Author Topic: A section of the Sussex Border Path.  (Read 1015 times)

gunwharfman

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A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« on: 21:00:02, 27/09/18 »
I caught a train from Portsmouth to Rye on Tuesday, 3.5 hour journey but only £10.50. On route I decided to get off at Winchelsea and walk to Rye. It was a beautiful day, sunny, warm and no wind. I had planned to walk across a footpath that's shown on my map. I had a look around Winchealsea, very nice, but it had the air of being too respectable for me, I imagined a Mrs Bouquet in every house! The village pub was nice though and they sold coffee and cake, which is what I chose.

I found the foot path, only to discover that it had been ploughed over and the edges of the field were covered with clods of earth and grass. I decided to not bother and so walked back to Winchelsea station and carried on across the tracks and up the road to a T juction. I turned right which was the 1066 route into Rye. It was a very nice stroll, flat areas to my right which would have been underwater in the olden days, there were sloping banks to my left and the footpath I was on was, I think, used to be the beach line.

I organised cash in Rye and then decided to hike on to Peasemarsh to a pub which is a camp/caravan area as well. I strolled past and then through an orchard, lovely red apples and I scrumped a few. Couldn't help myself, no will power. Delicious!

I arrived at the pub just before dusk, I was in no hurry, I popped in to ask how much for a one man tent for a night. £17.50 said the lady behind the counter. I took in a sharp intake of breath and said No, just too much! She shrugged her shoulders in a take it or leave it kind of way so I left and explored a couple of fields behind the pub and easily found a good spot!

I went back to the pub, by now it was dark but with a full moon. I had a couple of pints and ordered a meal. When did we as a nation take to the idea that all meals have to be bulked up with a salad? I had one small tomato, two slices of cucumber and a wadge of iceberg lettuce covered in Salad Cream, yes Salad Cream, to my taste buds truly yucky!

The meal wasn't that nice but I decided to not make an issue about it, I was very hungry anyway. I left there at 9.15pm, came out of the pub, turned left on the road and within 200yds I walked into a large supermarket (which I had walked through earlier) and a petrol station car park set back from the main road. Sometimes things can look very different in the dark! To my left, just before the stile into the field I had chosen earlier to pitch my Bivvi, I noticed a half a tennis court size piece of mown grass with a few smalls trees plus one large tree. Plus a 2' wall that separated the area from the parking bays.

Perfect, I hadn't really noticed it at dusk, but I then realised that no one could see me so I just pitched my Bivvi alongside the wall. I slept, wasn't disturbed and was out of my Bivvi at 6.45am. Once packed I just strolled over to the supermarket, it opened at 7 and had breakfast in there cafe. I strolled off at 7.45am to another glorious day, the daylight was so clear, reminded me of the South of France light! I walked through fields, woods, up and over small hills and through a couple of villages, loads of sheep and a few cattle. For me a perfect hiking day! The best view was being able to look down on Bodium Castle, it looked spectacular in the sunshine.

I walked into Bodium village about 1.00pm and went into the pub for a glass of tonic, my fave when I'm walking. In front of me was a little old man and his wife. He wanted bitter and insisted he had to try a sip or two of all of them on display, The barmaid duly obliged. He supped away then said to her, "two halves of this one please" His wife didn't choose, he chose for her. The barmaid slightly smiled, or was it a grimace?

During the afternoon I strolled on to Hawkhurst, managed to talk to someone in the pub who let me camp on his front lawn. I offered him money but he wouldn't take it but I did manage to buy him a pint. A very nice offer because up until that moment I had no idea where I was going to camp. The next morning I was away just after dawn, walked a bit more during the morning then made my way to a main road and hithiked into Tunbridge Wells, caught a train, four actually and thenarrived home early this evening.  My fare was £10.55, not bad!A short outing but I really enjoyed it, the section of the route that I walked was really good, scenic and varied. Totally recommend it to anyone!



Dovegirl

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #1 on: 22:13:38, 27/09/18 »
I was interested to read your TR.  I've done some walks in the countryside around Rye and Winchelsea. A very pretty area.

Jac

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #2 on: 09:08:39, 28/09/18 »
Mmmmmmmmmm  -  proper Salad Cream - elixir of my childhood 8)
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

jimbob

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #3 on: 12:35:44, 28/09/18 »
May be the subject of a different thread but how are you getting along with your bivvi?
Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #4 on: 11:37:06, 29/09/18 »
Re: Bivi.

