1066 Country: Battling from Battle to Rye

The clocks are finally going back and hopefully Spring will finally have sprung in time for our next walk - a corker of a 13-mile (21km) stride along the 1066 Country Walk from Battle to Rye. The number 1066 of course signifying what still remains the most significant thing to have in this part of the world in the ensuing milennium: the invasion of William, Duke of Normandy, and his defeat of the Anglo-Saxon king Harald at the Battle of Hastings. Which happened not at Hastings, but at Battle, conveniently enough.

This walk will lead us the other way from Battle station, eastwards through marvellously bucolic territory of woods, pasture and small valleys and as we head for the Brede Levels and the tiny, mysterious planned mediaeval town of Winchelsea as we head for our finishing point at the chocolate-box ex-port of Rye.

One innovation since Norman times: pubs. There are some lovely ones on the way, one of which we'll stop at for lunch and we'll aim for at least another in the afternoon. Marvellous - see you there! As ever I'll get group tickets for those who need it once we're assembled at Charing Cross on the day.