How to walk the Worth Way: Three Bridges to East Grinstead

The Worth Way is a 7ish mile trail following the old railway line from Three Bridges to East Grinstead. I first heard about the walk along the Worth Way from some of my patients when I was working nearby. So, at less than an hour train journey from my home in London, I decided to give it a go.

What to expect when walking along the Worth Way

Skirting just above High Weal AONB, the Worth Way is quite a lovely trail. Very easy, occasionally muddy, and tree lined most of the way.

A long straight wide dirt path along the Worth Way trail, lined with brown leaf covered banks and leafless trees. There is a person walking along it ahead in the distance.

A long wide dirt path leading straight and under an arched bridge, on the walk along the Worth Way. There are steep banks on either side of the trail with straggly leafless tree and tree branches. There is a person walking under the bridge ahead.

A muddy dirt trail lined with wire fences and straggly messy leafless trees branches.

Everyone is welcome. Horse riders, runners, dog walkers, cyclists. It’s actually part of the route 21 cycle network which runs from London to Eastbourne.

A white sign on a post saying Worth Way. The sign is in front of a green leafy tree.

Being that is was sunny winter weekend, after so so much rain, I was expecting the walk along the Worth Way to be quite busy. It was actually the opposite. Yes there were others around, but hardly any. Just the way I like it.

A bit of history about the Worth Way

The railway line was opened on 9th July 1855, with just two stations. Rowfant and Grange Road. The old Rowfant Station building still stands today:

The old Rowfant railway station building partially engulfed by trees, next to the Worth Way Trail.

In 1866, the railway was extended past East Grinstead, which is now the Forest Way trail.

About 100 years later, the railway line was closed. Nature then took over, and on 10th July 1979, the Worth Way walking trail was officially opened. It’s been designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance, with birds, butterflies, and all sorts of trees. I still need to learn about trees.

A dirt trail winding ahead, with a wooden fence to the left and big tree to the right on the walk along the worth way. There is a small bird box on the tree.

Logistics

Start: Three Bridges Station, Crawley West Sussex. RH10 7AA.
Finish: East Grinstead Station, West Sussex. RH19 1EB.

Distance: 7.5 miles station to station
Time: 2h 15min
Difficulty: Easy

Elevation: Not hilly
Dog friendly: Yes. There are some sections of road, but not too much.
Pram friendly: Yes

Parking: Each station has a car park.

Map for the walk along the Worth Way Trail

How to get to the Worth Way by train

Three Bridges and East Grinstead are on different train routes. Both serviced by Southern Rail and Thameslink. You will need to buy a separate single ticket for the way out and back.

If coming from London, both routes go via East Croydon. So it might be worth checking if it’s cheaper to buy a return ticket to East Croydon, then a separate single ticket for the rest:

Three Bridges: There is a direct train from London Victoria, Clapham Junction, London St Pancras, Blackfriars, and London Bridge. Journey time is about 40min, give or take depending on which station you start at.

East Grinstead: There is a direct train from London Victoria and Clapham Junction. Journey time is just under 1hour. To get back to one of the other London stations involves a change at East Croydon.

Amenities

Three Bridges: There is a Greggs and Coffee shop in the station. Just outside is Charlie’s burger van in the car park, which is highly rated on google. For more supplies there is a Lidl nearby.

During the walk: About 3.5 miles in, there is a cafe a bit off the trail which is also highly rated (it’s signposted so you cant miss it). At Crawley Down (5 miles in from Three Bridges), there is a Co-Op, and SUP food mobile coffee shop. The coffee shop isn’t there all the time though.

East Grinstead: There is a big Sainsbury’s outside the station, and snack and coffee shop in the station. If you head into town there are lots of coffee shops, pubs, and restaurants. There is a toilet at East Grinstead station.

Tips for walking the Worth Way

I did the walk in hiking boots and regretted it. There is a lot of hard ground, and my feet weren’t happy by the end of it. There was a small amount of mud about, which you should be able to mostly skirt around if it’s very wet (I hope).