I'm getting along with it fine. The times before I've used it I've taken my Alpkit 3.5 tarp with me as well but this time I didn't. I used my groundsheet, its laid down first in the 'landscape', rather than 'portrait' position and then my Bivi, which is then placed on top. This gives me a larger area to sit on, change boots and so on, which helps when getting in or out. I then placed my Thermarest self inflating mattress inside (not my Neoair) which is easy to fit because its a bit more rigid and just slides in the foot area easily. I place my sleeping quilt on top of the mattress, plus pillow.

The weak part of my Alpkit Hunker is that there is no zip down the side, so getting in and out needs a well thought out procedure to do comfortably but I've never perfected. My Bivi however does have a zip down the side, its so, so much easier to live with!

Because the head part of the Bivi is kept up with two overlapping poles, this is also better than my Hunker, no material falling on or touching my face. When I take my boots off I just put them in this area for the night, still plenty of room for my pillow and head.

As I first thought, a Bivi for me is best for short trips, wild camping and when I just want to keep on the move, arrive late, leave early! It was ideal on the Sussex Border Path when I was also definitely in the frame of mind that I was not going to spend £17.50 or £20 for a 6' x 4' grass area on a site!

I've also found its best to think about what's easiest as regards sleeping clothing. I change my baselayer, underwear, socks before dark and on this occasion I put my long johns on well. If I use my tent I can lounge around for a while outside and then inside before settling down for the night. But with the Bivi, once I get in I'm in there to sleep!

I have to keep all my stuff in my rucksack, only the 'essentials' are in the Bivi with me. I just pull my waterproof cover over it and secure it to one on my Bivvi poles, it it moves in the night I'll certainly know its happening.

In the morning its just a case of unzipping it, putting my trousers and boots on, standing up and then start to organise myself. The reality is, it is a confined space, but for me, its proved to be useful for certain types of trips, wild camping in particular, but I don't think I'd use it for anything over 5 days, except perhaps if I was confident that I would have good weather?

So in the evening, I sit on my groundsheet, take my boots off, may or may not wear my socks, take my trousers off, wear or not wear my warm jacket on top, then get in (I roll up my trousers and stuff them into one of my boots) and then just zip up and settle down. The reality is that a Bivi is a confined space and it it demands its own routine, the most obvious being that you have to organise most of what you do on the outside, once your inside that's it!

The only thing I've not had to face yet is rain! My choice, planning for it, is my tarp to be erexted over the top, or possibly I could use my hiking umbrella and tarp together? Unfortunately, the more I think of solutions the more weight I'm adding.

jimbob

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #5 on: 14:48:50, 29/09/18 »
Thanks GWM a well thought out reply which actually answers all my thoughts on the matter.

I will put a bivvi on the back burner and stick with my little coffin tent. I am used to it now. It us just over the kilo mark so not too heavy.

Again thanks for your time.
Too little, too late, too bad......

Rather be walking

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #6 on: 12:01:56, 01/10/18 »
Quote
When did we as a nation take to the idea that all meals have to be bulked up with a salad? I had one small tomato, two slices of cucumber and a wadge of iceberg lettuce covered in Salad Cream, yes Salad Cream, to my taste buds truly yucky!

Odd, normally the customer has the chose of  salad cream, mayonnaise or whatever, mine is mayo.  :)

Jon.
““The hardest part was coming to terms with the constant dispiriting discovery that there is always more hill.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods

gunwharfman

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #7 on: 14:37:29, 01/10/18 »
Re: Bivi - The one matter I forgot to mention.

What did take me by surprise was how, by moving from a tent to a Bivi how it 'changes' the night time experience. In my tent once zip up I'm closed I do not see the world again until the next morning. In my Bivi however I have experienced a new relationship with night time, the darkness and even I think, the air that I breathe.

Although I can close myself fully in, either behind gauze or behind no see through material, I tend to leave the head area open and only tend to close it later into the night. For me, it offers a different sort of intimacy which I do not get with my tent.

But even recognising and experiencing this, a tent, especially on a longer walk, offers more space, headroom, comfort and so on.

astaman

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Re: A section of the Sussex Border Path.
« Reply #8 on: 08:04:13, 02/10/18 »
Enjoyed your TR very much. I loved these short outings in the spaces between things when I lived in the S of England. I did bits of the Thames Valley this way and once made up a route from London to Cardiff with no plan beyond starting to walk up the river from my home in Deptford. It's interesting that the less wild the environment the more 'wild' and edgy camping seems to be - I think of the American term 'stealth' camping.

 

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