Crisp Autumn walks near The Green…

As Autumn draws closer it’s the perfect time to get out into nature and experience the natural beauty that Sussex has to offer. Whether you’d just like a quick stroll or a hearty hike, we’ve compiled a selection of walks for everyone of any ability. All of these walks are less than a 15 minute drive from The Green so grab some good walking shoes and your coat and off you go!

Furnace Green:
Need to get out the house for an hour or so? Then this walk is perfect for you! Explore Furnace Green in Tilgate Park. A short 11 minute drive away, you can park in Lakeside car park. There are no hills or steep sections of the walk but the ground can get muddy so we would suggest wearing wellies or sturdy footwear. Check out the route on the Crawley Government page linked below!

Grattons Park & Worth Way:
Got a budding historian in the family? Enjoy a slice of the past with this walk through several parks and Milton Mount Gardens – these stand on the site of the Worth Park House, one of Crawley’s Victorian country estates. You can also walk past one of Crawley’s oldest properties – “Ridleys” a grade 2 listed building. The route walks along the old railway line that was closed in the 1960’s.

A selection of images of Autumnal landscapes that could be found on an Autumn walk.

Bewbush to Lambs Green:
Don’t feel like packing a picnic? A walk with an ideally placed pub is the perfect solution! Perfect for a lunch-time pitstop. Explore the west of Crawley, starting in Bewbush and finishing up in Lambs Green. This circular walk starts and ends in the Buchan Country Park car park, which you can get to in under 5 minutes from The Green. Don’t forget to bring a coat as some of the walk is wooded and you may get a bit chilly! Stop off for a bite to eat at The Lamb Inn, we’ve linked their menu so you can check it out before you go.

Old Crawley:
This walk has it all; meadows, ancient woodland and a watermill. At 7.5 miles this walk is one of the slightly longer ones so bring a snack and some good shoes! There are two flights of steps, multiple kissing gates and uneven ground so be prepared. Starting in Goffs Park car park and exploring Ilfield Mill Pond – a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Here you can do a spot of bird watching and you could even see frogs, toads and newts! You can find fun activity worksheets for kids created by Crawley Council here.

For more detailed information on each walk check out the Crawley Government website here. There are step by step directions so there’s no excuses if you get lost!

Girl walking in forest with yellowing leaves around her.

The Green’s favourite Autumnal recipe

In the spirit of Great British Bake Off returning to our screens, and with autumn just around the corner, we’d like to share with you our favourite warming dessert: blackberry and apple crumble.

Nothing is more stereotypically British than a classic crumble. With a perfect crunchy topping and a sweet, warm filling, this pudding is a firm favourite.

Follow along for the recipe to enjoy this delicious treat, perfect when the seasons change. Even better, while living at The Green and enjoying the wonderful nature surrounding Kilnwood Vale, you might even find some wild berries for you to sprinkle in!

 

What you’ll need:

2 large bramley apples
3 crisp eating apples (eg Cox)
250g blackberries
2-3 teaspoons of cornflower
100-150g of caster sugar, depending on how sweet the fruit it

240g of plain flour
150g of butter, cubed
120g of demerara sugar

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl to begin making the crumble topping. Add the cubed, room temperature butter. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Continue rubbing in until the mixture begins to stick together to form small pea-size clumps. Stir in the demerara sugar.
  2. Peel and thinly slice the bramley apples and place into a bowl. Peel and slice the eating apples, slicing them into slightly thicker wedges. Add to the bowl, along with the blackberries, and mix together.
  3. Mix the cornflour with the caster sugar. Add this to the bowl of fruit and mix together well. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the fruit juices to seep out and make the sugar mix damp. Mix again until the cornflour sticks to the fruit.
  4. Spoon the fruit mix into a large baking dress, and pack into an even layer.
  5. Spoon the crumble mix in an even layer across the fruit.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender.
  7. Serve and enjoy – why not add some custard, cream or ice cream?

We hope you’ll enjoy this classic British pudding, perfectly suited for the colder nights to come. And if you keep up with your baking, we might even see you on GBBO in the future!