Gallery

Viewing galleries from February, 2023

Walderton Walk and Skittles on 22nd february 2023

February Extravaganza on 22nd February 2023

We decided to push the boat out and combine a walk, buffet, skittles competition and our annual raffle all in one day to finish mid-afternoon. After a bit of debate we went for it! The walkers assembled early in the car park of The Barley Mow, Walderton who helpfully opened up early especially for us, the heavens had unobligingly opened for us overnight and we caught the tail end of it. Jay and Lindsay led the short walk of 3 miles controlling the pace and timing to perfection. We headed east towards the centre of Walderton, the River Elm was higher than we have seen it before where we left the road starting the gentle climb across the fields. The driveway to Watergate and the main road were crossed with Watergate in view. A short rise at the base of Watergate Hanger took us into woods before crossing back to the north of Watergate when we stopped for our damp coffee break with misty views south towards Thorney Island and Hayling. Refreshed, we passed through and skirted the Woodbarn woods before picking up the Monarch Way at the edge of Inholmes Woods. Turning right, we crossed fields and made our way back to the hostelry bang on time.

Meanwhile, reinforcements had arrived to bolster the afternoon, deliver the raffle prizes and bring the wounded. The excellent Barley Mow buffet was consumed while the more competitive eyed up the skittle alley. Each player bowled three balls to knock down as many of the nine pins as possible with each ball. Techniques varied from the Barnes Wallis ‘bouncing bomb’, bowling the ball past the pins to bounce off the back wall, scooping it up right handed when it returned having selected a second ball in the left hand and then delivering both balls together. Luckily, nobody adopted an overarm technique. Our superior bowing skills were demonstrated by no single nine pin strike with one ball! Two rounds later the winner was declared with many joint second and third place winners confirmed how close the competition was. The finale was meant to be the annual raffle with fifteen prizes all a result of the generosity of the walking group members in donating and buying raffle tickets and Pauline and Tim’s hard work. The whole event went so quickly and with great humour that we had enough time left to have another skittles round where Sally won the pineapple prize.

Ready, willing and wet!

Regrouping to the north of Watergate, no break-in visible and Messrs Woodward and Bernstein declined to walk with us

Coffee break

Champing at the bit to get going?

On the pre walk you could see the sea; honestly

Spring is coming, at least in Walderton anyway

That looks an excellent ball!

"If I concentrate really hard, does it help?

That's a good 'un

Standing well back must have helped as this is the winner!

The raffle bounty, fabulous prizes donated by Midhurst Footpath Companions members, all raffled away in time for some more bowling

Doesn't look like a strike this time.

Very nearly!

Winner of the second round

Hooksway walk on 15th February 2023

We gathered on the grass car park admiring the diligence of the moles at the Royal Oak at Hooksway which allegedly dates from the 13th Century. The village at Hooksway was largely wiped out by the plague, with few buildings surviving, luckily for us, the pub was one of them.

John and Maureen guided us up the hill, skirting woodland, fields and grand houses up onto the South Downs. The sun was out with few clouds giving us great views of Pen Hill and Millpond Bottom while we admired the soaring Red Kites and songs of the Skylarks. We took our coffee break early to soak up the view. We followed the South Downs Way past Mount Sinai enjoying the views to the north feeling extremely pleased with ourselves that this countryside is so accessible.

In Philliswood Down we stopped to read the read the memorial to the German pilot Hauptmann Joseph Oestermann shot down during the Battle of Britain before leaving the South Downs Way at the edge of the wood and heading towards the site of the abandoned medieval settlement of Northolt alias Monkton where we turned west across the fields into Phillis Wood and back to the Royal Oak where Dave, the Landlord provided fine liquid refreshment and a royal repast.

The walk was only just over five miles of undulation that had a total climb of 737ft!

Ready for the start, bit nervous about how big the molehills are

View over to Buriton Hanger

Coffee stop with a view

South Downs Way, Beacon Hill to our left

Now, get ready to smile

The select few

A descent, thank goodness!

Walking down Pen Hill, admiring the view

The wonderful South Downs

There should be a path here, why isn't it signposted?

Catkins beckoning spring

Approaching Northolt alias Monkton

Leaving the remains of Northolt alias Monkton

Sheep on the Downs

There is a Cathedral down there somewhere, anyone see it?

Just follow me, I know where the pub is.

The final straight, we can sense the refreshments...

Royal Oak does us proud

Just over 5 miles

Graffham walk on the 8th February 2023

With Pauline indisposed, Linda was in charge of the walk from The White Horse in Graffham. The temperature was about freezing, plenty of mist around but the sun was trying all morning to reach us and it was a very pleasant walk indeed. We did a loop around to the north of Graffham before heading south to reach the parish church of St Giles. Some remnants of a 12th century church still exist but much of the church was rebuilt in 1875. The manor of Graffham was bought by Capt. the Rt. Hon. Euan Wallace, M.P, in 1935, then one of the richest MP's in the House of Commons. Three of his sons died on active service in WWII and their names appear on the Graffham war memorial. Another son - William Euan Wallace (Billy), was for some time an escort to Princess Margaret, having known her since childhood. Without loitering too long at the church we headed into the lower reaches of Graffham Down and turned east to reach the back of the excellent Seaford College. At this point we turned to walk through Seaford College before eventually going north to Parson's Copse and Upper Norwood. From there we took a track that led us back to Graffham and our eventual destination of the White Horse, where we had a very enjoyable lunch.

A cold and misty morning deserves a good woolly hat

As woolly hats go, this takes some beating!

Don't look now but those goats are bare-headed!

There are at least 8 types of long-eared goats -here's a sample

Shepherd probably still fast asleep inside

Yesterday's spider's web still clinging on.

No mud on this walk

St Giles, Graffham

Still frosty

The lower edge of Graffham Down

The sun's out, time for a break

Seaford College is looking busy.

Seaford College, through the mist

A herd of wild deer, wondering which way to run

Long rows of hedges as described have been planted, but not all these plants are edible!

Splendid display of snowdrops in the village

Three sons of Euan Wallace MP on Graffham war memorial

At this junction, the walkers ignored the signpost and headed for the pub!

Just a little over 6 miles

Halfway Bridge walk on 1st February 2023

The too two walk started at the Grade II listed Halfway Bridge Inn near Lodsworth walking on the original A272 and halfway bridge we turned north and scaled the two stiles to get them out of the way early on. We climbed gently through River Wood admiring the Rother below us before a short section of road through River gave us access to steps up to a field with great views to the north of Bexley Hill and Black Down. We joined the Sussex Diamond Trail to Pitshill where we opted for an early coffee break while admiring the gardens and shallow combe. Pitshill was built in the 1790s by William Mitford and refurbished within the last decade. Refreshed, we headed south on backroads past Broughton Dairy Farm intrigued by the wigwam and decidedly cowboy themed scenery. Crossing the A272 Miguel spotted the two horses heads to win the competition set for the walk. At Southdean Farm we went down a gully that needed some care to stay upright after which the leaning and missing section of board walk across the flood meadow was dispatched with the skill and aplomb expected of the seasoned walkers we are. The banks of the River Rother for the second river scene guided us west towards Selham where we headed north on the road to finish too much road on the walk back to the The Halfway Bridge Inn where we enjoyed our lunch immensely.