Arlington Bluebell Walk & Farm Trail, East Sussex.
Click on the left hand menu for more information.
| What's available |
| Walks |
| Prices |
| History |
| Where to Stay |
| Cycling |
| Group Booking |
| Friends of Arlington Bluebell Walk |
| Core Organisations |
| Past Reports |
| Feedback |
| Links |
HISTORY OF THE ARLINGTON BLUEBELL WALK
This article details the early days of the Bluebell Walk’s formation and how it has developed to the present day.
In 1972 Park Mead our local Primary School was fundraising for an outside swimming pool, which was the spur to the opening of Beatons Wood for a single weekend for parents and friends. The response from those first visitors who saw the profusion of bluebells, was so overwhelming, that we had to open the following year and so it continued year on year. We liaised with our neighbours at Park Wood and Primrose Farm, extended the walks over their land to incorporate the Farm Trail element. We were indebted to the East Sussex County Council, who under their innovative scheme of encouraging farmers to open their farms to the public, provided expertise and support during the first eight years in developing the walks, refreshments and countryside information.
We formed a committee representing local interests to manage the finances. The principle we defined was ‘to allow the public to view and learn about nature and farming methods, whilst raising money for local needs’. Within 10 years we had over 58,000 visitors and raised £17,000 of which £6,000 went towards the purchase of the Glebe Field, which was needed to enable the new Village Hall to be built. Other monies went towards the maintenance of the existing First World War Village Hut, Park Mead School, and our historic Village Church of St Pancras.
In 1981 Bates Green Farm was ...