In my own footsteps

Sunday Sept 27, 2009: Approx 2.75 miles; ascent about 100m (Map: see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/walks)

A rendezvous with the family for a picnic lunch and a short walk in a delightful spot in West Sussex. Harting Down a few miles SE of Petersfield and NW of Chichester is a truly lovely place. It seemed quieter than the East Sussex Downs, with less traffic noise, though on this beautiful late September Sunday it was a popular spot for walkers, picnickers, etc.

We met at the National Trust car park just of the B2141. Although we used a map of Harting Down from the National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-harting_down-wildlife_walk.pdf, we didn't follow the route described as we failed to pay attention to it! This leaflet gives instructions on getting to Harting Down,which is also on the South Downs Way. The car park costs £2 (currently) for non-members/ free to N members.

From the car park we headed roughly E along the top of the ridge, with one bit of noticable up and down - my first for some months and it felt like it! Our route took us to the trig point and monument atop beacon hill, about a mile from the car park.

The monument shows directions of various neaby hills etc and after failing to spot most of these, we stopped a few yards to the S for a leisurely lunch break, watching the housemartins flying in their dozens around us, and also seeing a lovely kestrel hovering over te slopes in front of us. The sun was out, the sky was blue and it was perfect sunbathing weather. There were a few butterflies around the nearby scrub, though most of the flowers seemed to have gone over to seed or were on their way.

Rested and replenished we returned towards the trig point and then headed roughly S/ SE on the South Downs Way for about 1/3 of a mile (to reach some houses). Here we turned sharply NW and the N, still on the SDW, first along a hedge-lined track and the just above a broad Downland bottom, to rejoin our outward route on the ridge. Following a slightly lower and more shaded track parallel to our outward path (to the N), we headed W back towards the car park and then off to tea!

Monday September 21st, 2009; approx 3 flat miles (Map OS Explorer 123)

I've been missing the downs like mad! A couple of hours gentle stroll combined with a spot of birding was needed with my mate Gail (another Monday slacker).

We parked at BoPeep car park, which is on top of the Downs above BoPeep farm and quarry. It is reached by turning N off the A27 near the village of Selmeston, which is a few miles NW of Alfriston in East Sussex.

We opted for a simple out and back along a bridleway SW and then S from the carpark. This path takes in open downland with great views of the sea and well as an old trackway with hedgerow and scrub the lovely views into the downland bottom below. The sky was almost clear of cloud with a bit of a S/SW breeze. The light was lovely, long shadows and a slight golden tint as the afternoon lengthened.

We saw a few wheatears not far from th car park, probably waiting for a more favourable wind direction for thier channel crossing. Swallows and housemartins were on their way south as well, flitting over the grass, eeding themselves up for the jorney ahead. A kestrel out hunting, a buzzard being mobbed by crows, and lots of long-tailed tits also contributed to a lovely afternoon, as did some lovely small but delicious blackberries.

No new walks since June??

Well no, I'm afraid. Although Slovenia was wonderful, a slight niggle in my knee got worse and worse as the week went on. Maybe I should have stopped walking sooner, but the scenery was so wonderful.

Anyway things didn't improve when I got back, so no long walks, some physio and lots of exercises to hopefully fix things. I'm being good, doing my exercises every day and things have improved somewhat (but not enough yet). I'll be doing the odd couple of miles now and again (entry for today to follow), but that's going to be all for a while yet I think. In the meantime I'm having lessons to improve my swimming, doing what I can in the gym, and birdwatching to help with my craving for the outdors.

Have some great walks for me. I'm sure I'll be back on track soon enough!

At last here are the details of the walks on my holiay in Slovenia.

Sunday 7th June:
Wet, wet, wet: From Ribcev Laz to Rudnica (946m) and back via Sredna Vas and Studor.

Monday 8th June
Unexpected adventues: From Bohinjska Bistrica, up some hills and back to Ribcev Laz along the Sava Bohinjska river.

Tuesday 9th June
Stumped near Bled - we tried to walk along a dry gorge, but it was closed!

Wednesday 10th June
Two tops: Mozic (1603m) and Kobla (1499m)

Thursday 11th June
A bit of a challenge: Up Prisivec (1761m) via Planina Pri Jezeru and Planina Visevnik.

