Walk from Pevensey to Rye with my son and dog
For my son, our dog Jet and me, who had completed the 66 miles of the varied (and at times challenging!) Vanguard Way from East Croydon to Newhaven over 5 days the year before, and the 42 miles of the stunning Sussex Ouse Valley Way over 3 days the year before that, the prospect of making our way for just 32 miles over two consecutive days along the 1066 Country Walk through some of the loveliest landscapes of East Sussex was highly appealing, and not particularly daunting. But the weather had other ideas!
We knew it would rain – the forecast told us as much. It started well enough by Pevensey Castle, as we wended our way across fields completely free of human traffic towards Battle on day 1. A minor missed turning added 20 minutes or so to our progress when deep in conversation and bracing ourselves somewhat against the chilling air and starting drizzle, we missed a turn away from the gently winding river and had to retrace our steps.
It was never warm, and we were glad, as always in such weather, of our lunch stop at the Bull’s Head in Boreham Street.
As the day wore on the rain set in and we wound our way past spiky chestnut strewn soggy pathways (much to the displeasure of our poodle) and pumpkins displayed in anticipation of bonfire, towards Battle, where my partner, armed with a hair drier (!) joined us for a customary hot meal and stopover at a dog-friendly local hotel, in this case Leeford Place.
We thought the worst of the rain was behind us when we set out from the castle at Battle on the morning of day 2. Apart from the first hour, when the rain held off, the majority of the nearly 17 miles walked that day were hard-earned in 40-50 mph winds and driving rain, not to mention ankle deep mud and shivering autumn temperatures. Day 2, which took us through some of the most picturesque countryside in the southeast was simply an endurance test, witnessed by curious fellow creatures, amongst them lamas and humans, who could not quite work out why these two travellers would voluntarily choose such a way to spend a cold, wet windy first of November!
Our main saving grace was hot chips and a cheerful exchange with a family of less hardy walkers at a pub in Icklesham. By the time we had completed the long flat slog to Rye the day had darkened to a damp squib of an evening. When we arrived at the Cinque Ports Arms near Rye Station (from where we would head home to Lewes by train), we resembled nothing so much as drowned hungry rats, with steam rising from us as we stood in front of the open fire, devouring what remained of our sodden rations (my rucksack’s rain cover proved not to be waterproof at all!).
We had not really had the time or opportunity to enjoy the vistas – but we both knew we had the determination to complete what we had started.
And that was handsome reward in itself!
(Walked during half term, October 2019)
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