The heatwave continues and with the need to share a car with Sue whilst
the new van is still in sickbay, so I arranged to drop Sue off at Brinsbury
then go on for a walk. The idea was to park just off the roundabout outside
Upper Beeding, walk up SDW before coming back down to the outside of Upper
Beeding via Windmill Hill. Through the back of the village before crossing the
flood plains to Horton Hall and on to Tottington wood. Across to Edburton and
back up to the South Downs ridge, across SDW and down the other side. Up the
open access area at the bottom to the barrow then zigzag down and across to
Erringham farm. Up the road back to the SDW and the return to the car park.
We dropped Sue off at Brinsbury and headed back along A24 and A283 and into the
car park at teh roundabout between Steyning and Upper Beeding. From here we
picked up the SDW and climbed up the steep slope into the pasture above, and the
upper car park.
From the second car park we dropped down the north side along the path towards
Golding Barn farm. This circled around a valley dropping down to the A2037
Through an industrial area and across the road onto a lane beside a caravan
park. This merged into the path up Windmill hill -sadly no building on the
top.
Over the rounded top and down the other side with views west along the South
Downs ridge. Through the residential edge of Upper Beeding
After negotiating a way trough teh streets we came out the end into the flood
plains beyond. Taking a path leading East across the fields.
A bit of a navigation maze where the path disappeared under the tall grasses, we
passed around Horton Hall farm and down the drive back to the A2037
picking up a back road along the bottom of the downs escarpment, and then down a
farm drive way leading to the edge of Tottington Wood
In the woods we followed a couple of tracks until they came out into fields
following a path still parallel to the escarpment.
Across a further driveway and into cut grass fields to reach the barns at
Edbuton. Down the driveway towards the back road and a path up the side of the
escarpment. The path began in a private car park and up some steep steps.
The path opened out as it came out of the woods and curved steeply around in an
S shape to the top of the ridge.
Crossing over the SDW just below Truleigh hill we then followed a valley as it
wound down through the sheep pasture followign the bottom of the valley.
We paused for a refreshment break - needed after the climb up the escarpment -
beside a hollow tree, before continuing along the wide and twisting valley
bottom
The valley combined with a larger one as it approached teh edge of Shoreham,
however we took a small path up into the open access woods at the side heading
for the power lines
We travelled through the open access area until we met up with the path along
the top near thunders barrow. We turned towards Shoreham until reaching the path
going west.
This path cut straight across the lower slopes of the downs, heading towards the
ridge coming down in front.
Past Mossy Bottom barn and a climb up over an intermittent slope, dropping down
the other side to Erringham farm
Up on Mill Hill Lane we followed up to the upper car park. This was very hot and
Bertie struggled a little with the lack of shade, so we stopped every 400-500m
for a breather in what we could find.
AT the car park we found some shade down a track behind the car park and paused
for lunch and an opportunity for Bertie to cool down.
After food, drink and a rest we continued back down the SDW the way we had
climbed in the morning - looking over to the downs ride beyond heading around to
Chanctonbury ring.
Down the steep slope and back to the car park, where we had to try and get some air into the car to cool it down.
A drive back to pick up Sue did involve a stop off in Ashington for ice cream (human and dog).