When I finished the Worth Way, I went straight to East Grinstead station without having a look around. I have since read that the longest row of medieval houses in Britain is in East Grinstead, so maybe go and take a look at that.
If you are coming by car, there isn’t a direct route between the stations to get you back. You would have to change at East Croydon, with a journey time of over an hour. So you might prefer to just do a section along the Worth Way, then walk back the way you came.
If you do plan to just walk a smaller section, to help you decide which one: Crawley Down is sort of a dividing point. Three Bridges to Crawley Down is about 5 miles. You will see the old railway building on this stretch. It’s more rugged to start, but there are a couple of long stretches of straight wide path. This section is more broken up with road. From East Grinstead, you will have about 2miles of walking along a nice wide walking path to reach Crawley Down Pond. This section is good if you have come with a pram or the like.

If doing the whole route, it doesn’t matter which end you start from. The one benefit I would say, if starting from the Three Bridges End, is you get the noisy road out of the way at the start. Then when you finish at East Grinstead, the station is right there without the need to navigate much road.
If you want a new book, at East Grinstead station there is a book swap shelf.

Route Description: How to walk the Worth Way

Out of Three Bridges Station, turn right to walk under the bridge, then turn right again at the road. Stay on this road for a bit, to reach the start of the trail on the other side, which looks like this:

A dirt trail leading off the pavement into the leafless woodland. There is a green sign on the left.

You now have about 1mile(ish) of walking along a tree and bush lined trail to reach a road junction.

A dirt path leading through the woodland trees.

A dirt path lined with wooden railings, leading through the woods.

The last walk I did was the Parkland Trail in North London, and this felt quite similar.

Before the road junction, you will go through a mini bridge tunnel, and a bit further along, you will reach a gate.

A wide path leading towards a bridge tunnel. The bath is lined with dirt banks and trees. There is a man standing next to a blue sign ahead.

A path leading to a gate, surrounded by trees. There is a wooden fence on the right, and bush covered bank on the left. There is a blue sigh ahead, pointing right.

I had initially planned to follow the trail past the gate, but having a look now, I decided it was best not. Nature had truly claimed this bit.

Looking to a mass of greenery engulfing the trail. — This is past that gate

The sensible way is to follow the trail as it does a zigzag up.

A dirt trail lined with wooden railing type fence and surround by trees, forming a tree tunnel. There is a person walking on the trail ahead.

There are some bird boxes on trees along here which I thought was quite lovely.

The road junction

When you reach the road, turn right. This is a very pleasant residential road. I decided that I wouldn’t mind living here. Right in the middle of a nice walking trail.

When you reach a sign pointing left towards East Grinstead, follow it. This will lead you towards a lovely looking house, and a road on the left just before it.

A pavement with a road on the left. There is a red post box on the right, and signposts ahead. — Turn left here

A road split, with a white walled cottage aged, and bushes in the junction, on the walk along the Worth Way. — Take the left here

Take the road on the left and you will see the first Worth Way sign of the walk.

Follow the Worth Way

The road soon becomes more walking path like, and then takes you over the motorway. I seem to have done a lot of walks lately that take me over a motorway.

A wide path lined with bushes and trees, with a mix of red and green leaves.

A narrow path lined with lots of trees with green leaves, on the walk along the Worth Way. There is a person walking ahead.

Looking through metal railings to the motorway below.

After this, you will reach a dirt like trail and then a big field to the left. It was beginning to feel more and more like I was in the proper countryside.

A wide dirt path, lined with bushes on the right, and a fence and big green field to the left when walking along the Worth Way trail.

Looking across a large green grass field, to a house on the other side. There is a telephone pylon and tree in the field.

A dirt path leading straight, with green leafy bushes on the right, and straggly leafless bushes on the left.

Some more trees and bushes later, at the next road, follow it to the left, then cross over to take the road path with the big blue Worth Way sign.

