A Downland Trek

[saxonaxe]

I returned to the wood at the time of Spring Exinox,( Ostara to some ) just for a couple of nights, but on Sunday 23rd the rain fell all day. Instead of retreating to my tent I rigged a small poly tarp and sat and watched the rain fall and the Bluetits shaking their feathers and seemingly enjoying the bath..:D Time to plan...

There is a National Trail, the South Downs Way that runs from King Alfred's old capital Winchester, in Hampshire, to East Sussex where I live. I have walked it many times, but not recently, so a few days wander was in order.

And here it begins, a lift down West to the County boundry..

http://i.imgur.com/iUn3Rjzl.jpg

Health Warning to lightweight fans and backpackers and all those who snap tooth brushes in half..look away now...:D

http://i.imgur.com/T2LYoerl.jpg

54 lbs plus 2 x 1182 ml (40 oz Klean Kanteens + a Nato 1 lt of water) so another 7 ish lbs? Too much..more later..:p

My start point was the other side of that Down in the distance. It's basically a chalk/flint track that has been a major route since before the men who dug flint with antler picks lived here, high on the Downland above what was then forest below, the haunt of Red Deer, Boar, Wolves and the like. Iron Age, and later folk, then the Romans used the track for moving troops and trade and the Saxons lived here too.

http://i.imgur.com/QO2g1THl.jpg

A collection of photos taken on my wander..

There are places along the way where those who insist on hanging themselves from trees would be happy.

http://i.imgur.com/hFc1sr9l.jpg

Number 29 with the kids in tow..

http://i.imgur.com/RrqqO50l.jpg

This is not the wilds of Scotland or Wales but it is lonely and can be dangerous in the winter when the icy winds sweep in from the coast. Proper gear and sensible precautions need to be considered.

http://i.imgur.com/GsIQ3aol.jpg

In the Winter when the land is asleep, you won't see a Farmer either, and walkers are rare then. ( I saw two in three days, and it's April)

http://i.imgur.com/xfhoNM1l.jpg

The Ancients buried their dead up here. Marked Tumuli on maps, sometimes called Barrows. Some were circular and had a ditch round them, others were 'Long Barrows' but they are common on the Downland. Camping up here gives me a chance to share the stars at night with them, while their spirits dream away the centuries.

http://i.imgur.com/JmlslxOl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1HwEzaIl.jpg

This photo is of a 'Cross Dyke' Basically earth barriers across the trackway. All this nonsense I read about the land being everybody's before the Normans came..Ha! Drive your flocks across this land without paying the toll and you would get a whack with a flint axe!:D The Cross Dykes marked boundries for different clans.

http://i.imgur.com/rKBGT7Vl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0hijxM1l.jpg

It's not that often that I can locate a campsite after a wander, but someone kindly built a Trig Point for me at this one..

http://i.imgur.com/Ez85HVRl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vbJZMZll.jpg

Luckily I don't suffer from Hayfever, although it's a little early for the Oil Seed Rape to cause too many red eyes yet..

http://i.imgur.com/Cp3plLHl.jpg

A modern memorial, a local landowner and keen hunting man, 1888-1955 and somewhere to offload the Bergan for a minute..

http://i.imgur.com/w2h9QFil.jpg

I'm sure the 'ol kiddies spirit looks out over the land he loved..:)

http://i.imgur.com/QNHKhIVl.jpg

A very few roads intersect the trackway. They run South to North from the coast, inland

http://i.imgur.com/IJVAsrCl.jpg

I'm a lot closer to 70 than 69 and a half and above this river valley an old foot injury started to make itself known. 14 miles then 12 the next day and I had 8 on the clock when the first twinges started, so time to abort. Any fool can keep on until a casevac is required.

http://i.imgur.com/kKYYrUCl.jpg

Still tidal at this point so not for drinking, but tempted to cool a foot on fire..:D

http://i.imgur.com/jAvqlGel.jpg

Personally I think our ancestors built much nicer bridges..

http://i.imgur.com/I70V0t5l.jpg

The Lady's Smock is in flower and patches of it line the river bank and the hedgerows are in flower.

http://i.imgur.com/VG2tR64l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FtXZhHpl.jpg

The hours wait for a train from that riverside village was not an unwelcome chance to sit down. Standing up on one foot when the train arrived was good fun..:p

There's a few points I'd like to add to this little trip, but as they are about kit, I'll do so elsewhere.

Hello to all who joined us while I was away. :)

[Whistle]

Thanks Saxonaxe ... really enjoy your ramblings and your easy style

with well annotated excellent photos ... every picture tells a story ,

but it's nice to have the story behind the visual too !!!

Cheers Whistle

[ian c]

Thank you I enjoyed reading that and the photos are good.

[jus_young]

Cheers mate.

[Rasputin]

Ime begining to sound like a sycophant here John,lol. Once again, well done ! its like walking by your side. The pics, the narrative all bring it to life :happy-clapping: I thought youde gone walkabout again but you hadnt said. When you get to our age the pack you carried all day yesteryear somehow pays its toll more on all your limbs ( the minds still 18 but the rest of us....? ) Is the foot any better ? see you soon, Ill be down after Easter. BTW do you know Duncan a sailmaker on your side of the water ? Ill try and ring you one night for a catch up,ATVB Ken

[Humakt]

Great stuff.
Our plan is to do the North Downs Way later this year.

[alvino78]

great! love the pics1T^

[midas]

Thanks for the trip,great pictures.Peace n Tranquillity.mmm

[Valantine]

Excellent, really good pic's T^

[OakAshandThorn]

T^ Good to see Spring beauty over on your side of the water :). Interesting that you mention the barrows...many Natives in my area also made similar burial mounds.

[saxonaxe]

" many Natives in my area also made similar burial mounds. "

:) I'm only guessing, but I suspect that the absolute importance of Mother Earth to both those peoples, in your part of the world and mine, made it natural that the bodies would be returned to earth, very often with tools, utensils or weapons for the next life.

[cockney greg]

I love the South Downs and haven't been for many a year. Thank you Saxonaxe, you've truly inspired me to revisit.

[saxonaxe]

'Tis a beautiful land Greg, and only an hour + from the smoke. Get yourself down here mate. ;)

[Stevie B]

Great stuff mate.

[OakAshandThorn]

" many Natives in my area also made similar burial mounds. "

:) I'm only guessing, but I suspect that the absolute importance of Mother Earth to both those peoples, in your part of the world and mine, made it natural that the bodies would be returned to earth, very often with tools, utensils or weapons for the next life.
Your guess is right ;) - numerous tribes in the northeast buried their dead with tools. It isn't uncommon to unearth stone arrowheads, spear points, or even metal demahigan (tomahawk) heads at these sites.