03/09/15 - Twenty Miles to East Meon

Day 5 on the South Downs Way
Start - Cocking
End - East Meon
Highlights - Harting Downs, Butser Hill
Geocaches - 13

Last Night
I left you yesterday, having made new rambling friends.  Like everyone I meet on the South Downs Way, they are walking West to East.  I am going in the opposite direction.  Always a man alone.

After getting into complicated rounds with them, I left them to eat early whilst I blogged.  I came down at 8pm for a decent meal, although paying £8.95 for cheese really ought to get you a wheel.

Beer-wise, the Bluebell is a conundrum.  They had one real ale on - in itself, a bit of a disappointment.  It was a new brew to me, Ballard's Brewery Best Bitter.  It was poured straight out of a barrel on a little shelf behind the bar.  Looked perfect and tasted fine, but the head quickly disappeared as a result of a lack of "Pump Action".  I was forced to move onto San Miguel.  Which wasn't served in its ceremonial glass, which for me, is a critical part of the £4.50 experience.

The pub started to empty at 9:15pm, so I retired to my room and had a fantastic night sleep.

At breakfast, I got talking to a chap who came in at 9:30 last night.  He had walked from Winchester.  38 Miles - the sum total of my next two days walking.  That is seriously good going.

Today's Walk
Out the pub and off to the South Downs Way.  An octogenarian cutting his bush tells me how steep the hills are and how I would be better off helping him with his gardening.  Not being green fingered, I ask where in Sussex I can hire Sherpas.

And then get on with the first climb of the day,

After the First Climb

I have the SDW to myself again.  After walking three hours, the only other person I see is a lady mountain biker who screams "Bike" at the top of her voice.  I tell her not  to put herself down so much.

There are some better views today.  Harting Downs is classic South Downs way, offering great views.  This takes my mind off the big problem with this leg.  There are no refreshment stops along the entire 20 miles length.  I have only the goods that I am carrying, namely 1 pork pie, 2l of water and a packet of polos.

I will save the polos until I am desperate.

South Harting - From Harting Downs

I do think of going off piste.  Buriton would add 1 mile onto the route and appears to have a pub but there is too much walking today to take the risk that it may have closed down.

At 13 miles and 4 hours walking.  I stop for the pork pie.  And a bit of a lie down on a bench.  No one knows me on the SDW.  Not that there is anyone here.

After a 20 minute rest, I head into the Queen Elizabeth Country Park.  Fine woodland walking.  I hope for a visitor centre.  I find a car park.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Plod on.  Today, I have walked the entire width of a 25K explorer map.  Another climb is just what I need, this time Butser Hill.

Butser Hill.  Thankfully, the last of the day

I am that glad when a sign for East Meon comes into view that I open the polos.

Looks like I have also made it into Hampshire

Water runs out on the approach into the town.  No problem, this is a two pub town.

Its 5pm.  I pop into the shop to ask directions.  Get told that neither pub opens till 6pm.  Think about drinking some Stella on the village green.

The shop's fridge is broke.

Nothing for it, I sit outside and wait for a pub to open for the first time in my life.

I sit and wait