree frequently celebrated in folklore. We are fortunate to have one of the finest yew forests in Europe not too far away at Kingley Vale, a wonderfully evocative forest. However, the Rock Walk offers a window into the old and twisty roots of the yew, which I do not get elsewhere. It was evident that Luce and Theo were transported to other worlds as they explored the Rock Walk. However, even for this older walker the Rock Walk takes me to imagined places other walks never reach.
Loder Valley Nature Reserve
A nature reserve hidden away in a corner of Wakehurst Place recently caught my eye. The entrance is close to Westwood Lake (pictured below). You need a four-digit code from the Visitor Centre to gain access, which only adds to the charm and mystery of this nature reserve.
The nature reserve closed in 2022, enabling ash dieback to be addressed. Only recently reopened, I visited for the first time on June 20th, 2025. A locked garden featured in one of my favourite childhood books, The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
My four-digit code unlocks the gate. I am enthusiastic yet uncertain about what to expect. The map shows that the main pathway runs parallel to the lake (probably a continuation of Westwood Lake). There was a bridge over the lake leading to a shorter pathway on the other side. I didn’t have time to explore this pathway, but I did follow the main pathway from start to finish and back again (pictured below).
The pathway took the form of a rough track which small conservation vehicles could use for access. The nature reserve had inevitably benefited from being closed to visitors, and I felt privileged to share this space. Plenty of joyful bird song, as well as the sound of unseen animal life at ground level moving around.
I did see a young deer, red in colour, a couple of times. Understandably, it didn’t want to pose for a photograph. I sensed the return of visitors was a learning curve for wildlife inhabitants. I only saw two people in the hour and a half I spent roaming the nature reserve. I am not sure if they registered me as they sat in the Kingfisher Hide looking out over the lake. I decided to leave them in peace, but I did check out the Hobby Hide and the Tern Hide. The photograph below shows the view looking out from the Tern Hide. Sat inside this hide, eating lunch, the deer walked by on the shoreline.
My visit was exhilarating, and I hope to return. Inevitably, this reserve will change with the seasons and with old growth dying away, feeding new growth. A transitional exemplar of what woodlanddecay.com is all about. My only regret was not having time to check out the Rock Walk, but the bus back to Brighton only goes every two hours.
The Rock Walk – Wakehurst Place
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