Last night we had planned to go for a sunset walk across the South Downs. Instead, we ended up seeing the sunset somewhere down a lane not so far away. My car, which went in to the garage Thursday for what should have been a quick fix to the air-con is still in the garage now! Although we have another car it’s far from practical either as a family, or dog friendly vehicle. Subsequently I’m working on Chris to depart with his beloved car and get something a little more fitting for our needs when my own car is off the road.
Although we may have missed out on a trip to the South Downs for a sunset walk, we did have a lovely walk last night.
We popped Rupert in the pushchair and ventured up the path into the village, passed the green, the pub and the church, crossing the road we headed on down the single track lane by the allotments.
The lane is actually a bridleway and with only a few houses it’s very peaceful. We both love the cottages down this little lane for their close proximity to the village yet they are also so rural at the same time. It’s a very special place that’s for sure. We often think on our wanders down the lane that if only one of the houses had come on the market when we were looking this time around as we’d have loved to have stayed on the outskirts of our village.
Once passed the houses, the lane ends, and after walking by some old farm buildings, the bridleway opens up to fields and extensive views of the South Downs.
From here there are two directions to go in, the four mile loop passed the old tow path we used to do from here is currently cut off at a bridge which the council are yet to fix (two years or more down the line)! There are so many walking routes from this point, we have been spoilt for choice. Our buyers and their dog will be very pleased I am sure to discover these walks taking in open spaces, old tow paths and rivers, not to mention all the great country pubs on route!
Rupert has a thing with travel in the lower deck of his pushchair for some reason, and we tend to just go with it to keep him happy!
He did come out of the lower deck and had a run around chasing the dogs, giggling away to himself as he did so.
As we walked, the setting sun was warm on our skin and began turning everything around us golden.
You can guarantee that if there’s a puddle Rupert will find it, so when we came across some really muddy puddles we had to swiftly lift him up and over them before he had the chance to even contemplate jumping in them.
An old plane flew low overhead at one point, and Rupert, as he always does when a plane passes overhead made sure to point it out to us in case we missed it.
Walking back down the lane, we glimpsed the church where we got married, and where Rupert was christened, the church perched high on the hill overlooking the village.
Back in the village walking passed the duck pond, Rupert got to say good night to the ducks, and even got a brief view of the Herron doing some fishing for his dinner.
We may have not made it to the South Downs but this walk was a reminder why we have loved living in the village. Although we are only moving under ten miles down the road, I can see us coming back this way once we’ve renovated the next house. The hamlet we are moving to has big boots to fill that’s for sure.
Love for now
Emma x