A South Downs Way Story
Segment:
© 2004 by
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After de-training in Amberley, I made my way across the meandering Arun River on a series of dykes and bridges. After Houghton, the trail went straight up a steep open hillside, skirted some farms and a heavy wood, and then followed the contours of several hills, ducking in and out of woods. The scenery was more varied than it had been on the open downs. An especially exciting moment was when the South Downs Way crossed Stane Street, the old Roman road connecting Chichester and London. Latin fingerposts drove home the point that this quiet wooded spot was once an important crossroads. The path continued to duck in and out of woods atop the downs until it began a slow descent into woods that eventually led to the village of Cocking, visible only by glimpses of its Norman church until I was actually in the valley with it. Although there was a nice pub in Cocking, I had to take the first bus out because otherwise I would have been stranded. But dinner in Chichester was just fine.
Amberley-Cocking
12.0 miles
11 January 2003