Sussex
Scrapbook ~ Wildlife walks throughout the year
Saturday 2nd April 2011
Burwash - Brightling - Burwash
7 miles
This walk will stand
out for us mainly because I
forgot to bring the map. Normally this wouldn't be too much of a problem,
especially as I take a couple of photos of the map before we go out, but in East Sussex
this is a nightmare scenario. In the east of our fair county the footpaths are
maintained by both unwilling landowners (who seem to go out of their way to
deter walkers) and East Sussex County Council. The latter tend to
only show themselves when a bridge falls down (when they are forced by law to
rebuild it) which they then cover in plaques saying what a good job they're
doing. They're not doing a good job at all of course, and the people who are in
charge of actually carrying out the work know nothing about walking on
footpaths. If they do ever get round to putting up a sign then it's either
ambiguous in its meaning or it's completely hidden, even when you're on top of it, let
alone from a distance. This all makes for extremely difficult navigation and
instead of deterring walkers it actually ensures that they
walk back and forth, willy-nilly over private land whilst scratching their heads and swearing
a lot.
Rant over....
So...
We had an absolutely lovely time today wandering (willy-nilly) around this very
attractive part of our most precious shire. Nothing went wrong, we didn't get
lost and everything was great! Sheesh!
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A lot of the route goes through very
beautiful woods and where it doesn't you get superb landscape views.
Come for a short stroll through the woods
with us.
Cuckoo flowers (Cardamine pratensis)
were in nearly every hedgerow today. No cuckoos though!
Green shoots, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and
warm sunshine. mmmm!
The sign outside the now defunct coaching Inn at Brightling.
Brightling church of
St.Thomas a Beckett.
'Mad' Jack Fuller's pyramidal tomb (surrounded by gardeners) at Brightling church was built in 1811, 23
years before his death.
Now that's forward planning.
With Peacock and Orange Tip butterflies seen on route this hassock seemed very
topical.
People in the 18th century had no qualms about showing the mortality
of man on their memorials.
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Blackthorn blossom.
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
This conveyor belt, which we crossed
twice, runs for over 2.5 miles
from the
Brightling Gypsum mine to Netherfield.
Batemans. The
gorgeous home of
Rudyard Kipling,
near to the end of our walk.
Take the time to read
the
countryside code for yourself and please stick to it at all times.