This week’s walk by Ben Perkins provides a complete circuit of the Darwell Reservoir to the south of Robertsbridge. There is no legal right of public access along the reservoir perimeter, but a circular route established by Southern Water in woodland to the south of the reservoir adds a short excursion to the water’s edge.

1 - From Mountfield Church, start the walk westwards along Church Road, leaving the church on your left. Where the lane bends right, go ahead through a gate and forward along a dirt track.

Where it opens out, maintain direction along a right field- edge. From the field corner a path continues ahead through woodland. On the other side of the wood go over a plank bridge and stile, and follow the left edge of the field beyond.

2 - At the top of a slope, turn left along a metalled drive. After a few yards, turn right through an iron gate and go along a path which winds down through woodland.

After crossing the remains of a stile and a collapsed stream culvert, bear left to climb along a left field-edge. Go through a gap and climb, walking parallel to the right field-edge and passing about 60 yards to the left of an isolated cottage (Baldwin’s Farm).

Where the ground levels out, turn squarely left across the middle of a meadow, go through a gate in the far corner, forward to a stile and continue with a fence and bank on your left.

After about 150 yards, just after passing a small pond on your right, veer slightly right and down across rough pasture to a gate and on along a woodland track. Cross an earth causeway, head out across pasture, onwards between the trees and then along the right edge of an open area to a gate.

Once through this gate, diverge very gradually from the right field-edge with your first glimpse of Darwell Reservoir over to your right.

Go over a stile into Darwell Reservoir Wood, where a friendly notice encourages public access, which you may be tempted to sample, though our walk sticks, as far as possible, to the right of way.

A path winds ahead through scrub to join a wide sunken path where you turn right.

3 - At the bottom of the slope, a waypost with a blue arrow indicates the start of a path ahead, which provides a worthwhile there-and-back detour to the edge of the reservoir.

However, to continue the described walk turn left at the waypost along an uphill path. Some care is needed from here on in, as there is a lack of signs in places and many alternative paths.

Shortly, turn right along a path indicated at the start by yellow paint on four trees. Descend to cross a small footbridge and continue for a few yards to join a crossing track. Go straight ahead here on a faint unsigned path which crosses a hump and descends to join a sunken track where you should bear left.

After about a quarter of a mile, where the path opens out in front of the enclosed conveyor belt from the nearby gypsum mine, turn right and immediately, where you have a choice of two paths ahead, follow the one on the right.

4 - Cross a stream and, after a few yards, at a waypost, turn right to follow a clear woodland path for half a mile up to join a road through a small car park. Turn right and follow this quiet road (Mountfield Lane) for over a mile with more views of the reservoir, this time on your left.

Ignore the first signed path to the left and, after another 300 yards, where the lane bends squarely right, fork left along a track. Continue and, beyond two large sheds, go along a right field-edge and soon, diverging gradually from the field boundary, head for and cross a stile beside a gate on the other side of the field.

From here a fenced track continues and leads into the access drive from a number of houses at Glottenham.

Continue along this drive until, about 200 yards past the last house, you can turn right over a stile beside a gate and follow a left field-boundary.

5 - In the field corner, ignoring the stile ahead, turn right along the left edge of two fields with the railway perimeter fence on your left at first. In the second field corner go left over a footbridge and across a meadow to a second footbridge, from which a clear path continues.

Shortly after crossing a third footbridge, go left beneath the railway and forward for 50 yards to cross a wide plank bridge.

6 - Now veer half-left to climb steadily up a grassy slope. The path is a bit vague underfoot but takes a relatively straight course, crossing an intermediate stile in a fence.

At the top of the hill, go through a gate and forward across high ground. Pass to the right of the manor house and outbuildings of the 18th-century Mountfield Court, joining an access drive. Where the drive divides, fork right to follow it down to join a lane within yards of Mountfield Church.

This circuit can be linked with the Robertsbridge walk published in the Argus in March, now downloadable at theargus.co.uk/walks. The track past Glottenham between points four and five is common to both.

* Distance/Time: Six-and-a-quarter miles taking three-and- a-quarter hours.

* By Car: Start from Mountfield which is signposted westwards from the A2100 road about three miles north of Battle. Roadside parking is possible near the church at GR 734203.

* By Public Transport: None practicable.

* What’s underfoot: Along field and woodland tracks plus a mile along a quiet country lane. Route finding is tricky in the woodland beyond point three where footpath waymarks tend to be absent just where they are most needed.

* Thirsty Work: No refreshments available on the route.

* So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer 124 and a compass.