South Downs Waywards

Since we last traversed the Downs, the Waywards have had an aborted attempt to complete Stage 2 of the Literary Walk. A route which requires revisiting. In the meantime, a mild and bright October half term offered an inviting opportunity for a local walk.  In the absence of chauffeurs, Strictly Lady Lloyd selected a circular walk beginning at The George pub in Burpham. We parked up and crossed the road, heading through the churchyard and around the church. Once we reached downland, we were greeted by the majestic flight of a large dark coloured bird with the distinctive forked tail of a red kite. I'm not entirely convinced it was a red kite, because the tail was a bright yellowy-orange, but it was certainly that shape. I'm not sure what else it could have been. It was close to us when it took flight, and we watched it for a few minutes before it disappeared into the distance. From open tracts we could look back and just about make out the outline of Arundel Castle against the s...

 A special walk, this one: not only taking in parts of the South Downs Way which are closest to home and most familiar, such as Chanctonbury Ring, but also organised to coincide with significant birthday celebrations of a certain Strictly Lady Lloyd.  Hearth Father dropped us at Houghton Bridge at around 8.45am on the 27th December 2022. We were just about ready to blow off the cobwebs and slough away the post-Christmas and Boxing Day sluggishness. It's fair to say that we were running a little later than we'd planned, having discovered that we are now both very relaxed about a mere half-marathon-length walk. When we began walking the South Downs Way, preparations rivalled those of antarctic expeditions. These days I barely remember to bring a water bottle (let alone the picnic blanket that might have come in useful at the top of Chanctonbury Ring). Views from Amberley Mount looking back  We passed by the Arun River once more and regained the South Downs Way behind the te...