Coastal Triangulation
Happy New Year! Almost a celebratory pizza slice of a route or maybe a toddler, unsuccessfully trying to draw a triangle. Straightforward and no nonsense, the walk speaks of steady hill climbs, wave-beaten chalky cliffs, the path of a river, journeys to the sea, the geological passage of time and the lines made of daily ritual and at the end of peoples' lives. It was also a day of excellent, sparkly Winter weather, surprising calm, contented solitude and conversation that filled a wait for a train.
The wheels of enjoyment were greatly greased by easy navigation, warming sunshine on a cold day and a high tide adding excitement to an undercliff walk by an otherwise calm sea. A more interesting eating option might have made this top quality but the suggestion of prehistory and OAP breakfasts provided the novelty. All will become clear.
If you have a longer day, you could find your way back to Glynde for a neat loop but the convenience of Southease did me just fine. Glynde is reached via Haywards Heath or Brighton from Buegess Hill. I got the train back from Southease to Brighton via Lewes.
Leave Glynde Station and go south on the Station Road. The Trevor Arms reopened in July after eight years and I would love to have visited but hang on! We've only just started. This straight line was appreciated as it was still quite dark when I met the dual-carriageway. Cross the A27 and just continue up the hill. The byway takes you up Beddigham Hill to wear the radio station is. The rising sun poked clumsily through the cloud cover on my left. A flurry of morning snow had contributed to the chalky whiteness of the paths and an delicate sugared hills. As you reach the South Downs Way and cross its line, head between the bottoms of Well and Home on the bridleway. Descend beyond America Farm and then avoid the top of the nameless round hill in front by a deviation to the right.
The landmark of Newhaven incinerator was chugging away. The now byway takes you beyond the memorials at Page's New Barn and in to flinty South Heighton. This unassuming village with the remaining pub and a bonfire society, hides a network of tunnels used by the Royal Navy in 1941 for a bustling communications centre. This 'shore establishment' was commissioned as a ship, the HMS Forward whose entrance is in room 16 of Denton House. There is reference to this history upon the green. Cross the grass and continue into Forward Close and on to a bridleway leading to Avis Road. You exit opposite Paradise Park, a place a bit too far a field for me to have taken the children when they were young but that which I now regret because I have no idea whether the Planet Earth museum within the heritage trail garden and garden centre complex are worth visiting. I'll have to borrow some little kids some time. The Newhaven Maritime Museum reopens in April and I'd love to take a look as this one as it can be visited for only £3. Why do I care? Well, aside the WWII naval history I'd just past through, I was thinking about fossils and geology. I settled for a satisfactory breakfast and use of the facilities. The pause was worth it because as I left, the sun broke through and the clouds evaporated.
Go south on the road and then onto Avis Way after the garage. An odorous waft of melted plastic announced Newhaven proper as I took the footpath through to New Road. A robin fluttered up from the water and rubbish-filled ditch aside the path. Apart from the giant concrete 'A' I had missed nearly all of Richard Wolfstrome's industrial estate functional art, feeling neither energised or uplifted, as a result.
Turn left and continue south to the junction with the Drove Road. Turn right and cross the Ouse via the swing bridge. Join the England Coast Path on the Riverside North. Admire the Cormorant sculptures in the harbour and observe the port activity. From Riverside South, take the Fort Road and turn right towards Newhaven Fort, reopening in February. As you ascend, the path leaves the driveway and continues now westward within the Castle Hill Local Nature Reserve. Look out for the signs on the Seahaven Coastal Trail. The accompanying leaflet also suggests some other eating places. The Hope Inn is one for the future. I'm interested because it once displayed its art deco features more prominently. It was designed by a Stavers Tiltman, responsible also for Shoreham now Brighton Airport.
Take the path to the cliff top for views over the harbour and westward. Continuing past the WWII gun emplacements with their pill boxes and ammunition lockers. Further on is the National Coastwatch Institution Lookout tower. I waved at the duty watchkeeper but I didn't visit.
Further on, the clifftop path feels quite exposed but there was barely a breeze on this cold day. The tide was still too high to see the shore as I'd hoped. There are fossils to be found but the beach at Peacehaven will have to wait for another day. Instead, descend from Peacehaven Heights to Friar's Bay and the undercliff. The sea was calm save for a hearty occasional splash at the groynes. Rock pipits walked the sea walls and the white cliffs were magnificent in the sunshine. Follow the undercliff to the next set of steps and back to the cliff top. Just a little further on is the Greenwich Meridian Monument.
Stick with the coast path and the edge of Howard Park, skirt the Portobello Sewage Works and visit the weather vane at Telscombe Tye. Cross over the coast road and take a suitable path north. I sat at the barrow for a bit and then continued on the funerary track before checking what was hidden behind the trees. This is the distinctive house known as St Michael's. Go east to Gorham's Lane.
The road was still slippery in the shadows. Pass Telscombe's church of St Laurence and climb to the bridleway that drops down to the side of Southease Hill. The path through Cricketing Bottom and South Farm now merges with a byway and the South Downs Way to Southease. Turn right just before the Lewes Road and then cross the junction. I'd been trotting on the downhill stretches to try and catch the 13.05 but it was clear that I would just miss the hourly train. I took the opportunity to visit the very old St Peter's and then continue over the Egret's Way, the Ouse and the Southease Bridge.
On to Southease station my wait was tempered by the welcome conversation of a pair of intrepid Chinese travellers. No ice-cream.
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