We went down to Brighton for the weekend. Staying two nights there gave us a chance to watch the starling murmurations that regularly put on amazing displays around the old pier. It also gave us the chance to get up onto the South Downs for a good walk.
On the first evening we walked down to the seafront to await the starlings. It was a lovely sky, but with an extremely keen wind blowing in off the sea. After about half an hour our wait was rewarded with a brief but great display as the starlings whirled and dipped and soared in formation around the Old Pier. But guess who’s camera decided to stop working because of the cold? So, no murmuration photos, I’m afraid.
Next morning we caught the bus up to Ditchling Beacon. We were to walk from there to Devil’s Dyke, then catch another bus back down to Brighton. It was very cold and windy in Brighton, and all the way up gusts of wind buffeted the bus. Not a good omen. Anyway, the bus arrived at the top of the Downs and stopped. We got off the bus.
My God, it was bloody cold!
It was extremely tempting to turn around and get straight back on the bus again, but we (just) resisted it.
‘No, really, it’s lovely. Quite refreshing. Why do you ask?’
When we last passed this dew pond four or five years ago, the weather was deteriorating and a few wavelets wrinkled the surface, while the sky was largely blue but with a few clouds rolling in. Today the sky was greyer and waves were careering wildly across the water. Does it look cold? It was bloody cold! I may have mentioned that already.
After an hour or so, we dropped down to the village of Pyecombe and had a quick look around the lovely old church. Then the long, slow walk back up onto the Downs on the other side of the valley. At this point on our previous walk the rain had been pouring down and the clouds getting lower and lower. This time, despite the cold (I have mentioned that, haven’t I?) it was clear and sunny. And by this time, thankfully, we had warmed up somewhat.
Our route took us down a lovely sheltered holloway to another valley, where we began the final walk up to Devil’s Dyke.
By now it was sunny and despite the wind it was lovely. We felt we could have stood there and just looked at it all day. However, we had a pub with hot soup and cold beer to get to before our bus trip back down to Brighton, so we hurried on.
Mick Canning 
Love it 🙂
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Thank you.
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At least it wasn’t cold.
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Oh, I may have forgotten to mention it.
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How was the weather, then, a bit cold?
I looked up that old flinty church, even more ancient than expected, wonderful to be able to include antiquities like that on your walk. Although the pub and hot soup sounds even better.
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A bit nippy, yes. Indeed, they were both good in their own ways. The church dates from the 1300’s, and both looked and felt old inside. A marvellous building.
And the pub and hot soup were most welcome!
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I can see that’s a really lovely walk.
In the summer.
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Yeeesss….
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I guess invigorating is the word for it.
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It was certainly one word for it.
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I love the pictures and your commentary about your trip, but I’m left puzzling, left with one question: Was it cold, Mick? 😉
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Seems I didn’t make that clear, Jill.
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I see only one picture with tall trees, the rest have meadows or maybe bushes. I like that small pond of water. Must have been cold, I presume!
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The South Downs is largely a grassland environment, although there are areas of woodland.
Cold? I must have forgotten to mention that.
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Interesting. Keep sharing more from your region.
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Thanks, Arv.
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Cold? By the time I’d gotten halfway through your post I was shivering! I enjoyed reading more about the church, and about the clever Tapsel gate there that allows pallbearers to pass on either side and rest the coffin on the gate in case they need a little break. ‘Dew pond’ was a new phrase for me; now I know it has nothing to do with dew, at least not directly.
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We were struck by the gate (not literally, although it might have happened!) – I think it might be the first time I’d come across one. I just pushed at the end with the latch and was slightly disorientated when it swivelled about its middle.
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The surface of the water on the little pond is So rippled, have never seen anything like it! Beautiful photographs, particularly of the church and the path. Quite enjoyed it. 🙂
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Thanks, Swami.
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🙂
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