18.2km (11.3 miles) 5/10
Readers of the walk requests page will know there has been some demand for this walk – an exhilarating walk over the Downs, fine views from High and Over Hill and springtime lambs. I've been assured this is the best time of year for this excellent walk. Today I'm suggesting leaving out the Wilmington Long Man to do the shorter and less overgrown start via the Vanguard Way and Berwick village.
Travel: 0954 from Victoria (Clapham Junction 1001 East Croydon 1010) changing at Lewes on to the 1114 arriving at Berwick 1125. Returns from Seaford via Lewes at 24 and 53. If you book now (@ 5 March) you can get advance tickets for £10 each way (£6.60 with railcard).
Lunch: plenty of options in Alfriston on the main walk webpage.
Tea: several possibilities in Seaford on the link above, but the Steamworks pub on the station platform is a favourite.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
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2 comments:
PS I forgot to say anything about the standard train tickets - get a return to Berwick. it’s probably best to buy a Seaford-Lewes single for the way back although you might get away with using your Berwick ticket
Well it was an eventful day, and having been away for a month an eye-opener about how much rain you've been having.
Even getting to the start wasn't straightforward as the posted train was late meaning we had a mad dash across Lewes station to the Berwick train. Some who had got earlier trains/come from elsewhere were already on it. #16 all told. This train was then held up by another one which had got tangled up in a ballast bag at Berwick station (that's a new one!). We limped in to Berwick 20 minutes late but still couldn't start the walk as we then had to wait at least 10 more minutes before the level crossing opened.
Finally we set off around midday. The first section was wet to say the least. Many made evasive manoeuvres into fields to avoid huge puddles on the paths. Most looked into Berwick church and admired the Duncan Grant murals. It was already after 1 but most carried on to Alfriston to have lunch - three had a good lunch in the pub I hear, others picknicking.
Things came seriously unstuck when most of us set off from Alfriston. The river had burst its banks on both sides. We decided we couldn't cross to the east bank (but later discovered that an intrepid advance party of two had waded through the flood and walked long the road to rejoin the route further down. They made impressive progress, reaching Cuckmere Haven by 3 when I was still in Alfriston because . . .) We walked down the horribly gloopy path on the other side until we encountered another flood, found ourselves surrounded by water and retreated back to Alfriston.
It's fair to say morale was low at this point but there were lots of ideas about what to do next, being discussed in a huddle on the narrow pavement outside the George. I didn't find that conducive to clear thought and went in for a drink wehere the three lunchers had just finished. They kindly waited for me and we got maps out and concocted a route over the downs and into Seaford more directly. Meanwhile a group of others had decided the same kind of thing and started off ahead of us, while I think a couple walked back to Berwick, one got a lift there and two waited till 4 for a bus to Lewes.
Our improvised route over the downs - and down into Seaford via the golf course - turned out to be pretty good. Two went ahead to ensure they got the 1724 train, while the other two of us just missed it and had a well-earned pint in the Steamworks.
It was #dull-with-early-drizzle-brightening-later.
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