Frank Kennedy’ thoughts of his walk along the South Downs Way.
August 2008
My 21 year old daughter, Pippa and I walked the South Downs Way in 7 days, plus a rest day. It was great fun.
This was where we stayed:
The Wykeham Arms, Winchester … stylish inn full of history
Oxenbourne Farm, East Meon … wonderful place to stay
Blue Bell Inn, Cocking … convenient and friendly
The Sportsman Inn, Amberley (2 nights) … lovely well-equipped rooms, friendly landlord
The Old Tollgate Hotel, Bramber … old style hotel, helpful receptionist
With old friends in Brighton, who picked us up (and dropped us back) where the SDW crosses the A27
The Dean’s House Hotel, Alfriston … very nice hotel indeed
Places we visited and things we did along the way:
Winchester Cathedral … where it all starts
Bignor Roman Villa … well worth a visit
Chichester Festival Theatre – evening performance of The Music Man
A rest day with my sister and her family in a village outside Arundel, with lunch at The Kennels, Goodwood
Saw the film Mamma Mia at the Odeon, Brighton, followed by dinner in The Lanes.
Churches at Southease and Alfriston
Packed lunch picnics worked well for us, but we had a few stops for refreshments:
The Milbury, between Winchester and East Meon
Izaak Walton, East Meon (very nice supper)
Moonlight Tea Rooms, Cocking
The Black Horse, Amberley (very nice supper)
The Abergavenny Arms, Rodmell (light lunch)
Numerous blackberry bushes along the way
Fauna and flora including:
Hare, stoat, deer, fox and rabbits, buzzard, kestrel, fields of cows and sheep, butterflies, marjoram, fields of barley being harvested and corn looking ready to eat
I particularly remember:
The top of Beacon Hill on day one, our first view of the sea and Meon Valley
Old Winchester Hill, a wonderful atmospheric hilltop, rich in history
The steep climb to Beacon Hill on Harting Downs
Walking the ridge towards Chanctonbury Ring, outstandingly beautiful
On top of Firle Beacon in a strong wind
Emerging at the top of a steep forest climb to see the Cuckmere River meandering towards the sea
The Seven Sisters, Birling Gap and Beachy Head
The first sight of Eastbourne, and completing the 100 mile challenge
Views of The Isle of Wight, and Butlins at Bognor, along the way
The villages of East Meon, Amberley and Alfriston
Dewponds and trig points close to the path
Striding high on the ridge, looking down on woods and villages in the distance below
Things we valued:
Having a chance to spend time with friends and family along the way
Being able to find entertainment in Chichester and Brighton in the evenings
Light rucksacks, good waterproof jackets and trousers (though we only had one afternoon of rain)
Cooked breakfasts, and baths for soaking in after a long day (at East Meon, Bramber and Alfriston)
Packed lunches
Compeed for blisters
Suncream within easy reach
Things we cursed:
Ill-fitting walking boots, which had to be replaced after three days, but by then the damage had been done
Busy roads to cross
Getting lost (but it only happened a couple of times, just before and after Exton)
Radio towers and masts standing high on the hills
Things that surprised us:
How few people there were: we had expected it to be much busier
How hard it was: walking twelve to twenty miles a day is tiring, and agony in bad boots
How off-road it was, so tranquil and peaceful
In conclusion:
It was a memorable walk and worthwhile experience. The itinerary (seven days of walking with a one day rest day) felt a good way to do the SDW. People who have completed it in five days have tended to say they wished they had taken longer, and the rest day helped my feet recover so that we could continue. Equally we would not have wanted to do it any slower. I thoroughly recommend walking the South Downs Way.
Frank Kennedy