10/04/15 - Youth Hostelling with Mappiman

Distance - 20 Miles
Geocaches - 24
Start - Southease Station
Finish - Tottington YHA
Day 2 of the South Downs Way (Other SDW Blogs - Day 1, Day 3)
Highlights - Cricketing Bottom, Ditchling Beacon, Devil's Dyke

Last Night
Mr M opens the door to the B&B and shows me around.  It is without doubt the cleanest house I have ever been to.  There is no dust.  Not even above shoulder height.  The house is over four stories and I have the 2nd floor to myself.  It does mean the owners are above me and I will have to plan any night time excursions to the lavvy with military precision.  No-one needs to see Mappiman in his anti-chaffing walking pants.

Having established the ground rules and been provided with a key to get back in, I head off to see what Lewes has to offer.  In no particular order, The Brewers Arms, The Lewes Arms, The Rights of Man, The Black Horse Inn and the Packham Arms.  Harvey's best is a new found favourite.  It wasn't all pubs, I also got to see Virginia Woolf's House (bought by her for £300, last sold for £800K), the Castle and where Thomas Paine wrote the Rights of Man (both his house, and the Pub).

Creep back into my B&B and sleep like a log, before I awake at the pre-arranged time for Mr M to make me my breakfast, whilst I sit at the breakfast bar.

Sonia asked me "Didn't it feel weird".  And the answer is "Yes".

The Walk


Today's the big one.  On plotting the route, I realise there is no accommodation easily achievable along this section, until I notice a tiny Red Triangle on the OS Map denoting a Youth Hostel at 20 miles.  Fortified with Harvey's, I'm sure I can make these easily in a long day.

Something to knock off my bucket list at the decidedly unyouthful 45 Years of Age.

The train takes me back to Southease.  I am not the only fella alighting - as a bloke with a bike and another man with a rucksack are hitting the trails.  The bike rider leaves us for dead and the bloke with the Rucksacks disappears into a bush.  He's not geocaching, as I disappear into different bushes.

Cross the second river on the SDW - The River Ouse.  I could have sailed down from Lewes.

Lewes - Upstream

Southease Church - 1 of only 3 in the Sussex to have a round tower

Once out of Southease, I have the delightful Cricketing Bottom to walk.  The SDW is turning out to be exceptional.

Could walk this for at least another 19 miles.

Once the height is regained a navigational oddity occurs as I cross from the Eastern to Western Hemispheres.  I've noticed this once before walking at Greenwich, when the sat nav jumps from E to W with a shake of the hand.  There is a geocache positioned here.  And a Way Marker incorrectly positioned several metres off.

Foot in both Hemispheres

A good seven or so miles are conquered.  Photos were taken but the smog is worse than yesterday.  Geocaches were found.  Many, many Duke of Edinborough cadets were met, most of them lying down chatting.

My thirst increases to the point where I crack jokes with anyone coming the other way to ask if they have seen a pub.  I am mostly met with nervous laughter but this could have something to do with my hat.  Sonia has insisted that I wear it flaps down, as I ignored her advice yesterday and burnt my neck.

Eventually I can see Ditchling Beacon in the distance and the amount of cars means tourists.  And tourists mean refreshments.

He Didn't Sell Harvey's out of his van

Walk solo dressed like this if you enjoy peace and tranquility

Partially refreshed, I continue the walk.  I know Haresdean has a pub and its three miles away.  I can walk with the taste of Mr Whippy for that distance.

Paths like these make it easy

Alas, on arrival, the pub is on the other side of a nasty dual carriageway, which I have crossed further along.  The pub remains tantalisingly out of reach.

Now I know that women complain about childbirth, but on a long walk - nothing compares with the agony of badly fitting pants.  Even when they are Under Armour Anti Chaffers.  16 miles in and I can take no more and am forced to dive into my rucksack for an impromptu change.

The SDW was thankfully quiet today.

This gives me the impetuous to climb West Hill, drop down again and then climb Devil's Dyke, and the eponymous pub.  18 miles since Mr M's breakfast and just as I have the last slurp of water from my camel pack.

Devil's Dyke.  Pub at the Top.

Stella Starter, Steak Main, Stella Pudding.  With a side of Stella.

A sit down for an hour and the promise of some very densely packed caches gives me the energy to get back out for the last two miles to the YHA.

Thankfully, the walking is beyond gorgeous and it is a delightful evening.

Jogger setting the pace into the Sun

To take me on a Sussex Safari

Just need to get to those Radio Masts

And around Fulking Escarpment

20 miles in and feet beginning to hurt, I pronounce that I am glad that it is Fulking over, as I arrive at the YHA.  Quickly check out rules before I break my hostelling virginity.

But just who lives in a place like this?

For Young People of Limited Means