Spreading Minds Out and Letting Lewes

LEWES TO CHARLESTON FARMHOUSE VIA MOUNT CABURN, GLYNDE AND FIRLE

The Man-child had a day off and we had a rare excursion together. Transport timing thwarted a Petworth route and so I suggested a more convenient and slightly lazier, artsy excursion to Charleston from Lewes. This would take in a dramatic hill just off the South Downs, lunch and the once meeting place of those artists and thinkers, the Bloomsbury Group.

Mount Caburn performed well, the track at the far end of Firle, less so and the wait for a bus and train attempted to ruin the vibe entirely.

We took a train to Haywards Heath and changed for one towards Ore. You can reach Lewes any way you wish. Wivelsfield Station offers an alternative.

Exiting the station via the car park, take Pinwell Road to Friars Walk and the High Street. Cliffe High Street will bring you out opposite Chapel Hill and you go up. This is a pretty direct route behind the quite dramatic backdrop to Lewes and to the golf course. To the north are the Nature Reserves of Malling Down, an area to explore in itself, and to the south, Southerham Farm. Sticking to the golf club driveway and exiting the clubhouse car park, will take you away from the cliff edge and east onto a footpath. The track divides further on. On the lower path, you'll bottom out, cross a field and reach a dew pond. The area around here is managed by Natural England and there are numerous ways to cross the slopes. Young cattle and sheep punctuated the grass.

Taking the upper path, above Caburn Bottom, you can and you must take a detour up to the obvious Iron Age hillfort, known as Mount Caburn.  We drank tea at the bench. There are excellent views all around on the watery Ouse Valley and, as you rejoin the eastward path and descend, look north to Glynde Place and Glyndebourne. From Ranscombe Lane and the post office at Glynde, you'll turn right onto Lacys Hill, pass the forge and cross the bridge over Glynde Reach before the station. Beyond, take Mill Lane, past the railway cottages and go left along the A27. Take control of the traffic at the crossing and follow on further to the junction with Firle Bostall, which you take. At the crossways go directly up the driveway of Firle and the Firle Estate, (Cue upbeat harpsicord soundtrack). Take a liberty and rejoin a footpath after where there is a second paved drive. You're going to miss it being solid under foot from now on. You can visit Firle Place here.

Firle Tower can be seen beyond the house you reach and you'll pass it on this quite muddy bridleway, that has nothing to recommend it, unless you're a cow, all the way to Charleston Farmhouse. The cows in the barn look innocent enough but have had strong influence on your most recent journey. You'll get a discount at the house for walking. Consider it compensation. The House provided overshoes and lockers for a visit and Caccia and Tails, the food. You can get a shuttle bus from here to Eastbourne or Lewes if you plan it right, which we didn't. We continued back onto the A27 and got an equally ill-timed bus to Lewes and waited half an hour for a train. I had to be back to take the kids to the dentist, which I just managed.