Plods 2008

Next (and probably final plod of 2008)
Date: 1st October 2008
Time: 5:15pm for a 5:30 start
Diatance: 7.5km
Parking: On the road outside the Pub
Pub: Red Lion

Report 

Amost all arrived early and we left promply at 5:30 passing though some nice ancient woodland on the way to the Worth Way (old Railway). On the nortern loop we met one man and his dog coming the other way, Andy and Tarba had arrived just after we left and followed us most of the eay but then went round the otherway at Rowfant. Then back to the Worth Way at Rowfant station and met Andy & Tarba for the return through Tulleys farm.  The Red Lion was reached without resort to torches and the fruits of Lewes were consumed.

Date: 10th September 2008
Time: 5:30pm
Diatance: 11km
Parking: at the pub
Pub: The Royal Oak

Close to home due to the shortening nights, please note the earlier start time.The organiser has told me to sell this walk with, “the scramble track”, “the clay pit” and “the brickworks”.

*** UPDATE ***

”

The brickworks is now a landfill sight…and it can stink
for miles around some days…thought it worth mentioning…so at least we’re
your warned…(went past the Oak a week or so ago and it whiffed a bit all
around the area)” Neal Zimmermann

We’re pressing on regardless, on the back of his successful Industrial Heritage Walks we can consider ourselves proud to be invited on Roy Carter’s first “Aromo-Trek”. And it gives us a unique opportunity to bag the Sussex Vegetable Big Five – can we identify the smell of rotting carrot, potato, swede, parsnip and cabbage?

The Cowdenbury Tales by Geoffrey Chancer

The Carter’s Tale

Whilom ther was dwellynge at Crawley

A battered Audi, that gestes heeld to borde,

And of his craft he was an ITE,

To Cowden he walked in the feelde.

He roameth to the public house

His thirste therein he hoped to douse.

A buxom wench who serveth ale

Passeth bye on visit to the pail.

The Carter leant back on chaire that rocketh

To resteth his head, between her knockers.

Date: 20th August 2008
Time: 5:45pm
Distance: 10.4Km
Parking: at the pub or on the street in Cowden
Pub: The
Fountain

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=TN8+7JG&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=51.14411,0.092327&spn=0.00316,0.006925&t=h&z=18

A walk in the High Weald taking in an Iron age Hill fort and sites of old Iron works

rename to .gpx

Certainly the car I was in was travelling slightly underprepared compared to Gomshall. This time we headed south on M23 / A23 before realising, (a) we didn’t know where we were going (b) both a GPS and our only map were in the boot.
Miraculously we arrived at The Plough in time for a pint of Harveys.
Birthday boy Mark led us up Wolstonbury Hill where a clear evening led to extensive views, heated debate as to the exact position of Burgess Hill, the Leith Hill / North Downs debate and even woke the InTouch on-call phone from peaceful slumber.

West down the hill and then across the flatlands towards, Poynings where we enjoyed the quintessential English village sound of leather on willow. The pub looked good as well so don’t be surprised if we return.
A short, sharp, shock climb led us up The South Downs but, again, blessed us with spectacular views and, most importantly, a pint of Timmy Taylor’s at The Devils Dyke Pub. I’m glad to report that the temptation to get the bus back down into Brighton was resisted by all and sundry.
Homeward bound past Devils Dyke, through Saddlescombe and over Cow Down, a hot air balloon joining us along the way. The lagging Neill and Roy found a controversial short-cut across the A23 to summit at The Plough bar first. (Conversation in central reservation; Neill: Is this legal? Roy: Well, it’s not a motorway.)
I know we’re not finished yet, but gets my vote for Plod Of The Year. Great views, challenging climb, a pub half way round and it started a flurry of internet research into both conventional and funicular railways.

Date: 30th July 2008
Time: 5:45pm
Parking: at the pub or on the street in Haresdean
Pub: The Plough

An 11km, Mark Loveridge designed, jaunt through the South Downs including two climbs and spectacular views over The Weald and of Devils Dyke.

There may even be time for a well-earned pint at The Devils Dyke Inn after we’ve climbed the Downs.

The map:-

The GPX file:-

After much daytime debate as to the best route to Gomshall cars set off from both Manor Royal and Gatwick and rendezvoused, on time, in the station car park.
Mark led a sizeable group jam-packed with new and enthusiastic faces west out of Gomshall and into the picturesque village of Shere:-

Two of the stalwarts, Carter and Turton, briefly considered a pit-stop but soldiered on.
The path continued west at the foot of The Greensand Ridge before ascending the North Downs at Albury. Once on top, after a brief rest, we turned back east to follow the North Downs Way through the wooded hilltops. Colekitchen Lane dropped the party back down into Gomshall and nestled them comfortably in The Compasses Inn.
We’d barely been there a few minutes before we’d emptied one barrel of Surrey Hills Brewery ale. Well done team. Not quite enough though, to convince any bravehearts to leap the Tillingbourne.

First we saw a brigde. then a choo-choo train. then a layke.

Roy.