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Holiday Monday bike ride ...

Our starting point being home, we find ourselves on the outskirts of Shoreham Airport meeting up with The Downs Link heading north towards Bramber.

The path, originally the Steyning Line is used by both walkers and cyclists.

Robins, blue tits and blackbirds seen along the way.



I couldn't help but notice how spectacular the sun was looking behind the clouds.



Alongside the banks of the River Adur there's a most wonderful view of the East facing side of the church of St Botolph.



Arriving in Bramber we take the road into the historic village of Steyning.

If you love crafts or collecting antiques, bric-a-brac or bits for dolls houses, pints and pub grub or coffee and cake, I can recommend you visit.

There's beautiful Tudor, Stuart and Georgian architecture to take photos of too.



Coming out of Steyning, we meet up with the road which leads through the small villages of Annington, Botolphs and Coombes.

It's all up hill and down dale, so this part of the route is quite heavy going, for me anyway!

From the top of Annington Hill spectacular views of the Adur Valley can be seen, so it's worth going the extra mile.

Well that's what I tell myself, when I find myself puffing like a steam train!

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This is the view of the church of St Botolph facing West. The oldest parts of the church being over a thousand years old.

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We stopped here for a breather, drink and a banana!

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There's more information on the history of the church here, and just who is St Botolph.

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After having a very quick peek inside the church, we continue along the road which meets back up at Shoreham Airport, and then home.

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A fourteen mile round trip.

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Not bad going on a tummy full of mince pies and Christmas cake!

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I'd like to return to take more photos of the inside.

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Until then, I shall leave you to look through the arch window!

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please be(e) happy ...

I hope these sunflowers bring sunshine to your day, as much as they did to mine.



No, this field of sunflowers isn't in France or Italy, it's on farmland at Michelgrove in West Sussex.



We came upon them unexpectedly whilst on a bike ride which started from Ford, ending up back home in Lancing, along a stretch of the Monarch's Way between Arundel and Findon.



Not knowing whether grown for commercial purpose or as good countryside practice, these sunflowers in all shapes and sizes, for now, are making the bees buzz themselves happy.



If only the faces you came across in life could be as cheery as these.

There are some right miserable people around, I can tell you!



Michelgrove is an area just north of the exit from woodland off the Angmering Park estate, an area for forestry, shooting, agriculture and wildlife.

If you love to be outdoors, and you're ever in the West Sussex area, try and make time to visit. There are lots of footpaths and bridleways to enjoy, woods and country paths and lanes to explore.

You may even get to see the big cat!



I wasn't the only one very reluctant to leave the sunflowers behind.

I may just be able to get back in a month or so, to check out if the birds are having such a great time as me and this bee was.

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Would a little something sent to you through the post make you feel great?

Keep those comments coming in for my 300th post giveaway below.

I have already had some really funny suggestions as to what is keeping that lid from shutting on the cat's hamper!

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curious calves and English idioms ...

These snapshots were taken whilst up on the South Downs, over the Bank Holiday weekend. There's more in the following post.

Don't you think these calves look pretty cute together?



When I'm blogging, I invariably find myself going off on a tangent.

In this post I deviated somewhat by looking up meanings of idioms and phrases. I find myself using them all the time.

Here's some cow related ones!



Awkward as a cow on a crutch - very clumsy or off balance.

Work your tail off - you work extremely hard.

All hat, no cattle - when someone talks big, but cannot back it up.



Chew the cud - you think carefully about something.

Until the cows come home - for a very long time.

Calf lick - a weird parting in your fringe where your hair grows in a different direction, usually to one side.

I've got one of those!

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chasing one's tail ...

Of which I have been doing rather a lot of lately, being busy and not very productive.

We decided to make time on Bank Holiday Monday to get out on the bikes, finding ourselves parking up in the village of Southease, near Lewes in East Sussex, which meets up with the South Downs Way.



Somewhat sultry, and what with a steep incline and a blustery wind, I found the going a bit tough, to say the least!

J ended up cycling on ahead, as he needs to build up his fitness for the charity cycle ride he's doing at the end of July.

J's received £197 sponsorship so far for the British Heart Foundation, and J's employers have pledged to double the final total. How fantastic is that!



Talking of tails, it was a treat to be able to get up so close to the animals.



