Sussex
Scrapbook ~ Wildlife walks throughout the year
Sunday 29th December 2013
Mount Caburn, Lewes.
7 miles
So
yesterday wasn't as
good a day weather-wise as it was supposed to be but today we were promised a sunny, wintry
day and by heck we were going to make the most of it.
Our plan was to try and circumvent the down above Lewes (which we know as
Mount Caburn) as much as possible.
After a quick peruse in the town which became a longer peruse... I finally
chased Gill out of a shop and we took the footpath from just north of the tunnel
up onto Malling Hill. We then followed the steep edge clockwise round
to the fort at Mount Caburn proper. This interesting route takes you past old
quarries, pits, landslips, barrows and tumuli as well as giving beautiful views
across Sussex and of Lewes town. After the fort we weren't sure if there
was a way back to Lewes across
Ranscombe Camp, we couldn't spot any stiles across the many fences, so we
took the normal footpath back through
Southerham Nature Reserve. Just before we got to the reserve, just as the
light was fading, we saw a group of 6 men, a boy and a lurcher hunting rabbits
using ferrets. They seemed to be doing quite well too.
The view from the top of Malling Hill
looking across to Offham Hill and
Blackcap on the South Downs.
An excellent place for tea & cake and staring into space and sighing, if you're
into that sort of thing!
Whoever designed sheep knew that they
would look bloody great against a green backdrop.
The hang glider pilots love Mount Caburn. The flooding out on Lewes Brooks a
testament to the continued storms we keep having.
Hunting rabbits with ferrets.
Take the time to read
the
countryside code for yourself and please stick to it at all times.