Steyning to Lewes – The Sun Refused to Shine

 Thanks Richard. 

But it only refused to shine in the morning. After a cold night I packed up the tent, photographed this cherry blossom and walked into Steyning for a decent full English breakfast. 

Today is a long walk so let’s get on Davey boy! 

It’s alright for you mister, but I’m aching, carrying a heavy rucksack and closer to the underworld than the early world, so ‘boy’ is a misnomer. 

No, Davey boy. Davey ‘girl’ would be a missnomer. 

Boom boom. 

The Methodists have a lovely little pad down here. Almost excessively lovely for the creed.

And a bit further down the road an elephant with six legs was trying to trample some irises.

I cut across to a gap in the Downs, where I was able to join the Way without having to climb the escarpment twice. Then climbing up the route I got a decent look back at Steyning just to the right of the Downs in the middle distance.

It’s great walking long distances. Take your time or speed up. Divert to somewhere of interest or crack on. See places you otherwise would never see. Sleep in cold tents with inappropriately thin sleeping bags. 

OK, I’ve got to get a good quality warm sleeping bag that doesn’t take up too much space in my rucksack. Expensive I know but needs must.

Looking to the north the North Downs we’re getting clearer, but not clearly defined in this photo.

Breaking over to the brow of the ridge the south coast was there again. 

And on top of the Downs a glider pilot was having a joyride in the wind; the cold wind that was strong on earth never mind in the sky. He slung it around like a good un. 

The view north east was great, outlining the hills that I would be walking over, and dropping down to the plain.

There is a steeply sided dry valley running down from the ridge called the Devil’s Dyke. Photos are good but can’t quite do it justice. This is the top end and the photo after this one is where the Dyke runs on and turns left onto the plain.

This is great and if it were not for the bitter easterly wind the walk would be idyllic. This next shot is looking back from a mile away westwards to the Devil’s Dyke coming down from left to right.

The sun was strong but it was slowly sinking and I needed to make it to Housedean Farm near Lewes. Before dropping down into the valley that the campsite was located in I took this photo looking westwards. The South Downs to the left and the North Downs to the right. 


My route dropped down and I legged it before the sun disappeared. The slanted sunlight produced some lovely views of the Downs.

There was no-one in charge present at the campsite so I pitched up and got into bed, with a box of chicken thighs that I’d bought from a village store a lot earlier. Hope they’re alright. We’ll find out later!

Night night.