Friday 12th June
A gorgeous day: From Ribcev Laz to Slap Mostnica

Just back from a week's holiday in Slovenia with good old Walking Women. We were based at Ribcev Laz on Lake Bohinj (below).

After a wet start to the week, the weather settled down to end on a sunny note with meadows in full bloom (below).

I had a great week with some excellent walks - details and photos to follow soon.

Saturday May 24, 2009; 9.5 miles, ascent approx 220m (Map OS Explorer 135)

The shorts were out for the first time this year. We had a great walk (route to follow) and Pooh Sticks victory was mine!

Not only did we have a lovely walk, but we rounded the day off with a trip to the Duddleswell tea room - yum!

Off to Ashdown Forest tomorrow for another variation on the Winnie the Pooh walk and a couple of rounds of Pooh Sticks too I hope.

Monday May 11, 2009; 11.5 miles, ascent approx 450m (Map OS Explorer 122)

Absolutely bursting to get out for a long walk. Having done the up-river bimble from home to Hamsey church and back (see previous entries for route) on the Saturday, with my excellent chums Rachel and Jim the dog, I realized what a fabulous May it was that seemed to be rushing by me.

I opted for a lovely walk from home, on the Downs beyond the old Lewes racecourse. The weather was lovely, a bit of a breeze, but no the gales that had been forecast. No doubt these had discouraged others, so I enjoyed a peaceful walk and was out of sight of the rest of humanity for a couple of hours at least.

Here are some pictures for now - more details to follow another day.

Saturday April 25th 2009; 10.25 miles, approx 200m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 149)

Back to Kent with 9 members of the WWINK group to see a wonder of the natural world - an English bluebell wood in full bloom.

The route we followed was about the same as last year - see "Blue Heaven in Kent" from April 2008. The route is circular-ish, starting and finishing in the village of Selling, a few miles south of Faversham.

We passed through Perry Wood (from the Rose and Crown pub) and then up to the top of the Mount and its wooden tower.

From here we headed S-ish to Shottenden and then S some more and into King's Wood.

We stopped in King's Wood for our lunch break, and like last year we ate lunch in warm sun, though unfortunately (for Jill) the warmth also brought out some nasty, big, fat biting ants.

After lunch we headed to Molash (NW), and then on across farmland back to Perry Wood, thence to Selling, and the White Lion pub for a well-earned pint.

As well as astoundingly beautiful bluebells - I thought even more so than last year, we saw primroses and yellow archangel by the North Downs Way, wood anenomes in Perry Wood and orchids (early purples I think) in Perry Wood and Kings Wood.

Thanks to Jayne for leading the walk (again).

Easter Monday April 13, 2009; 6 miles, ascent approx 150m (Map OS Explorer 123)

A lovely day for a walk across open downland, with skylarks overhead and lambs gamboling in the fields. The landscape makes for easy walking and we fairly skipped round this route on a sunny afternoon after a picnic lunch on top of the Downs.

This was a circular walk from the car park on top of the Downs above Bopeep farm and quarry. The car park is reached by turning N off the A27 near the village of Selmeston, which is a few miles NW of Alfriston in East Sussex.

Where the road stops on top of the Downs at the car park, we headed SW towards Heighton Hill (1.5 miles away) and then Gardener's Hill (a further 0.5 mile or so). Going down hill, we crossed Stump Bottom and took the sunken bridleway a further few hundred yards in the same direction.

At a bridleway turning SW, we stopped for a sweetie, etc break (not just any sweeties, these were M&S Percy Pigs - thanks to Caroline). The track SW follows the floor of Povery Bottom and is one of my favourites: a sunken, hedgerow-lined path that's probably been walked for hundreds of years.

Emerging back into the 21st century, we passed the pumping station at Norton Bottom to reach the hamlet of Norton. Here we turned ENE along a footpath that climbs gradually and then more noticeably along the fabulously named Devilsrest Bottom. When the path reaches the ridge (about 1.25 mles from Norton), we hopped over a stile onto a road track (bridelway).

Keeping on the ridge (and on this track), we turned more-or-less N for the 2 miles back to the car park, passing Norton Top and enjoying a lovely finish across open countryside (more baa-ing).

This walk was probably just enough to earn us the curry we had back in Lewes that evening.