Waywards Gone Wayward: An Interlude

Covid has destroyed lives and disrupted life generally in 2020, and I'm afraid, although it isn't really ‘up there’ with the big tragedies of the year, being suddenly plunged into Tier 4 restrictions as of Boxing Day means that it has also scuppered the South Downs Waywards’ plans for the foreseeable future. 




We have already had two aborted December days due to the weather, and we had the 27th December down for our next try of Stage 2. The Boxing Day change means that we can no longer travel out of our area, or together, and therefore a trip to Exton was definitely off the cards for the time being.


There was still the matter of the Christmas excesses to be walked off, however, so we thought we would undertake a nearer, interim circuit walk on the Downs instead. Cissbury Ring was plan B, but the weather app promised rain for most of the day, while Storrington and Sullington looked much drier. We went for Plan C: a five mile circular walk starting at Sullington Church to slough off the Christmas sluggishness, replicating part of our first practice walk back in October. 



Tractor opposite St Mary's Church, Sullington

The fact that I got completely soaked standing in my own driveway while we hastily compared the relative merits of Plans B and C should have been clue enough that the app might not have been at its most accurate. But we ploughed ahead with the unfounded optimism that has characterised much planning in 2020.


The worst part of it, when we were most exposed across the top of the downs, and when the rain was lashing down at its heaviest, was utterly miserable. 


But the moments when the rain abated for a while were as breathtaking as ever. The green of it restores the soul. Beneath Chanctonbury Ring, surrounding fields had formed mini lakes so that water birds swam just in front of sheep grazing. A very different picture from our earlier visit.



Impromptu lake fields



So even though I arrived home muddied and bedraggled, I'm still glad we went. Who knows when we will be able to attempt Stage 2? We got to enjoy our all important granola biscuits, and this walk at least took us across the half way point between Winchester and Eastbourne: a nice landmark for when we eventually return to the South Downs Way for the full monty.


Granola saviour

And, if nothing else, we have learnt that we don't enjoy walking in a downpour.

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