In my own footsteps

Sunday Jan 4, 2009: 10.5 miles, ascent approx 440m (Map: OS Explorer 122)

Having done a couple of shorter walks lately, I needed to get out and do something longer. Also, sometimes I just need to put a bit of distance between me and the rest of the world - a bit of wriggle room was needed. After a bit too much driving yesterday, something from home was ideal and would give me a chance to visit some favourite Downland spots.

It was very very cold again, and the earlier sun had been hidden behind an overcast sky, and there was a heavy frost. I left Lewes along the bottom of Landport, heading NW, after climbing over the wall by the road I walked on the scrubby pasture by the railway line and, just before Landport farm, I joined the byway NW to Offham.

As usual here, I crossed the A275 and took the bridleway SW up Offham Hill, through the beech woods and NW up to Mount Harry. By this time it was even colder, with a N wind across the top of the Downs.

Dipping down WNW from Mount Harry, I took the bridleway running NW along the escarpment behind Black Cap. It was colder still with a very thick frost on the shaded N-facing hillside. Where the woodland opened up by sme old chalk pits, I followed the chalky bostal (bridleway) SW up to the junction with the South Downs Way.

On the top of the ridge, I crossed the SDW and headed SE through Ashcombe Bottom. Despite the raw weather, there were quite a few people about and I was disappointed not to have this lovely woodland quite to myself. At the bottom of the woods, at the crossing point of paths I made a brief detour a few yards S down the (deadend) path ahead for privacy and a pee.

After retracing my track back to the path junction, I went roughly W, up hill and into the small wood at the top of the hill. Out of the wind, I stopped for lunch on the trunk of a big old fallen oak tree.

Following lunch, I continued roughly W, up across the SDW to Buckland Bank. Here I turned SW on the track to the top of Balmer Huff. Near the trig point, which is in a field a short distance from the track, I checked the time and decided to turn back for home along this wide chalky track (NNW), with weak winter sun on my back. Beside the track there was an old wooden cattle trough with reedmace growing out of it - an unxpected site up on this well-drained hillside.

After about 2/3 of a mile, the SDW merged with this track heading back towards Black Cap. I saw a couple of stonechats typically sitting on fence posts by the track and off in the distance, the unusual site of a piebald crow, it took a good long look to work out what it was!

Leaving the SDW, I went up to the trig point on the top of Black Cap and, after admiring the view, I headed ESE to Mount Harry. I crossed the open ground SE and then rejoined my outward route back through the woods towards Offham Hill. I slipped over the bank at the side of the chalk track down the hill and walked NE down the slightly overgrown old holloway parallel to the track. On reaching the A275, I retraced my outward route home via the byway.

By the time I reached home it was getting dusk and I was glad to get in and get warmed up. I felt a hell of a lot better for getting out.

Thursday Jan 1, 2009: 7.25 miles, ascent approx 160m (Map: OS Explorer 122)

Today's circular Downland walk was led by Jen and Jack the collie. Six of us (plus dog) met at 11 on New Year's Day morning. Earlier in the day it had seemed a touch warmer than it had been of late, but there was still a cold NNE wind and it was grey and overcast. We started from the car park on the very N edge of Woodingdean, just off the B2123 (Falmer Road). The walk would head down into one of my favourite bits of the Downs, the area around Standean Bottom - as described in a few of my previous postings.

We followed Norton Drive (bridleway) E from the car park. After about 1/3 of a mile, at a fork in the track, we took the bridleway N of Bullock Hill and the nearby radio mast. The track becomes a terraced pathway on the side of the hill and gradually curves and drops down into Standean Bottom. After following the path around the bottom of the valley, we reached a junction of 4 tracks.

We took the wide track running initially SE and then roughly S towards Balsdean pumping station. Just over half a mile later, we reached a T-junction, where we turned ENE to climb the side of Pickers Hill. Half a mile from the T-junction, we came to a fork in our path, and turned NNE on the bridelway towards Swanborough Hill.

The breeze was cold and there was still thick ice on the puddles on the track. About a mile from the fork we arrived at a big corrugated iron barn in search of a sheltered spot to stop for lunch. We stopped in the barn to eat, perching on a straw bale, and Jack settled down in a cosy corner for a rest. Refreshed with hot drinks, sandwiches and leftover Christmas treats, we headed off NE over Swanborough Hill to join the South Downs Way above Kingston and Lewes.

To return to our starting point, we followed the SDW running roughly NE for about 1.25 miles and then, where it joins Juggs Road, we continued to follow it SSE. When the SDW turned NE, we kept SSE on the track over Newmarket Hill, past the telephone mast, along Drove Avenue and back to the car park.

It was only about 2.45 in the afternoon, but already the sky was noticably greyer and it was geting colder and time to head off for teas, roaring fires, hot baths, etc.

A happy new year to all!