Essex Man Does Walking

I woke up still feeling a bit grim and knowing that I had to do another long walk today. Whilst awake in the night I kept running through what I might do if it got worse but thankfully it didn’t. I had paid for a breakfast which I managed to force down although I drew the line at the Apricot yoghurt. A few of the others were up and we had a quiet chat whilst others were sleeping. Just after 8am I said my farewells, grabbed my rucksack and a sandwich I bought yesterday from the fridge and headed off.

I followed the route I took to Amberley the day before crossing over the River Arun and the railway before turning right at New Barn Road. I crossed the road and started an ascent which I didn’t really need this morning! A rise of over 600 feet in about a mile up Rackham Hill, this truly was a kill or cure start to the walk. I got to the top by cursing every stride and the trail levelled out for a while before dropping down towards Washington.

At the bottom I had to cross the very busy A24 a fast dual carriageway, took me some time. There is an alternative but longer route which takes you into Washington and gets you around this road. On the otherside the trail rose steeply again up Chanctonbury Hill and I then got a view of the famous Chanctonbury Ring.

The trail then descended slowly over a number of miles heading around Steyning Bowl where I stopped to eat my sandwich. I was getting my first glimpses of the coast with Shoreham and Worthing both visible in the distance. I then came upon a long strip of land probably about a mile long and 400 metres wide which
house loads of free range pigs. An amazing site. The trail continued to descend into Botolphs and across the River Adur. Then followed another unending rise of 600 feet up Beeding Hill and part way up Truleigh Hill before I reached my destination the Youth Hostel.

I had originally booked a camping spot for me and my mate but as he wasn’t here and I felt I could do with a better night than the last I swapped it for a bed in the shared dorm and breakfast. I grabbed a beer and some food and started to relax at last. Dinner was a large bowl of fusili pasta and garlic bread with some onion rings. I had a shower and headed to bed early. It wasn’t long before I was asleep.

Distance: 15.98 miles

Ascent: 1936 feet