Headlines
Breakfast with Marilyn: then taxi to ... Juggs Road
Good Views and Lamb Fix: but pollution to the north
Southease: village, church, bridge, railway and more!
The Masts We Could See from the Very Start
Skeet Shooters and Model Gliders
Out to Dinner with Another Babe
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Stream of Consciousness
Breakfast with Marilyn: then taxi to ... Juggs Road
It's been a hot and sweaty night. Deb and I took turns coughing and snorting. Lots of fun :-)
Breakfast... and we are not alone. We join Marilyn. She's an expatriate Englishwoman from the Dominican Republic. She spent a few months in Australia, years ago, with ... a male friend. She once refers to, My (pause for thought) second husband... She's very polite. For example, Would you be so kind as to pass the... whatever? Pleasant company, pleasant breakfast.
Our hostess is Alison. Friendly, cheerful. We get the impression that she's still getting the feel of this b&b business. Her husband grows orchids. We're told there are hundreds of orchids in the back yard.
Good Views and Lamb Fix: but pollution to the north
Alison calls for our taxi. We are driven back to Kingston. This driver asks, would we like to be dropped closer to the track? Yes please! we answer :-) So he drops us where Juggs Road stops being a steep rough road. We avoid the long and winding trek through the village.
It's a steep climb... of course! But there are views and lambs. Deb gets her lamb fix for the day :-) Onthe way up the hill we have couple of short but interesting conversations -- and my interpretations:
As we are adjusting packs, preparing to start walking, a man and dog pass by. You need a pack which will carry itself, he says. Later, he and his dog pass us, going home again. He looks straight ahead, makes no comment. My interpretation: An English gentleman needs a reason to open a conversation. Putting on an awkward backpack is good. Just passing? No excuse to impose...
Near the top of the hill there is a woman and dog. She throws a ball -- into the long grass ! -- and the dog finds it and fetches it. Actually brings the ball back to be thrown again. Enjoying the game :-) I guess, Springer Spaniel. Deb says, too small for a Springer. We're both right. We all meet at a gate and I ask about the dog. It's a Springer Spaniel -- but very small for the breed.
We exchange a few more words with the dog owner. Amongst other things she says that she lives in Kingston. And I'm sure she then mutters, Next thing, I'll be telling you my address... My interpretation: Either she's a single woman living alone, or there's a high rate of targetted crime, or I misheard :-) Probably just as well that I didn't reply, Well the hill walking certainly keeps you in good shape.
And after that, there's a lot of walking across the top of the Downs. Less other hikers, as we get out of easy reach of the village. And good views!
The weather has cleared and we can see for miles. And very pretty it is, too :-) With no hedges to block the views. Just wire fences and large paddocks.
The distance is still misty. And the mist to the north is distinctly brown. Pollution. Yuk.
Southease: village, church, bridge, railway and more!
We follow the top of the Downs for a long way. Then go downhill towards Southease. It's a village so small that the road to the village is a no through road.
Interesting: the chuch has a round tower! I can only remember square towers on other village churches.
Through the village. Across a "Weak bridge" over the River Ouse. I suppose that a brave motorist could try it... The river is a deep and regular channel with muddy banks. Perhaps it's been dredged? the bridge may be weak but it has been braced -- on either side -- by pontoon-like extensions. Well, pontoon-like in that there are solid, vertical wooden structures connected horizontally to the bridge, out to either side like pontoons on a canoe.
There's a railway line, and the Southease station. If a vehicle needs to cross the railway line, the driver phones a controller, who will remotely raise the boom gates.
Then we cross the wooden -- new and quite fancy -- footbridge over a busy A road. After which... we climb a very long and very steep hillside. Past many cows and calves and a few ewes and lambs. Up, again, to the top of the Downs. There's a lot of uphill. Then a lot more level (with good views all the way).
The Masts We Could See from the Very Start
We reach a pair of communication masts. We could see them at the start of today's walk... it has taken us till lunch-time to get here. The walk so far, has been a very broad curve. We're now about half way to Alfriston.
And yes, we are sure that we are about half way. We checked -- and double-checked -- today's distance. In the guide book, not on the tour company's itinerary.
