Lewes Forum thread

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Walking the SDW

On 22 Oct 2014 at 2:47pm TDA wrote:

Hi does anyone have any experience of walking the whole of the South Downs Way, and if so I'm wondering how long it took, where you stayed, etc. And mainly, was it worth it?
I bought a guide or two but never got the chance this summer.

On 22 Oct 2014 at 5:13pm Snouty wrote:

I thought the title was Walking the Sow and for a moment was quite cheered by feeling less alone.
Often take my pet porker out for a walk.
Sadly I realise I cannot help you

On 22 Oct 2014 at 6:04pm sore feet wrote:

Allow 3mph across the sections. I'm no real walker, so reckoned 12 miles ok 18 miles or more on a section too much. 1.Train to Eastbourne - walk to Southease & back up river - bit much
2. Down river to Southease & up west side crossing A27 at Housedean & back to Lewes from Plumpton Plain - easy
3. Bus via Brighton to SDW south of Beeding & walk back - bit much
4. left car at Shoreham (could have train-ed whole way) caught train to Amberley & walked back to Shoeham including down Adur from Botolphs - way too far
5. left car at Amberley, caught train to Chichester & bus to SDW above Cocking & walked back to Amberley - nice walk
6. left car at Cocking, walked up to SDW & to Harting Hill then off of SDW down for walk back under hill to Cocking - not a great route
7. left car at Harting Hill (NT paypark) & walk SDW to near East Meon, down to village (lovely place) bus to Petersfield & taxi up to Cocking - good day but not cheapest
8. left car at East Meon & bus to Cheriton & up to SDW for nice walk back - could have made it into Winchester but bus times/daylight didn't work out.
9. Leave car at Cheriton & nice easy walk into Winchester with time for a look around, have a celebratory cuppa/beer & catch the bus back to Cheriton.
No overnights away. Lots of wildlife & memories of things. Some annoying sections in woods when the scarp of hill not that far off. Give yourself time to go off route a bit to see what looks interesting. And it's taken more than one summer - it's not a race.