Sunday May 11, 2008: 11 miles, approx 280m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 123)

It was hot hot hot again, and only 8 o'clock in the morning. So with 2 litres of water and a similar amount of sunblock I set off for this month's walk with the Sussex Women's Walking Group.

After collecting 3 Londoners from Lewes station and narrowly avoiding picking up a few more ladies from the Croydon Ramblers, we drove to the Bo Peep car park, which is on top of the Downs a couple of miles northwest of Alfriston in East Sussex. The car park was stuffed and the top of the Downs was crawling with paragliding enthusiasts launching themselves up into the spiralling thermals.

Collecting ourselves together we set off just before 11 o'clock over open Downland on a bridleway southwest to Heighton Hill, where we had a short break; Gardener's Hill; Stump Bottom where we got stung; and Poverty Bottom. The path southeast through Poverty Bottom is one I like very much and the shade over the sunken track was very welcome today.

We continued to Norton, where we headed northeast-ish on the footpath along Devilsrest Bottom, making height gradually and then more steeply as we made for the ridge ahead. It was hot going and we arrived at he junction of paths on the ridge in need of a breather and lunch in a shady spot. We stopped at the bench by the junction and made our own entertainment, which included me modelling her new Merchant-Ivory-style summer walking scarf.

Following a longish break we followed the bridleway curving southeast along the top of the ridge (a track called The Comp) past Camp Hill and Cradle Hill. Crossing the Afriston Road, we made our way northeast across the Access Land down to the river Cuck. Following the river we crossed the footbridge at Litlington and continued towards Alfriston beside river on the Vanguard Way.

Recrossing the river on the footbridge at Alfriston, we wended up into the centre of the village still following the Vanguard Way. We were lucky to get a table in the garden of the best tea shop in town for a good long break for tea and the excellent (as usual) cakes and scones. If you want to know which tea shop is the best you'll have to go and try them all and decide for yourself.

Duly replenished, we continued on the Vanguard Way, following the road northwest out of Alfrison. Where the road ran out, we left the Vanguard Way and picked up the byway (Comp Lane) that was the once coach road (see last entry), continuing roughly northwest towards Alciston. Apart from one lovely shady section, it was hot and dusty on the track, and we were glad of a shady interlude on the Millenium bench at the junction with the lane to Alciston. We had a short break cool off and to prepare ourselves for the hot slog uphill back to the top of the Downs.

Just northwest of this junction, we picked up the footpath going roughly southwest along a field edge and then a sunken track, before emerging onto the open hillside and heading southeast and steeply up.

We made our way up hot and tired, to arrive on the top among the paragliders and their owners who were attempting to launch themselves into the almost cloudless sky. Like us, it seemed that they had already had the best of the day so we didn't get to see any spectacular take-offs. So, leaving the would-be aeronauts behind us we followed the South Downs Way northwest for the last half-mile back to the car park.

It was still hot hot hot, but we'd enjoyed a beautiful walk across open Downland, and along cow parsley-lined tracks, river banks, and shady sunken paths, as well as in and out of the tea shop garden.

Thanks to Beth for her photos.