A leaning wooden trail signpost next to an ivy covered fence on the right. There is a gate ahead leading to the road. — Turn left here

Looking across the road to a side road lined with a hedge. There is a blue signpost next to the side road. — Take that path across the road

A blue sign infant of trees and bushes, pointing right to walk along the Worth Way towards east grinstead and Crawley down.

Rowfant Station

The next section was the first time I really felt like I was walking along an old railway route. A long straight wide path.

A long straight gravel path lined with trees which is the old railway trackbed for the Worth Way.

It’s this path that leads you to the Old Rowfant Station building. When I first saw it, I thought it was an old church (an information board soon after, set me straight). I wasn’t sure what I was more intrigued by. This old building, or the fact that the road was red.

Reading the information board past the old station, I learnt that along the Worth Way, there are some post left which were used for signal wires and the level crossing gates. Unfortunately there is no image of what these look like, but I would have a go at spotting them anyway.

An information board saying the Worth Way country park. The board gives information about Rowfant Station.

After some more winding dirt path, trees, and a little mud, you will reach a road. There is a cafe somewhere here if you fancy. Otherwise, stay straight to continue on the trail on the other side.

The Worth Way dirt path winding ahead, lined with trees with trunks covered in Ivey and leafless branches. There is a wooden fence on the left side of the trail.

A black and white sign for a cafe, on a fence, with the walking trail leading past it on the left.

The straight again

The trail here becomes wide, long, and straight again. I must say, I was quite enjoying the straight bits. It’s different from my usual rugged countryside walks.

A long straight dirt path lined with straggly leafless trees.

You will pass by Sandy’s Bench, then a bit after, stay straight when the path splits.

A wooden memorial bench on a dirt ground covered in brown leaves. There is a green leafy bush behind it.

A split in the dirt path. Both paths a re lined with trees. — Stay straight here

Keep going all the way to reach the cul-de-sac.

A residential road lined with houses, and parked cars.

Crawley Down

Stay straight to reach the main road, then walk straight across it following the Worth Way East Grinstead sign.

A blue sign pointing right to walk the worth way towards east grinstead. The sign is in front of a restaurant in the town centre.

If you need any supplies, there is a co-op here. On certain days for limited hours, there is also a pop up coffee stall. The photos of it online look lovely, but apparently it’s only open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8am-midday.

There is also a closed down pub. I’ve never seen a closed down pub before.

The old abandoned Royal Oak pub building, with black closed shutters.

To continue on, stay following this residential road as it curves to the left. Then someway further along, look out for the Worth Way sign on a lamppost directing you along a path to the right.

A blue arrow sign on a black lamppost pointing to a path between the houses across the road for the Worth Way trail.

A path with a wooden fence and bushes on the left, and houses with small green front lawns on the right.

For some time now, there are no Worth Way signs, so follow along….

When you reach the next road, follow it to the left then take the footpath to Rowan walk on the right. You will be following a stream of water below to your right.

A path leading ahead, with grass to the left and straggly leafless trees on the right. there is a green road sign on the right saying 'footpath to rowan walk'.

Now keep following the path through all the houses…..

A path winding ahead, with a green on the left and wooden fence on the right. There are a couple of trees on the tree, and a red brick walled house past the green.

A green road sign on the left side of the path saying 'Hazel road' . There is a wooden fence lining the path on the left, with houses on the other side.

Looking across a residential road to a green past the hoses. There is a blue parked car in front of one of the houses.

to reach this path:

A path winding ahead through the green, towards some straggly leafless trees ahead.

The final stretch along the Worth Way

Back onto the more nature like path, you will walk past Crawley Down Pond, and then on a trail lined with trees again. First a bit rugged, and then long wide and straight. It stays like this the rest of the way to East Grinstead, a bit under 2 miles away.

A wooden bench on the dirt in front of Crawley pond, near the end of the worth way walk.

A wodę path leading ahead, lined with trees with ivy covered trunks. There is a wooden fence on the left side.

Remember I was supposed to look out for those posts? Well, I saw a couple of things along here which I cannot confirm are THE posts. I will just pretend the are for my piece of mind.