After several days of rain and everything wet today was going to be dryer, and
with Sue away, Bertie and I set out for the South Downs.
Parking in the Amberley Museum part of the station carpark, we set out down to
the main road and round along the Stoke lane.
Avoiding the flood plain track we kept to the road heading south to North
Stoke
Just before the settlement and just after the caravan club field we turned off
up a path through a hedge line. There was a tree down from storm Eunice that
Bertie managed to jump over - he must be gettign used to this kind of
obstacle
Where a spur came down over the railway tracks we turned up a track (marked as a
backroad on the map but really just a farm track). $ red kites were wheeling
around above as we climbed gently.
Still climbing in a generally straight direction, eventually we could make out
the rounded top of the South Downs ridge ahead, but still quite a way away..
passing a couple of junctions
Arriving at a T junction w turned left, continuing up hill still following a
farm track between hedges, getting no closer, it seemed, to the ridge on the
slkyline.
Another junction and we turned left again following a path (for a change)
alongside a small wood - also showing the destructive tendencies of the last
storm.
Reaching the ridge the panorama opened up with views from the south round to the
west and North.
The flood plain around Arundel showing the recent rain
We set off down the grassy slope of Amberley mount, looking over at the
continuation of the South Downs beyond Whiteways
Looking down to the coast with Arundel and Littlehampton as we left the grassy
slopes behind and returned to the track
the steeper descent to Downs farm, which we took with care of the slippery chalk
path. Then bypassing the farm buildings with the track beside a sheep field.
The end of the path when it reached the road once more needed a little care
again because of the damp chalk. then down the road descending past the
museum
At the bottom we continued on the SDW by turning the wrong way (but it was
protected from the road), then down a farm track over the railway, looking at
the ascent on the other side of the valley.
Looking south to the coast down the river Arun.
This diversion (three sides of a square) came out opposite the Stoke road we started down. Across the main road and through the railway car park back to the van and lunch.
