In my own footsteps

Wednesday April 30, 2008: 9.25 miles, approx 360m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 123)

The morning off started unpromisingly as expected, but by 10 the showers seemed to be abating so I stuck to my plan for the day - a walk in the Downs above Berwick, Alciston, and Firle. The route I chose was an old favourite, a slight variation on the Berwick figure-of-eight walk, which I last did in December, in the fog.

I parked in the Berwick Church car park and walked through the churchyard, exiting by the gate on the eastern side. Following the perimeter round to the west, I picked up the bridleway going roughly west and then southwest to cross a byway, Comp Lane, which was originally the coach road - I guess before what is now the A27 was built. The old coach road, running between Firle and Alfriston forms the spine of this walk.

Continuing southwest, I shed my windproof husk as the sun tried to come out, and followed the bridleway zigzagging up to the top of the Downs where I joined the South Downs Way going northwest.

On top of the downs there was a stiff southeasterly blowing off the sea, and the sun was fighting with big shower-laden clouds in the diatance. I got back into the windproof for a brisk walk along the top to Firle Beacon. About a quarter mile after the beacon trig point I forked down northwest, through grassland dotted with cowslips, on the bridleway that passes Firle Plantation. Here the heavens gradually opened and I descended in a bit more than light rain, pulling out waterproofs, hats, and rucksack covers as I went, and also lunch, which I ate on the hoof (vegetable pasty - Waitrose, OK-ish). By the time I arrived down at the coach road on the edge of the Firle Estate, the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to push through the clouds again.

After going east on the coach road for a short distance, I took the first bridleway north-ish (towards Heighton Street), and then the first bridelway east-ish, passing Firle Tower and crossing the fields towards Charleston Farm about a mile away.

Charleston House was open for visitors, and so were the loos. So, after a very brief stop I made for Tilton Farm, where I continued on the bridleway as it turned southwest-ish back towards and across the coach road again. I kept going south-ish, climbing up again onto the Downs on an old sunken path. All day it had been slippery underfoot, especially on the steep north-facing slopes and I was beginning to feel the effects of this, it was harder going than usual. Nevermind though, it was alovely day and I was rewarded with bluebells along the wooded pathway, before emerging onto the open hillside, which was again scattered with cowslips.

Back on the South Downs Way I retraced my steps southeast as far as the BoPeep Car Park. After the car park I forked slightly down, just north of the South Downs Way until I picked up the footpath (not the bridleway) northwest and then north along a sunken wooded track towards the coach road south of the hamlet of Alciston. After a brief stop on the Millenium Bench at the top of the road down to Alciston, I followed the coach road back towards Berwick and retraced my path back to the church via the bridleway.

Saturday Apr 26th, 2008: 10.5 miles, approx 200m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 149)

I spent the weekend in Kent with some excellent chums (you know who you are...). Among the many treats planned for the weekend was a walk with the excellent WWINK group, perfectly timed to see the bluebells in full, spectacular flower.

This is only a brief description of the walk as Claire from WWINK has written a really good entry about the walk on her blog at http://wwink.blogspot.com/.

The walk started and finished in the village of Selling, a few miles south of Faversham. Sixteen of us, led by Jayne and Mary set off from Selling under a sunny sky.

Heading south towards Perry Wood we were soon spotting our first bluebells by the footpath, and watching lambs playing in the fields. We made our way through Perry Wood, where the woodland floor was a sea of shimmering blue, and up to the wooden pulpit tower on top of the Mount, where we were reunited with a few lost stragglers.

After admiring the view from the Mount, we continued south-ish to Shottenden, passing more lambs and some llamas on the way. From Shottenden we made our way further south and into King's Wood.

Again, the bluebells were spectacular, with scattered wood anenomes, and occasional clusters of primroses by the North Downs Way. We stopped in a sunny spot in King's Wood for our lunch break, relaxing in the warm sun.

After lunch we went northwest to Molash, continuing in the same direction across the fields back to Perry Wood and more bluebells. Leaving the wood near the Rose and Crown pub we made our way back to Selling and the White Lion pub, to say goodbye to WWINK member Suz who is off on an adventure to New Zealand. A great way to end a wonderful walk.

The spring wild flowers this year are wonderful, so get out and look at them!

Thanks to El for the photos.

Sunday Apr 20th, 2008: 9 miles, approx 370m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 123)

My chum Clare had come down for a walk. I had thought about heading over to Burwash for a walk in the High Weald, but neither of us could be arsed with sitting in the car, so we decided to do something from my house instead.

We decided to walk over to Glynde from Lewes via Mount Caburn, for lunch at the Trevor Arms or the Little Cottage tea shop. Hence the title - the hill refers to the big lump of Downs that I can see from my conservatory at home, which sat between us and our lunch.

