(Truleigh Hill to Southease)
I didn’t make any notes as I went along on day six. I did have time before I left in the morning but instead I spent ages looking out to the off-shore wind farm at Shoreham and then I guess I just focused on getting where I needed to be.
Day six was the long one – 20 miles on paper / 23.2 miles on foot. More of it was on grassland than previous days which was nicer underfoot but made it much harder to see where I’d come from when looking back. I missed the sense of progress, but at the same time this was the first day with views forward to the cliffs at Eastbourne. Maybe towards the end of a long walk it is good to look forward and start to land back gently into life?
So back to the start of the day…
I slept for almost 8 glorious hours – but still woke up around 5am. Once I was ready for the day I had to wait for breakfast, but as soon as it was ready I made up 3 jam sandwiches, grabbed a couple of mini pain au chocolate and an apple and headed out the door, eating as I walked.
There were cows within the first hour! I walked (very bravely) through the first group (who were lying down so clearly not interested in me) and was feeling like a warrior – until I saw a small but feisty looking herd waiting to greet me at the next gate!! I decided to wait until someone else came along (safety in numbers and all that) and then noticed two male runners coming towards me so decided I would watch their route and then use it for myself. Happily one of the men read my anxious face at the gate and offered to walk me through the cows to set me on my way. My hero!! Thank you lovely man, especially since you had been telling your friend how much they scared you.
In the ‘cowfusion’ I didn’t check the signage properly and ended up walking a section a little off my path, which took me nearer to the edge and closer to the para gliders leaping off Fulking Hill than was desirable. Total vertigo-inducing sensory overload!!!
Anyway, I survived, found the right path and carried on past the donkey wheel at Saddlescombe, the golf course at Pyecombe, the ‘Jack & Jill’ windmills at Clayton and on to Ditchling Beacon. On the way I stopped off at Pyecombe church for a cup of green tea (as you do) and an M&S service station to buy something for lunch (the ‘no pork sausage rolls’ were really good – will buy again). The man at the till asked if I had any fuel to pay for – seriously?! I’m wearing a back-pack and holding pair of trekking poles!! Hahaha!
After 20 mins eating lunch atop Ditchling, it was onwards past Plumpton, across the A27, under the railway and up, up, up onto the ridge around Kingston-near-Lewes. I felt as if I was on the ridge for a couple of hours before the gradual decent towards Rodmell and finally Southease YHA. If I thought it was windy the previous day, it was nothing compared to the breeze along the ridge today – I could almost not stay upright in places and used the elastic straps on my poles for the first time.
Today was the first day I’ve had my Pacerpoles in my hands all day. Not only are they brilliant for climbing and descending the hills, but today they really helped me to feel more grounded when the winds were buffeting me about. Very happy I had them today.
Tonight’s sleep is possibly not going to be great! I’ve had an hour or so already but it’s currently 12.30am and H from NZ has just finished sending emails and is now snoring like a good un! And M (not from NZ) spend about 30 minutes repeatedly running water, washing her face & wringing out a flannel before starting on her teeth…there’s a bathroom down the hall!!! She already told me that you can’t come to a hostel and expect to sleep…but I shall repay the favour in the morning when I get up early…. [I was actually very kind when I got up at 5.30am – collected all my belongings and left them sleeping undisturbed]
Also, it was my first (happily only) night in a top bunk. Apparently M reserved a bottom bunk and H from NZ has a bad knee. The other lady here is lovely and offered to swap with me but I reckon if I can walk the length of the South Downs Way on my own, I can cope with a top bunk for one night! And if I really don’t like it, and the snoring carries on too long & loud, I’ll go find a sofa in the lounge…
Eastbourne tomorrow! I can’t actually believe how far I’ve travelled cross-country, although I think my feet can. I’ve got all the way here with just one small blister inside my right heel – the same point I felt it on the very first day I think – but for sure my feet are feeling the miles now. I think sleep will help so I’m going to give it a try – I might just shove my pillow over H from NZ face though first!!!