Essex Man Does Walking

 It is amazing how a good nights sleep can refresh you and make you look forward to the next days walking. I slowly got up, quietly as others were still asleep in the dorm, got dressed and was first to get my breakfast, some cornflakes, toast and jam, yoghurt and fruit, a cup of tea and a couple of pastries, one of which I kept for later.

Today I was heading back to my home village, well it is more of a town now so many new houses have been built there. I headed off with a spring in my step knowing it was a short walk and I would soon be in familiar territory. I would also
be meeting my mate Rob although what state he would be in is anyone’s guess as he was sending me pictures late last night of a gig he was

at with plenty of alcohol.

The trail heads up Truleigh Hill towards the radio station at the top. At this point I can vaguely make out where Hassocks is but it is not really until I make it to Devils Dyke that I can be sure I was looking at the right place! I took a bit of time here taking pictures and using the information boards they have to work out where everything was. Quite breezy up here and I soon headed back to the South Downs Way and down the hill into Saddlescombe. I have passed this place many times over the years but never ventured into the farm which is run by the National Trust. There is a nice cafe here with plenty of different food to eat but I settle on an Apple and

Raisin Cake and a cup of tea. It started to shower a bit so I put my mac on and headed up the hill and down into Pyecombe. This is a very quiet place cut off from the world by the old and new A23. I never really came here as a kid, might have cycled around it once or twice and maybe driven through it but it was nice to take it in. There are some very lovely houses here built from the old smithy and school. You cross over the A23 and then head up into another part of the village which has a church looking similar to Clayton Church. I then spent as bit of time trying to cross the old A23 now A273 before walking up through the golf course. At the top I turned left past a barn with a blacksmith hard at work. I said hello to a woman cleaning out the stables and we had a chat about Hassocks and what it has become before I found out she also went to the same school I did but many

years before.  Waving goodbye I headed to the next junction and turned off the South Downs Way to visit Jack & Jill windmills. 

It was here that I noticed the incoming rain as a band coming over Burgess Hill and towards Hassocks. I covered up my rucksack and headed quickly down the slope into Clayton. The rain got to me first though, I was completely drenched and found a tree to hide under till it subsided. I then slowly made my way down into Clayton and went to pay my respects to my grandparents, parents and brother all of whom are buried at the church.

The campsite is along a frighteningly fast road with no verge to walk on so I took a different route along the old cinder track running parallel to the railway. I got to the old bridge we used to stop at as kids and like then I waved to a passing train which gave me a toot back. I then headed over some fields making

my way around the back of the campsite and along a road a short way to get there.

Rob was turning up soon but I judged it best if I put the tent up first and left my rucksack there. I told him to wait at The Hassocks and get me a pint of Guinness, he didn’t take much persuading. I made it there after 30 minutes and greeted my friend and having a well deserved drink. It was then that I noticed a tick in my leg! God knows how long it had been there. We walked to the Pharmacy to see if they had a tick tool (I had one at the campsite but that was further away). They said no but go to the pet centre! I decided it best to go back to the camp site and get my tool, but when we got there I could not find the bloody thing anywhere. So back to the pet shop it was to buy a tool for getting it out of dogs! I sat outside and gradually pulled it out before oh no the thing snapped in half. I bought some tweezers from the pharmacy and proceeded to gouge it out and wash it with some meths that we had bought for the trangia. 

I grabbed a quick sandwich and we headed up to the Thatched Inn for a couple of drinks before heading to the chippy for some more substantial food. We then decided to get some wine from the supermarket and breakfast for tomorrow before heading back to the campsite and spending the evening drinking and listening to music.

Typically as I got my sleeping bag out the tick tool I was looking for fell out! Oh well.

Distance: 9.19 miles (Turned into much longer with the walking in and out of Hassocks every two seconds)

Ascent: 1136 feet