Although showers had been forecast, we set off on a sunny-ish morning, making for the footbridge over the river Ouse (known locally as Willey's Bridge), crossing towards South Malling and following the path along the river towards Cliffe. Going down Cliffe High Street (passing the church marked on the map) we continued ahead across South Street and up Chapel Hill going roughy southeast and climbing towards the golf club house (road marked as a byway on the map).

We soon warmed up and, at the top of the hill after passing the club house, we were in open Downland. After a pause to shed layers and photograph cowslips, etc, we turned east-ish on the footpath and then southeast and downhill to Oxendale Bottom. The pasture around us was dotted with clusters of young lambs and ewes, including a set of very new triplets, the newest of which was being licked clean by its mum.

Putting aside thoughts of mint sauce, we continued southeast ascending to the ridge above Glynde. After admiring the view briefly we turned southwest for the quartermile-ish detour to the earthworks of Mount Caburn, where we looked out over the Ouse flood plain below us. After retracing our steps from Mount Caburn we continued on our route on the footpath southeast and down through more fields of sheep.This path arrives in Glynde opposite the post office, which is also the location of a tea shop.

Bypassing the tea shop, we went south through Glynde to the Trevor Arms, which is just south of the station. It was a lovely warm lunchtime and so we sat outside for lunch for the first time this year (me: roast lamb; Clare: lamb chops). The food at the Trevor Arms is average, but good enough after a bit of a walk. They also had Hadlow on tap - my favourite Harvey's beer.

Heading north through Glynde after lunch, I saw my first swallow of the year and also a few bluebells. We paid a quick visit to the rather unusual 18th century church by Glynde Place and set off back to Lewes.

About 100 yards north of the church, we turned northwest onto the permitted footpath that leads back up onto the Downs. About two-thirds up this path there's a bench with a view across towards Firle Beacon, so we stopped for a breather before finishing this uphill section.

Back up on top of the downs we headed north-ish on the permitted footpath, crossing a junction of ancient sunken tracks and continung to the junction with Week Lane, which is by a concrete-lined dew pond. Here we turned southwest on a footpath and then left this on another path heading just north of west and parallel to the steep slope below us and passing north of Cliffe Hill. The sun was shining and above the slope we saw one and then three more kestrels hovering over the hillside, probably on the lookout for rabbits.

Heading towards Malling Hill, after paying too much attention to kestrels, my navigation went tits up and we ended up passing down between the two pairs of disused chalk pits before briefly joining the footpath along the bottom of the hill going roughly southwest. Leaving the footpath we continued southwest on a short road to reach the A26. Crossing the A26, we passed Sussex Police HQ, and wended our way via Church Lane and a path through the park back to Willey's bridge and home for a nice cup of tea.

Sunday Apr 13th, 2008: 10 miles, approx 300m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 123)

This was a walk for the Sussex Women's Walking Group. The route that we followed is described in detail in the walk "Ten Miles and Five Tons" from Feb 25th, 2008, so I won't give much of a description of that here. Suffice to say that this walk includes a variety of Sussex landscapes, including churches, cottages, chalk heathland, and open downland.

Having met at the Long Man car park in Wilmington, East Sussex, five of us set off in patchy sunshine with some big clouds above us. The forecast was confused to say the least, which probably put a few people off walking that day.

Crossing Wilmington churchyard past the 1600-year old yew tree, we headed over the fields via Milton to the river Cuck near Alfriston. We stayed on the east side of the river, although we did discuss the best tearoom in Alfriston - top secret... We then went east towards Lullington, and after a detour onto the edge of the downs we went down to Litlington in time for an early lunchtime drink at the Plough and Harrow.

Crossing the road outside the pub we picked up the South Downs Way going south to Charleston Bottom. The rain had stayed away, and about half a mile along the bottom we stopped for lunch on the hillside. The grass around us was dotted with tiny cowslips. Another sign of spring was that we weren't wrapped up in hats, waterproof jackets, etc, and it was warm enough to sit and enjoy the scenery for a while.

Going north through the edge of Friston Forest, the sun was shining and some of us shed our long-sleeved layers. After stopping to admire some very laid-back and handsome British White cows sunning themselves by the path, we crossed Lullington Heath Nature Reserve and joined the outh Downs Way again at Jevington Holt.

Heading northwest along the SDW, with fantastic views of the sea and inland as far as the High Weald, we made for Windover Hill (above the Long Man), where we stopped on the earthworks on of of the hill for a breather and to admire the views in the sunshine.

We took the bridleway down the side of the Long Man to join the WealdWay heading northeast to The Holt where we joined the byway heading back to Wilmington.

It had been a wonderful spring day, the weather was great. We finished the day off with a visit to the Giant's Rest pub for late afternoon refreshments and all agreed that this had been a lovely walk, possibly our best route so far with the group.

Once again, thanks to Emma for her photos of the day.