Wrinkly Ramblerrs reach Ditchling Beacon

[Anne Stern]

We did not pick the best of days to do this stretch but as it was not raining when we set off we decided to chance it - a mistake.    We started from the A27 at Housedean, this time plus one husband (mine) and a golden retriever named Bobby.    All went well for the first half an hour and then the rain began so rather a muddy trek, although we did manage to get glimpses of some picturesque scenery on the way, most of the time it was pretty misty.   We were glad we had decided to only go as far as Ditchling Beacon and not on to Pycombe.   But we were not without mishaps this time as when we arrived at Ditchling to collect the cars left there it was to discover that my husband had left his car keys in the car on the A27!   Not good news with six of us and a dog and only a small four seater car to get us back to collect the keys.   Needless to say my husband and myself elected to stay behind and there we stood in the pouring rain for about 20 minutes beside a locked car!!   He won't be invited to join us again!    We will check out bus routes when we continue in the new year, and maybe B & B's when we get nearer Winchester.   So, that's probably our lot for 2012, but the will is there to continue so we will be back!

[Sue Strudwick]

Don't forget to check the train times at Amberley railway station, five minutes walk from the South Downs Way.  Complete with pub, riverside cafe and restaurant it makes a very good starting/finishing point.

[John C Greves]

Lot to think about .... time to get boots on feet and bums off seats for the SDNP guys ... !

Not the rigours of Snowdonia or the Lake District .... but local weather along the crest of the Downs can go from brilliant sunshine to thick fog within a few hundred yards .... Dorset's Jurassic Coast very similar.

Vandal-resistant Signs, Way Marks and comprehensive Information Boards ASAP please.

Shelters and Parking at Road Crossings could benefit from New Technology ... Solar Powered signs with predicted times for the next buses and perhaps a link for the nearest taxi ... CCTV deters opportunist thieves.

Major routes should certainly have all-weather surfaces by now ... 44 years since we featured Access to the Countryside at all the County Shows ... Mobility Scooter hates deep washed out ruts.

Failing that .... spouse to do chauffeuring as penance !

[John C Greves]

Smart Bus Technology more widespread than one might think ... not only indicates next bus but when to get off ... Wi Fi Hotspots also pretty common .... cannot be very expensive .... lots here in Surrey and down in Dorset.

Shelter from wind, rain and a seat to boot .... couple on Pyrford Common where surfaced tracks cross the road .... unfortunately cannot get Google Earth Street View download to pop up here !

[John C Greves]

[John C Greves]

Believe it or not all weather track surfaced with road planings .... Smart Bus Shelter has all the latest technology ... lay-by for 3 cars .... Community Transport funding maybe