Only just got round to writing up our Vanguard Way trip at the end of May (too many other things going on!). A nice route, not too long, and nothing too arduous, and good variety - forests, chalk downs, heathland, small villages, rivers, sea cliffs, and promenade. Particularly excellent last day down to, and along, the coast. The route instructions are freely downloadable from the internet, and very well written, in fact clearer than some guidebooks I have used! We started off commuting back and forth to the route, which worked OK at first, but by the third day the commutes were losing their appeal a bit, especially as they were threatening to take longer than the walking itself, so we got a hotel instead. For those of us based in the South, there is something strangely satisfying about starting in the outskirts of London and walking all the way to the coast! Summary:
Day 1 headed out of Croydon through a selection of leafy residential streets, little cuts, and good bits of forest. Superb section across Oxted Down, only slightly impaired by the M25 weaving its way across the landscape, More forest to get to Limpsfield Chart, where 1 bus and 2 trains got us home.
Day 2 took us to Forest Row for lunch, and then a superb section across the heathland of Ashdown Forest, unfortunately the views were marred by rain and low cloud, to arrive at Poundgate, where 2 buses and 3 trains got us home.
Day 3 went through some good forest stretches, and buttercup-filled meadows, to arrive at Blackboys pub for a pot of tea. Quiet roads and fields then took us to Golden Cross, where we jumped on a bus to Eastbourne and got a hotel for the night!
Day 4 took us to the rather quaint village of Alfriston, familiar to any South Downs Way walkers. The route then followed the South Downs Way as far as Cuckmere Haven, but then branched off West along Seaford Head, with superb views looking back to the Seven Sisters. An easy stroll along the promenade at Seaford, then an embankment past some old tide mills, took us to the finish, at Newhaven Harbour station.
Full reports and pics available at
http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/vanguard/index.html [nofollow]Pete