We decided to complete the rest of the Sussex Border Path in one go, overnighting en route to avoid constant awkward travel to and from this isolated part of the world. The idea was to walk from Flimwell to Northiam, stay the night nearby in Battle and then return to Northiam the next morning for the final leg into Rye. Of course we chose the hottest day of the year to start . . .
After several trains and a bus journey, we set out from Flimwell along a farm track,
passing an oast house with amusing weathervanes.
There were a few wooded sections to shelter us from the sun,
But there seemed to be an awful lot of exposed trudges uphill.
We were definitely though in Kent, the Garden of England - vineyards
and orchards.
At one point the path passed through someone's barn
and across their garden. I haven't come across that before.
Hot and, more importantly, thirsty, we came to the Eight Bells at Hawkhurst.
Although somewhat early in the day, we decided to take a break. The Eight Bells turned out to have the best hospitality of any of the pubs we have visited so far. It also had a meal deal for lunch and Sussex Best Bitter. What more could you ask for?! But we had to press on.
We decided to climb the bank at this point.
A whimsical notice. Why 'not exceeding' I wonder.
More of these though. It was now 32 degrees and very high humidity. But over the hill . . .
we saw Bodiam Castle.
As Jeff put it, if you ask a child to draw a castle, this is what he would draw.
It's hard to imagine that this was once navigable, bringing up imported timber for transshipment.
There is also still a steam railway.
But we were grateful that there was also a tea shop!
And then, after more trudging through the heat, we came to the White Dog at Ewhurst Green.
That was it. We went no further. Northiam would have to wait until tomorrow. And so, after rest and refreshment, we took a taxi to Battle for the night. While cooling off on my hotel bed, I held my camera out of the window; this was the view (Battle Abbey, by the Battle of Hastings battlefields).
A really beautiful part of the country. It's a walk I think I would enjoy myself, but not in those temps!! Had to smile at the weathervanes on the oast house and the gate sign. I love photographing castles, so I would have been very interested in Bodiam.
ReplyDeleteHot,hot, hot. That's mostly what I remember about this walk, and the dry grass swishing passed our shoes. Good shots, Neil
ReplyDeleteThat would have been too hot for me ~ I would have been sweating like a pig. Still, there were some interesting features and good photos.
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