Distance: 26 km ( 16.2 miles)
Total Distance: 1953.8 miles
I dropped the family off
at Birmingham Airport for their holiday in Ireland and then drove myself down the
South coast. I'd booked into the Youth Hostel in Alfreston, so I knew where I wanted to finish the walk for the day. I parked in the pub car park and then caught
the bus without too much delay into Brighton. There was however a delay on the
bus because it took a very long time and went inland at one stage to Lewes
instead of just along the coast. A very frustrating start to the day. Even worse was the fact that I failed to get
off at the right spot even though the driver promised to tell me when I was
close to the pier. This meant a walk back through the very busy shopping
centre of Brighton. It was good to get going eventually. I was hoping this was
going the be a bit greener than the previous weekends walk back in January.
Another frustration appeared after the
first hour. I had walked though the new harbor complex only to find there was
no exit on the far side back onto the Undercliff path. It was not so much blocked by a water inlet,
just what seemed to be the bloody mindedness of the yacht club. A fence, barbed wire and a large drop
appeared to mean that I would have to backtrack a mile. After standing on top of a breakwater, looking
at the drop onto the beach, for what seemed like a long time I decided to give
jumping it a go - or actually lowering myself on the weathered piece of rope
and then letting go and hoping for the best. I turned out not to be too great a
fall and I was relieved. The Undercliff
path is talked about a lot in Brighton, but is
actually another concrete monstrosity. Never mind, if it was not there it
would mean a long walk on the road I suppose.
The path ran out without much warning
and I had to backtrack a little to get back up onto the cliffs at
Saltdean. I crossed the main road
briefly to post some letters off was then onto the cliff top
path. Around Peachaven, the path
followed the end of streets of bungalows on the low cliffs. Around the Harbour Heights area of Newhaven
the scenery changed to more green heathland before I saw a path down towards
the breakwater. A cafe nestled in the
wasteland near the breakwater so I stopped for a cup of tea, the silence only broken
by the sound of game machines. People
seemed to be drifting out from work for an early evening stroll.
The road into Newhaven took me past a
marina and then over a swing bridge into Newhaven town itself. Over the railway, my route veered back
towards the sea. I decided to carry on at least until Seaford even though
evening was approaching. The back
streets soon changed into a more industrial scene, the car park for the ferry
and then over the railway again and into waste ground towards Seaford. I picked up speed determined to walk back to
where I had left the car rather than catch a bus back. Out of Seaford the path went up onto the
cliffs again and very pleasant it was too in the evening sun. At one stage there was a large number of
rabbits out and the scurried back into their burrows when I approached.
I was worried what the path up the
banks of the Cuckmere River would be tricky in the failing light but it was
reasonable. Rather than go out again
once I was in the Youth Hostel in Alfreston later, I ate in the pub where I had
left the car - only spoil by the fact that the only seat free was outside the
gents toilet and smelt like it. Finding
the Youth Hostel in the dark was a little tricky. It was a good hostel in an
old building with a dorm overlooking the valley.
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