Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks in Sussex throughout the year
Saturday 23rd May 2009
Bank Holiday Weekend
Alfriston - Litlington - Jevington - East Dean - Cuckmere Haven - Alfriston
16 miles
This was a beautiful
but strenuous walk, in beaming sunshine, through some of the most scenic
countryside to be found in the whole of Sussex. As well as visiting all of the
picturesque, thatched villages on our route (all of which have churches and tea rooms), we
also explored Lullington Heath Nature Reserve via the nature trail, watched
sheep being inoculated and sheared, climbed five of the Seven Sisters, walked
through part of Friston Forest and followed the River Cuckmere through reed beds
back to Amberley. This walk really does have everything you could want if you're
looking for the full "Sussex Experience".
The rolling Downs are very colourful right now with a multitude of grass species
and plants in flower and there are whole areas covered in literally millions of
buttercups. The smells alone are mesmerising but there is something to be seen
everywhere you look, with birds and insects busy breeding and feeding young. We
heard what sounded like Common Lizards scuttling out of sight in the hedgerows
as we walked through the heath, we spied several foxes out hunting, and
everywhere there were butterflies, particularly Painted Ladies (what do you call
the male ones?). The Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven were very quiet and almost
deserted, which made a pleasant change from sharing the place with hundreds of
holidaymakers and also from being deafened by the wind, which has a habit of
howling across here.
We arrived back at Amberley after dark, but in the preceding hour of dusk we'd
seen a couple of bats and watched a Barn Owl hunting near Litlington, the latter
being a stunning end to a completely satisfying walk.
From Amberley we crossed the bridge and set off south, down the river to Litlington.
Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) is now abundant in the hedgerows
Phyllobius pomaceus - A small black weevil covered in greenish scales
that can rub off.
Cinnabar Moth
Speckled Yellow (Pseudopanthera macularia) - A day-flying moth
Looking back across Lullington Heath
A young shepherd who was helping his dad and who told us all about the sheep.
A Bloody-nosed Beetle
Sheep shearing
Looking across towards the wonderfully named, "Pea
Down".
East Dean church, where there is a tap to fill your
water bottle.
Goldfinch at Crowlink
Part of Crowlink, covered in buttercups
After 10 miles we got onto the Seven Sisters for
another energetic bit.
Cuckmere Haven was almost deserted.
Not a soul in sight... on a Bank Holiday Weekend... !
St Andrews, Alfriston; lit up just for us (oh yes it was!), for our arrival back at 10:00pm.
Barn Owl seen hunting near Litlington