Rodmell & SDW circuit, South Downs

 The weather had turned away from the rain bands of the last few weeks, now it was cloudy with occasional sunny periods and a fierce wind. We took the opportunity to combine our weekly walk with the visit to Uckfield, this gave us a chance to save on the journeys as some of the remaining pieces of the SDW jigsaw  were beyond Lewis and hence on one of the ways to Uckfield. The next piece East was to continue on the ridge south of Lewis to South Ease and the crossing of the river Ouse.

We parked in the "Monk's House" car park (using our NT pass) at the Northern end of Rodmell, before walking back through the village past the house, and then down a footpath lane to the church and school.

Behind the church, through the graveyard was a stile out into a lane running behind the village up to the road, with views across to the continuation of the ridge on the other side of the river.

By the road was a permissive path in the field, which went in the right direction, and saved going down the relatively busy road. Unfortunately the path did not have a way through where our intended route cut across to the farms, so we followed it to Southease, before picking up the South Downs Way and heading back up to the junction.

Fortunately, approaching from this side the path did not follow the road back, but through the fields, before dropping down onto the farm driveway track - a straight gravel road.

This farm was not one of the grand estate farms and showed many signs of "just coping", as we passed through on our way up the valley bottom veering left.

Gradual climbing up from the farm towards the skyline. We did not know it at the time, but this was a pleasant sheltered part of the walk, once we rose up tot eh ridge we would be faced with the fierce wind.

The next section climbed up out of the valley up to the road into Telscombe, before dropping down again into the village itself.

Situated at the end of a "road to nowhere" that stopped just after the village, and comprising of a manor house, vicarage, and town hall along with a few cottages, was suitable sleepy

Climbing out the other side of the village, took us up to the top of the hills above Peacehaven and Rottingdean, with great views down to the sea and the wind turbine forest beyond.

Turning into the fierce wind we resumed across the sheep pasture towards a house on the horizon, where a pause to add layers gave a glimpse back to the sea and a glimpse of the sun reflecting back off it.

The next section followed teh rounded ridge as it curved gently through fields and pasture, past several underground reservoir looking structures on the tops of the hills.

We continued top follow the rolling downs, passing a monument to a "country Gentleman" where we stopped to make use of the stone bench beside it for a refreshment break.

We did not stop for long as the wind chilled everything exposed, and we continued as the track dropped down into the valley beyond. The valley was sheltered slightly from the wind, before we rose up the other side to a farm track.

Turning north along the farm track, we continued along the valley bottom in a very gentle incline.

Reaching a division of tracks at a dilapidated barn and outbuildings, with superb outlook

We continued heading north along the valley bottom through sheep pasture, in a twisting trail winding around the contours, before converting to a chalk stone road cutting up to the ridge, steeper than before.

Looking back down the valley showing all the twists, and over the ridge north, as we rendezvoused with the SDW once more.

A gentle climb around Swanborough Hill to reach the high point for today, with a view back down the track we had climbed from Kingston near Lewis on the last section.

The SDW follows the ridge east, gently descending. After meeting the path coming across directly from the monument, it followed a concrete road, with views down tot eh coast and also the cliffs of the Severn Sisters (another section of the SDW)

I was not sure if this was the same kestrel we had seen last time, hovering, searching for prey.

out at sea a large bulk carrier sailed past, laden with containers.

Our concrete road ended when we met White way, however teh SDW continued on the rounded ridge line through pasture and crop fields. As we started the final climb up to Mill Hill we passed a sign on the edge of the field with no obvious cause - turns out this was the meridian line from Greenwich separating the hemispheres

Up Mill hill, and past the expensive houses nestling on the top cloistered away from Prying eyes like the ones I passed on the Greensand way, we came to a crossroads of paths where an enterprising person had added a sign "to the Pub". We followed it as it went the way we were to follow to get back to the van.

The lane came down into the village and followed directly to a cross roads at the pub, where we crossed over the main road and continued down to the car park through the other half of the village, passing where we had cut off on our outward journey.

Time for the rest of lunch and shelter from the wind before continuing on to Uckfield.