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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 6 December 2015

An invigorating day on the South Downs

Book 2 walk 25 and download walk 181 variation: Lewes to Southease via Glynde

Length 11.4km (7.1m); toughness 6/10, three climbs.

Trains 09.47 London Victoria (Clapham Junction 09.53, East Croydon 10.07) arrive Lewes 10.53.

Return trains from Southease at xx:09. Change at Lewes for connecting trains to London. Buy a day return to Southease

I’m taking  a bit of  a punt with this walk also!  The South Downs is normally summer walking territory but this short but vigorous walk  -3 longish climbs-  I think will make a fine winter outing and get the blood pumping!

The walk is in 3 short sections:
(1)  Lewes to Glynde – see Book 2 Walk 25 for directions (5km, 3.1m)

(2) After lunch in Glynde continue on through  the village, cross the busy main road at the T junction and go along the tarmac lane ahead.In 300m do not turn left down the driveway signposted Preston Park but continue ahead on the lane/track which gradually gets steeper until, after about 1km you get to the top of the hill. Note the radio masts away to your left.(3km, 1.9m)

(3) At the top of the hill turn right along the South Downs Way for an invigorating ridge walk ending with a long descent into Southease and tea.(3.4km, 2.1m)

Shortening the walk
You can end the walk in Glynde and have a long “relaxed” lunch at the Trevor Arms before catching a train from Glynde to Lewes (trains at xx:45) for connecting trains back to London.

Lengthening the walk 
For faster walkers you can extend the walk by taking a circular ridge route to Glynde and then from there continue to West Firle  to have lunch at the Ram Inn before ascending the Downs and turning right at the end of the climb for a longer ridge walk back to Southease (See Book 1 walk 31 for the Glynde to West Firle route). This adds about 5km (3.1m) to the overall walk.

If you have the legs and the speed you could do the Lewes to  Seaford walk (18.6km , 11.6m 7/10 toughness).  See Walk 181 variation. (Here you do not turn right at point (3) above but continue ahead on a direct route to Seaford.

An earlier train at 08.47 might be best for these longer options.

**Whatever walk variation  you choose you are advised to print off the OS map for free walk 181. See here

Refreshments (and timings)
Lunch is at the superb Trevor Arms (01273 858208) in Glynde.  You should get here about 12.15-12.30. Ring ahead as it gets busy.

After lunch you have 6.4km (4m) to do so you need to leave the pub at about 1.30pm in order to get to Southease around 3.30pm for refreshments at the Courtyard café at the South Downs YHA. The café closes at 4pm and then you have a 3 mins walk to Southease station to catch the 4.09pm train to Lewes.


Enjoy your walk! 

4 comments:

Walker said...

This is in fact SWC walk 47, clockwise direction: complete directions for whole walk in one document, plus details of all lunch and tea options, can be found on pages 1-4 of this pdf

http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/book_3/walk_47/SWC_Walk_47_Lewes_Circular_via_Glynde_and_Southease.pdf

Walker said...

It is the CHRISTMAS PARTY on Thursday - don't forget!! See listing below

Fi said...

Am aiming to get the early train and do Lewes to Seaford walk.

PeteB said...

Just n=3 on the short walk with the weather w=windy-some-driving-rain-but-very-mild. After the climb out of Lewes we took the long ridge route rather than the valley and hill path as I know from experience the later can be very muddy from cattle churn near a field gate. Our reward was some driving wind and rain and we were glad to reach the Trevor Arms, which impresses me more each time I visit, for an excellent nut and a traditional roast which was served very quickly by friendly and chatty staff.

The weather looked to be closing in again so we did not linger in the pub but set off for Southease which we reached around 2.30pm to enjoy tea, coffee and delicious cakes at the Courtyard cafe. (Just £3 each so terrific value.) We dried out and caught the 15.09 train from Southease.

Winter walks on the South Downs are a bit of an "acquired taste" but I love the bleakness of the area in winter so I found it an exhilirating day. Other plus points were no mud, no stiles and my boots were far cleaner at the end of the walk than at the outset! Result.