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20th April 2019 Hiking - Walking: Bignor Hill circuits Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Sunny and hot :) Max Speed: Distance Covered: 4 miles (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Saturday 20th April – walks ***** Bignor Hill circuits – sunny and hot :) Our second top night at the National Trust car park at Bignor Hill on top of the South Downs in Sussex and we woke really early and I snapped the sunrise at 5.10. It was the start of yet another clear blue day with temperatures getting to 25 degrees just down the road in Hampshire according to the radio:) Mag made a cuppa and we read and dozed for several hours before getting up for breakfast around 8.30, we love this campervan life:) We then spent another morning enjoying the superb views reading, Mag is now on her fourth book this trip already! Then at eleven with tuna wraps made (the salad has all gone with supplies getting low!) we set off on another walk. We have done most of the routes from here so decided to head up past the small dew pond and Glatting Beacon, the tall radio mast. Here we were greeted with yet another scene of tree devastation with loads of trees being cut down. We now know that all the cut trees are diseased ash which have been badly affected here:( We had already seen our first red kite of this trip and the buzzards were putting on a good show too as we started the long journey down! First through a meadow with amazing scenery ahead with some impressive brown cattle but no sheep this way. We came to gate which lead to a rough stone track still going down passing a few hikers coming up slowly in the heat! The footpath then turned right and narrowed into the woods. The walking sign was leaning against a tree so we were not sure of the way? After seeing a private sign, we retraced our steps and found a deep path down a leafy gorge which was a bit spooky and was actually a bridleway, I pity the poor old horse that is ridden up there! We then came to the best bit as we turn off the bridleway onto a step windy footpath down through the most fantastic wood, where the whole forest floor was covered in a blanket of wild garlic with white flowers everywhere and the odd bluebell thrown in for good measure, it was another pinch yourself moment as we couldn’t believe we had stumbled on something so pretty:) It was a great place to have our picnic surrounded by the smell of the wild garlic. Rested we now had the uphill bit ahead but not before the only flat section through a field of sweetcorn set for the birds, then a rape field, nowhere near as yellow as in Suffolk. We reached a tarmac lane which lead to a very grand old farm house complete with barns and tennis courts which lead to the very steep bumpy track back to our car park. We had only covered just over two miles but it was some serious down and up and we were knackered so our cuppa was very welcome:) Relaxing afternoon in the van then pondering should we stay another night or head for home and avoid the bank holiday traffic queues? We decided to stay and go for another walk as we had the place all to ourselves. Leaving the van at 5.45 we walked up the South Downs Way to the top of Bignor Hill for some of the best views in Sussex before turning right and walking down the side of the farmers field hoping to reach the footpath, we used yesterday evening. We then entered yet another lovely wood spooking a deer and finding out we were nowhere near the expected footpath! On leaving the wood we had to double back and soon found the path coming out near the Neolithic causewayed enclosure and then yet another climb back to the van. Another two miles walked which really finished us off. Yummy corned beef, beans and mash for tea as we are joined by another VW staying the night. Then as the sun was setting a knob in a big white elephant (that’s code for big white campervan) arrived and with nearly the whole carpark to choose from parked really close to the other VW, some people just have no idea. Still they are behind us so don’t affect us at all and it wont spoil our sunrise view:)! We were hoping for another view of the fantastic pink moon but assumed it was a no show as the evening went on and nothing :( Then at 9.30 (an hour and a half after last night!) there it was – glorious again:) So we plan to have an easy relaxing morning tomorrow before risking the trip home with fingers crossed we can get around the dreadful M 25 with no holdups???? Photo Gallery here |
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