I met the party at Berwick Station, where their appointed train arrived punctually. Thirteen Poly Ramblers all descended from just one pair of doors onto the platform, and so the party of 14 was now fully united!

I had only been able to do a walkover the previous day when it was very overcast and ground temp some 6 or 7 degrees cooler, that I had to wear a pullover plus warm fleece. Not so today, as there was bright sunshine, plenty of blue sky, that, above waistline, only a T-shirt 👕 was necessary.

So we set off southward along the lane towards the sun. Soon we were crossing the busy A27 road, having waited a while for a good gap in the traffic. Continuing down a lane on the other side, we reached The Cricketers pub in Berwick, where I decided the party should take a quick liquid refreshment. After a while we continued along a path heading towards the church, but suddenly turned away, leftward alongside a grassy field onto a lane with Drusillas Zoo on the opposite side. Turning right and continuing South we passed Berwick Court, Winton Street Farm, then a right turn onto a lane taking us over the River Cuckmere, near Alfriston.

At the opposite end of a T junction, the South Downs Way trail emerged. We followed this eastward, climbing towards Windover Hill. My walkover the previous day yielded no obvious spot for a lunch picnic. I therefore delegated this decision to the party as a whole. After climbing to nearly 100 metres, crossing a lane with car park en route, a viable grassy lunch spot presented itself So here we all squatted, almost in one straight line along the trackside. And took our refreshment with very clear views to the north, including Arlington Reservoir.

Setting off from lunch, and climbing further, I had to make a slight straighter detour from the South Downs Way to avoid its loop in an area of tumuli (burial grounds). This straighter path enabled us to take a view of The Long Man Of Wilmington, a chalk marked figure cut into the downs. We viewed him vertically downwards from his head. His origin is unclear, but the earliest known record is in 1766, with a restoration of the outline in 1874.

From here we soon rejoined the South Downs Way, being level for a kilometre offering fine rolling downland hills on both sides! Then it started dropping gradually, taking us through a strip of descending woodland. Eventually we emerged beside Jevington church, and took a look inside. A little further up the village lane we entered the Eight Bells public house, and took another liquid refreshment stop, many of us sitting in the neat garden to the side.

For the last stage, we continued further along the South Downs Way being another gradual climb. In about 3/4 miles at the top we reached a junction with the Wealdway path and a trig point at 200m height. From here the Way turned southwards, and views of Eastbourne started to appear to the east. A little further, I had to strike off the way, forking left on a gradually descending path through woodland, eventually emerging into a road of houses, in a suburb called Downside/Old Town. From here it was about a half mile + through the streets to my sister’s house where a very welcome tea and cakes were provided.

Although I was staying at the house, after tea I joined the party to take a mile’s bus ride to Eastbourne station to see them off at the barrier. All but two caught the next London train. The remaining two took a stroll to see the sea and would have travelled by a later train. As for me, I collected my car from the station car park and drove me back to the house in the evening sunshine.

It was a good day out, better than I expected, probably due to the weather improvement.

GEOFFREY. Photos by Geoffrey, Nita, Les, Valentina

Like my Easter Monday walk, the weather came up trumps, this time with a record May temperature. Despite the predicted hot weather, thirteen members started off from Alton Station for a five mile walk in the Hampshire countryside. We soon reached the King’s Pond where we were greeted by a family of Canada Geese, including numerous cute goslings. Accompanied by the sound of a steam train on the adjacent Watercress Line, we continued waterside to a long flight of steps. These took us up Windmill Hill, although sadly there was no sign of such a structure when we reached the top. A narrow road took us down again and then under the Alton by-pass to a quiet lane heading south. We soon passed Kiln House, a grand converted oast house indicative of the time Alton was renowned for hop growing. Turning west, we spotted a peacock in the grounds of Westbrook Grange. Then fields with lots of lambs and ewes took us to the Greyfriars pub in Chawton for some well-earned refreshment. The village is famed for its association with Jane Austen and her house could be seen opposite the pub. The route back to Alton took us past many locations connected with the author. Reaching the station was when things went awry. Signalling problems meant our return journey to London was greatly protracted with some of us sitting in a stationary train for over three hours, fortunately in air-conditioned comfort!

Danny
Photos courtesy of Ann Munn & Joyanna Lovelock

On  Sunday morning at the tail end of the late May heatwave, 23 Poly Ramblers overcame various travel challenges to gather at St Albans Abbey station for the Three Burys walk (bury  meaning manor). I was relieved to be walking in lower temperatures than when we did the walkover a week earlier.

We headed through Verulamium Park, passing the lake with a family of geese and goslings and then through the lovely St Michaels area of the city and north towards the first bury, the attractive estate hamlet of Childwickbury.   After walking through a wood and down a long estate drive we ate an early picnic lunch in the 19th century St Mary’s churchyard. We continued to cross Harpenden Common and down a mile long country lane to eventually reach the River Ver and Redbournbury Mill, the second bury and the last working watermill on the River Ver. We availed ourselves of the ice creams and cold drinks on offer in the mill shop and many of us bought loaves of bread and viewed the small museum.  As we sat outside we were surprised to be joined by Joyanna, who had missed the train but, with admirable determination, managed to catch us up.

The last stage of the walk took us south on the River Ver trail and then through the Gorhambury Estate (the third bury) back to St Michaels. We enjoyed great views of St Albans Abbey as we approached the gate house and from there it was a short step back to the museum where the group dispersed.   Later we heard of the challenges for some of group in getting home due to the Arsenal victory parade!

Gillian.   Photos Ida, Jane and Stephen

On a very hot evening, 16 Polyramblers met outside Sloane Square tube station for an evening walk. It was very crowded – more than in previous years. ‘Chelsea in Bloom’ is the world class alternative floral art show which transforms the streets of Chelsea during the annual Chelsea Flower Show. Shops, restaurants and hotels are adorned with creative designs made of fresh flowers (but we saw some plastic ones too). The theme this year was ‘Out of this World’ with some flower displays inspired by space travel and astrology and others not related to the theme. Dominique.

Unusually for a Bank Holiday Monday, the weather was warm and sunny when fifteen members and one guest gathered at Leigh-on-Sea station for a walk through Hadleigh Castle Country Park. After a short stretch of pavement walking, we headed away from the road to a rutted path, fortunately dry but with obvious signs of previous mud. Our way soon started climbing with the ruins of the castle appearing above the trees. We entered its atmospheric domain, wandered around what remained of its fortifications and enjoyed splendid views of the Thames Estuary and Canvey Island.