Day 4 - South Harting to Cocking, 6.3m, 3.5h

It promises to be a hot day as we set off from Harting Down

Within a few hundred yards we find exactly what we've been expecting for the last few days - open Downland and lovely grassy paths. At last!

It soon starts to warm up as we start the ascent of Beacon Hill (there's been no imagination used when it comes to naming hills on the South Downs; this is at least the third Beacon Hill already!).  While we have seen a walker or two and the occasional horse and rider, there are certainly a lot more sheep up here than anything else.  Here are some having a snack on the top of Beacon Hill.

We found some interesting path-side things today, even though this leg is only 6.3m.  The first was this little memorial to Hauptmann Joseph Ostermann, a German airman shot down on 13 August 1940.

 



This was closely followed by 'The Devil's Jumps' - a group of Bronze Age burial mounds (with Glynis on the top of one!) which were surrounded by ground-hugging brambles covered with lovely blackberries which we couldn't resist picking.

Back on the main trail, we encountered a lone walker from Ireland who must be doing 20 miles a day from what she told us.  As she didn't appear significantly younger than us, we were suitably awe-struck!  Next came four mountain bikers who had set off from Eastbourne yesterday morning and were planning to be in Winchester tonight.  Two days to do 100 miles!  Makes our effort look pretty feeble.

Somewhere along this stretch, we disturbed some pheasants sitting in the grass alongside the path.  There were a few wandering about the path, but when they started taking off from the verges, accompanied by lots of grousing (do pheasants grouse?) we realised there must have been 20 - 30 of them and it was really impressive.  Needless to say, the camera wasn't out and ready, so no photo.

Towards the end of today's stretch, we came across this huge ball of chalk. Apparently, it's one of five originally placed along the SD Way in 2002 by artist Andy Goldsworthy to study weathering.  You could definitely describe it now as 'weathered'. 

 

 

We were very glad to have chosen to do just 6.3 miles today as it was 26C by lunchtime - too hot for walking really.  So we completed our day by visiting Uppark, which is a lovely National Trust property back at South Harting.  It practically burnt down in 1989 and was re-built and re-opened in 1995 - a staggering achievement.

 



And that's it for now, though we're highly delighted to have covered a third of the distance.  We're hoping to do the next leg, Cocking to Amberley (12m), soon but we're off to Wales next week.  At the moment Sunday is looking relatively promising among a sea of pretty grotty days . . . Check back soon!