The South Downs Way: Eastbourne to Ditchling
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9 April 1996: Eastbourne to Birling Gap,
and on to East Dean.
We were waved off by
Matthew’s grandparents from the offical start of the walk on Eastbourne's
outskirts (far right). Many walkers start at the town pier, but
this would have added two miles along the prom. The day started very misty
(near right) and the two lighthouses of
Beachy Head and Belle Tout loomed out to us. Peter even needed to take a
reassurance bearing away from Belle Tout!
But the sun broke through on the
mile inland to East Dean - a diversion with two good reasons: we needed
the bus back, and there’s a super pub on the village green, where we
took a coke (Matthew is 7) and a pint (Peter is 45) in blazing
sunshine.
13 July 1996: Birling Gap to
Exceat
This is one of the
most famous walks in southern England, across the chalk cliffs called the
Seven Sisters (far right). There was a visitor centre at Exceat
Bridge which includes a live insect collection which Matthew enjoyed. Lift
to Birling Gap (near right) to start, and then
bus from Exceat, which is on the main A27 road.
18
August 1996: Exceat to Littlington
We were
accompanied for this short stroll by Barbara, Adrian and Barbara's mum
Marjorie - three generations! Although short it's quite hilly for little
ones. It goes through Friston Forest, the first stretch of woodland on the
Way - there is very little until Amberley is
reached.
22 March 1997: Littlington to
Southease
Matthew, now
8, took some convincing that he could walk this far! Alfriston
(near right) is a useful walkers' stop, one of the main villages
on route. We spent half an hour on a picnic lunch at Firle Beacon (far
right).
There is a little station at Southease where we took the train back to
Hove.
25 October 1997: Southease to the then
Newmarket Inn
Matthew, who has reached 9, had been studying
river features at school and the River Ouse at the start showed off plenty
of them! There were tiny spiders in the hedges on the hill above Rodmell,
whose webs span out in the breeze across the track. When we stopped to
pause at the top, the flap of Peter’s rucksack was full of the creatures.
Very spooky. This section ends at the former Newmarket Inn on the main A27
road; it was still a pub then and we ate there before catching the bus to
Brighton, now it’s fast food though.
25 May 1998:
former Newmarket Inn to Ditchling Beacon
Not a
difficult stretch, although almost all uphill, but we took it very easily.
Barbara met us at the car park at the Beacon.