Skeet Shooters and Model Gliders
Of interest after lunch:
It's mostly a long, almost straight walk, across the top. So no severe ups nor downs. There are views to the north, to what Deb tells me are the Weald and the Northern Downs.
There's the constant, distant sound of gunfire. It stops. A bit later, four cars drive past us, next to the walk track: Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover, Landrover. Each with a driver and a gentleman in a tweed suit. Followed -- at a respectful distance -- by a simpler model Landrover towing a trailer loaded with skeet shooting gear.
Would all this somehow relate to an earlier sign, "Stine Estate. No metal detecting" ?? Perhaps people would go metal detecting for ... some by-product of skeet shooting?! Oh, and do I mean skeet shooting or clay pigeon shooting, or are they the same? So much I need to know!
Over lunch we had seen gliders. Now we see them closer -- and they are model gliders.Three metre wingspan. Half a dozen flying and a couple more being prepared. Amazing! Deb asks, Would I like to fly one? No, I think. Or perhaps a couple of times (till I crashed beyond repair :-) but not as a regular hobby. Give me a real light plane that I can sit in, with an engine :-)
We watch one being launched. Hold above head, run forward ten or so steps, throw ! And there is one -- just one -- that is into aerobatics. We watch it loop (wow!) then roll. It wiggle-waggles its wings. Dives at speed... Then we are out of sight.
Out to Dinner with Another Babe
After that... More views, more fine weather, more walking. Very pleasant. Downhill but not too steep, into Alfriston. Through the village -- and another kilometre to our b&b. And it's very nice... We just wish it were closer to the village... or, at least, closer to an inn. Oh well.
Deb is really, really tired. As usual, she just keeps on walking. But she is now tired enough that she actually mentions that she is tired. So we wish that we could eat closer than the village. But... :-(
The way to the village follows a road. The footpath is overgrown, with nettles along the edges. In shorts, I am very careful. We pass a young couple with two children, one in a stroller. The father goes first, bashing down as many nettles as he can. Poor fellow is in shorts.
Going to dinner, we are both wearing long pants and long sleeves. Deb still manages to get a minor nettle sting on one hand :-(
We go to the nearest food place... but they don't serve till 6:30, half an hour from now. We can't wait that long! So we have to walk to the village.
Sure, it's "only" a kilometre. But... sigh.
Now we have the difficulty of eating in a village: choice! We look at one pub. It seems good. It's the most expensive in town. We go across the road to a "smugglers" inn. It looks okay -- but there are no spare tables! Back to the first...
The George Inn... pricey but looks good. And they have a table for us. (It's Friday night. A busy night.)
Interesting: There are a few people, very few, looking dressed up. One couple, the woman is dressed up, just a bit, the man is in shorts and casual shoes. They are drinking -- and playing cards. At the bar is a group of people wearing casual clothes. And some torn jeans, just back from outdoor work, sort of clothes. With dogs, of course :-) Talking about finding a new track to walk along, leading to old trees which have been dated at however many years old they are. (Probably hundreds of years.) A thoroughly eclectic (?) mix of people, in the fanciest inn / restaurant in town.
Our food arrives. Salmon, lamb. And it looks like real meals! A bit of fancy stacking, some fancy vegetable preparation. But the first impression is, This is dinner ! Too many of our previous meals have made me think, Okay, very Master Chef. But is there a real meal in there? Today's meals, we can see the main ingredient. We can see that there are enough vegies and enough potato to fill the stomach. Each one is clearly an identifiable meal :-)
Dessert: we share a peanut paste and white chocolate cheesecake. Deeelicious!
Oh, and the waitress is a bit of a babe. But I don't mention this to Deb until we are on the way home. And, if necessary, I can make a quick escape :-)
Deb decides to go to sleep early. Good idea, she was asleep anyway. We've agreed times at which Deb is allowed to wake me up in the morning.
I'm almost up-to-date with this journal ! A final proof-read... and that's the end of another fine day on the Downs.
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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Agamedes Consulting
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"I feel that my enemy is anyone who would, given the power to do so, restrict individual liberty." … Chuck Pratt, 1965
