Bewl Water Reservoir circular walk

Bewl Water is the largest body of water in the South East. It is an artificial reservoir, created in the Seventies, but is an extremely popular venue for walkers, fishermen, sailors, other boats, cyclists and all who simply enjoy messing about near water. It is filled from the River Medway and links to the Darwell Reservoir near Hastings.

The walk around the reservoir provides views from different angles across the water and glimpses of the surrounding countryside. It is an excellent dog walking route although in the Summer it is advisable to watch out for toxic algal blooms in the water.

We start out from the smaller of the two Bewl Water dams and head North and West towards the big main dam and the visitor centre about three miles away. When we have had a look at this, we continue along the meandering edge of the reservoir until we leave to walk uphill to avoid a nature reserve.

This means we have to walk about 2.5 miles along leafy and generally quiet country lanes until we arrive at a lovely rustic country pub where we shall stop for a while. After that another three miles or so back along the water's edge to the start point.