Battlefields, wooded ridges, and quiet Sussex countryside between Pevensey and Rye
The 1066 Country Walk is a long-distance self-guided travel and walking route through East Sussex in the South East of England, linking routes, landscapes, and places between Pevensey, Battle, Winchelsea, and Rye. Following the countryside associated with the Norman Conquest, it traces a continuous line through marshland, wooded hills, farmland, and medieval settlements shaped by the events of 1066.
Walking here is defined by gentleness and continuity rather than effort. The terrain rises and falls softly across low ridges and shallow valleys, with field paths, woodland tracks, and quiet lanes allowing steady progress at an unhurried pace. Distances feel manageable, and the landscape unfolds gradually rather than dramatically.
The character of the route shifts as it moves inland from the coast. Around Pevensey, open levels and marshland create wide skies and big horizons. Further north, the path climbs onto the wooded ridges of the High Weald National Landscape, where hedgerows, ancient trees, and enclosed valleys give the walking a greener, more sheltered feel. Approaching Rye and Winchelsea, the land flattens again into low meadows and tidal ground near the sea.
History is woven quietly into the walk. Pevensey Castle marks the Norman landing place, Battle Abbey stands on the site of the famous conflict, and old churches, farms, and towns appear at intervals along the way. The trail often feels less like a designed route and more like a thread connecting layers of settlement and memory across the countryside.
Unlike coastal or upland trails, the appeal of the 1066 Country Walk lies in its calm. It is a route shaped by landscape, story, and small places — a steady crossing of Sussex where past and present sit naturally alongside one another.
Trail Overview
Distance
31 miles / 50 km
Typical time on foot
2–3 days
Start
Pevensey, East Sussex
Finish
Rye, East Sussex
Terrain
Field paths, woodland tracks, low ridges, farmland, marshland paths, and historic town streets
