Anything from 13.8 km to 24.4 km (8.6 to 15.5 miles) 5/10
Not so much a circular as a butterfly-shaped walk, we start with the western loop from Newhaven along the cliffs to Peacehaven and inland to Piddinghoe, then return to Newhaven for lunch (10.4 km/5 ½ miles) before heading east to Bishopstone. We are spoilt for choice of ways to do this: a higher or shorter lower loop are offered and it's possible to finish the walk there (18-21 km/11-13 miles) or return to Newhaven. As the walk author says, Newhaven gets a bad press but is very interesting and there are lots of information boards about the varied local history.
If finishing in Bishopstone, another tempting alternative would be to reverse the afternoon loop and walk to Bishopstone through the extremely interesting Tide Mills nature reserve – that is the 13.8km/8.6 mile option.
Trains: 0954 from Victoria (Clapham Junction 1001 East Croydon 1010) changing at Lewes on to the 1100 arriving Newhaven Town 1111. There is only a 4 minute connection time which normally involves a dash across the station – quickest if you are in the middle of the train from London. Returns from Newhaven Harbour via Lewes at 30 and 59 (Bishopstone 3 minutes earlier, Newhaven Town 2 minutes later).
Lunch: many choices in Newhaven listed on the walk web page. Mamoosh Riverside Deli and Cafe is good.
Tea: in Bishopstone, the Galley Papachino's Cafe at the Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club (open till 5). This is also the best bet if finishing at the official walk end point at Newhaven Harbour. Otherwise it's back into Newhaven where there is plenty of choice as for lunch.
Shortening the walk: As well as the afternoon options already described, it is easy to shorten the walk as several bus routes are passed, mentioned on the walk web page.
L=swc.395
2 comments:
Firstly I would like to apologise for miscalculating the western loop distance – 10.4 km is of course 6 ½ miles not 5 ½ which explains why some of us felt the need for a lunch stop just outside Piddinghoe.
Having got that out of the way - #15 on the walk including the walk author, one late starter who joined some of us after lunch, and one small dog who is a regular on Sussex walks. There was #beautiful-sunshine all day although it was quite windy at times.
The initial group soon split into a faster and slower sections. As mentioned the back group stopped on the riverbank just after Piddinghoe. There are nice benches by the river below the church, but a noisy hedge trimmer deterred us from stopping there.
More refreshments were needed so we headed for Mamoosh. On the way we briefly encountered most of the “front group” just heading off for the eastern loop. I hear that this group broke up somewhat in the afternoon, with some taking a short cut and at least one finishing at Bishopstone.
Meanwhile, at Mamoosh we met two already ensconced and took on soup, coffee and cakes, all fare pronounced very good. Some needed to depart for urgent business elsewhere, leaving five including the late starter who decided to take the Tide Mills route to Bishopstone. We stopped to read some of the signboards about the area's interesting history but were a bit disappointed not much plant life had started to emerge. We saw several huge diggers and trucks moving shingle about the beach.
Two went straight to Bishopstone station while three stopped for tea or beer at the Galley, later joined by a fourth coming from doing the afternoon loop in the correct clockwise direction. He was served reluctantly as the barman was keen to close up! I made a dash for the 1627 train leaving the three others – not sure if they walked back to Newhaven. Anyway, another great outing in the continuing run of sunny Wednesdays!
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT Two of the three who did the long afternoon reunited with the three who had had a drink at the seafront bar to get the 16.56 from Bishopstone. We had beer (and one of us a tiny airline bottle of wine) from the Runaway Cafe on Lewes station on the train back to London.
All agreed a great day out. The views from the downs in the afternoon were reported to be excellent.
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