A South Downs Way Story
Segment:
© 2004 by
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I got a late start on this segment and ran into trouble as a result. It was a dreary day, with low clouds and mist, when I got off the bus at Exceat. The trail wound up through woods, bisected the old village of Westdean, re-entered woods, and eventually popped out onto the downs on a traverse above the Cuckmere River. At Litlington, the trail dropped down to parallel the river up to Alfriston. In Alfriston I stopped for some delicious, warm food at a shop because the pubs were closed. The weather switched from mist to rain, and I foolishly kept going. I climbed back up onto the downs hoping to see a long barrow, an ancient cross dyke, Firle Beacon, and a bunch of tumuli. Instead, I saw nothing. The weather closed in, so I could only see a dozen yards in front of me, and because it was late autumn it soon (4 pm) began getting dark, eventually so dark that I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. Luckily, the path along the top of the downs was flat so I didn’t have to worry about falling over any cliffs. But I was not at all sure where I was or how far I had to go before encountering the extremely steep descent off Idford Hill to Southease. Suddenly, out of the dark came a dog, a houndish type that made me think of the Hound of the Baskervilles. But this one was a welcome sight, and friendly to boot. I turned in the direction he had come from, and soon I met a couple holding two leashes but only one dog. They asked if I had seen their animal, and once the dog returned from his romp, they kindly led me off the down to their car near Firle Beacon and drove me all of the way back to Hove. There I ate a humiliated dinner at home, having been beaten by the downs.
Exceat-Southease
10.1 miles
10 November 2002