Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks throughout the year
Sunday 26th April 2009
Cocking - Graffham Down - Graffham - Heyshott - Cocking
8 miles
Only a short walk today
as I've been working six days a week for the past two weeks and quite frankly
I'm knackered. Anyway, we finally made it to St. Catherine's church Cocking
(11th C) just after midday with the sun beaming at us. With just T shirts on our sweaty
backs we climbed the steep footpath up Manorfarm Down to reach the
South Downs
Way. This section of the long distance footpath is quite wooded, with many yew trees and
Bronze Age earth
works dotted along the way. We stopped at some ancient burial mounds in a
cowslip-covered meadow to have our lunch.
Further on is Graffham Down and this is under the management of the Graffham
Down Trust who are trying to preserve the original downland turf and all of the
plants and butterflies that it supports. Today the turf was covered in thousands
of orchids and was buzzing with insect life.
As we came out of the trust's land we took a steep wooded path, down into the
tiny village of Graffham. From here it was just a few miles walk back to the
bike via Heyshott with the sound of Gill softly sobbing in the background.
Honestly, this area is so outstandingly gorgeous that the thought of never being
able to live there can distress the happiest of souls.
Orange Tips, Peacocks and Speckled Wood butterflies about today, along with many
woodland birds, Swallows, a Peregrine and lots of woodpecker drumming. Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs seem to be everywhere
and are in competition to see who can sing the loudest.
The nightingales are in great song down at
Pulborough Brooks RSPB right now and
Cuckoos are about too, so why not go down one evening and check them out.
Sussex's bluebells are all at their best as well, so why not find a wood for a
picnic this bank holiday weekend? Just remember, leave nothing but your
footprints and take nothing but your memories.
Parish church of St Catherine of Siena, Cocking.
Cowslips at the ancient burial site
The burial mounds
An ancient mile post on the South Downs Way. Roman
perhaps?
Orchids at Graffham Down
The church of St. Giles, Graffham
These things are rapidly becoming obsolete
2 cubic yards of rusty horse shoes!
Lenticular-like clouds
The afternoon sun in the trees
Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
