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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 25 August 2019

Sunday Walk: Tickle the giant's toes - Berwick to Eastbourne

20.5km (12.7 miles)
7/10
A South Downs walk, first visiting Arlington Reservoir (good for ducks) then Wilmington, famous for its hillside figure and churchyard yew. The church has a charming "bee and butterfly" window. After tickling the Long Man's toes, you're off across the downs, through Jevington, a historic smuggling village, and eventually down to the sea at Eastbourne.
It is possible to do a shorter (11.6 km 7.2 ml) walk, finishing in Polegate.
Hardnuts could extend the walk to include Beachy Head, but you lot don't strike me as hardnuts.
Trains: 9:55 from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:02, E Croydon 10:12) to Brighton, change there to the Eastbourne train (arr 11:01 plat 4, dep 11:05 plat 7) arr Berwick 11:32. You don't get long at Brighton so don't mess about.
For a more leisurely interchange, you could get the 9:46 Ore train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:53, E Croydon 10:03) and change at Lewes onto the same Eastbourne train (arr 10:49 plat 1, dep 11:21 plat 3).
Return from Eastbourne at xx00. Get a return to Eastbourne.
Return from Polegate at xx:07 (shorter walk).
Lunch The Giant's Rest in Wilmington (0)1323870207
Tea: In Jevington, choose between the Eight Bells and the Jevington Tea Room.
It shouldn't be hard to find somewhere in Eastbourne. The Qualisea Fish Restaurant on Terminus Road comes recommended.
Directions here
 T=2.27

2 comments:

David M said...

13 walkers on a hot and sunny day. 11 set off from Berwick, including at least 3 first timers. We had some difficulty with the instructions early in the walk, but we were helped out by a friendly farmer who promised that a new, clearly marked path alongside a new fence, would be in place within a few weeks. We picked up another 2 walkers at the Giant’s Rest in Wilmington. They were the only pub lunchers. The majority of the remaining group picnicked beside the 1600 yew tree in the churchyard of St. Mary and Peter. The church is well worth a visit and we were especially fortunate to have among our group a learned authority who pointed us towards the easily missed, ancient carvings engraved in the church walls. After lunch we continued just below the imposing Long Man of Wilmington towards the village of Jevington. Some stopped for refreshments at the Eight Bells pub. The 7 who pressed on had believed the Jevington tea garden to be shut, only to learn later that it had in fact re-opened in April. Others, we understand, had taken the opportunity to sample its delights. A light sea breeze was very welcome as we headed on over the downs and into Eastbourne. 2 found time for a refreshing swim in the wonderfully warm and clean sea before meeting up with 3 of the others in time to take the 6pm train back to London. A really lovely walk on a near perfect, if slightly too hot, day.

Anonymous said...

N=13 w=hot-and-sunny