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.