This lamb wasn't lost. Its mum was close by.



Aaah, or should I say Baa!



Back into the fold, with a huge expanse in which to roam, to run free without care or purpose.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

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sun, sea and sculpture ...

Thank goodness the local council has finally seen sense, and re-opened the stretch of cycle path which runs between the Pavilion Theatre and George V Avenue.

We've both had time off work this week. Today we spent a couple of hours out and about on the bikes.


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The Eco-Garden Beach.
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n'er cast a clout 'til May is out ...

Keep your coat on, until the May blossom's out!

The weather over the last couple of days has been cold and wet, but not a total washout.

Not put off with the forecast of yet more rain, we set off in the search of our native English Bluebell (seen above mixing in quite happily with the beautiful white almost heart-shape petals of Greater Stitchwort), knowing of an area a bit off the beaten track, where it would hopefully be just us and the wildlife.

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It wasn't long before we were cycling past spectacular glades of English Bluebells.

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More Bluebells, and batches of native Primroses here and there too.

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Much of the bridlepath was above ankle-deep in clay mud, and pretty much impassable on a bike.

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We were surprised at how boggy it was, considering the long continuous spell of dry and sunny weather we've been having over the past month.

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On the path above we were now able to hop back on our bikes.

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I was astounded to see the large areas of Euphorbia, never having seen the plant in such an excessive quantity before.

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On the return part of the ride, this time along quiet lanes, we pass the tiny Parish Cemetery at Shermanbury.

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It's curiosity draws us in.

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A pretty mass of Primrose vulgaris, surrounds the headstones.

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Calm and unmoving, with only a male Pheasant for company.

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Cuckoo Pint? Otherwise known as Lords and Ladies!

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At this stage we were both very soggy, muddy and cold!

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This area is alongside the layby where we park up.

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Up until recently you could only see the top of this picnic bench, the area having been left overgrown with long grasses and allsorts of weeds.

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It's a huge improvement for us, but a loss of the veritable wildlife habitat it had once become.

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coastal ways ...

Today we cycled to Brighton. On the way back we stopped to take in the views and to mop up the lovely sunshine.



Houseboats sitting on mud flats, on the River Adur at Shoreham.



Yachts taking advantage of excellent sailing water along this stretch of coastline at Lancing.



Sea thrift on the shingle beach.

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the downs link stage one

run common - bramley - st martha's hill

The Downs Link bridleway was established in 1984 to link together the North Downs and the South Downs Way. The trail crosses the Low Weald and mostly follows two former railway lines. Much of the track is owned and jointly managed by West Sussex/Surrey County Councils and Waverley Borough Council.



We cycle alongside former navigable stretches of the Wey & Arun Canal, which closed in 1871, through Run Common. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust aim to restore London's lost route to the sea, back to navigation.



Under a railway bridge along leafy woodland paths where I spot a grey squirrel rummaging in the undergrowth.



Through replica crossing gates into the grounds of the old station. Click on Cranleigh Railway Info for nostalgic photos from the archives.



So the story goes, the enamel sign was returned to the station in the mid 1990s, after being used for many years as a shelf in a greenhouse in Worthing!



When the station building was finally demolished, the corner holding the postbox was left.



A replica waiting room has been built alongside a restored platform edge.



The last train pulled out of Bramley & Wonersh station on its way to Horsham, on the 12th of June 1965.



Blackheath village traces its roots back to 1833, before which there is no record of a rate paying inhabitant. There is a monastery nearby.



Pine with needles and roots underfoot, along with birch and oak, define the landscape in this area.



85% of Surrey heathland has been lost since 1752, and the careful removal of trees is helping to restore this. The acidic, sandy soil is perfect growing conditions for heather and gorse.



During World War Two, the Canadian army were based on the common, which excluded villagers and livestock from the heath.



No doubt this stage is the most enduring, only the superfit can cycle the steep hill up towards St Marthas. My bike was pushed for me on this stage, with me lagging behind with hands on waist!



A 59 kilometre (37 mile) route which is open to walkers, horse riders and cyclists. By reaching this plaque we have now completed each stage of the Downs Link.



Looking down on a beautiful Weald & Downland landscape where on a clear day eight counties can be seen. The woodland here comprises of oak, holly, hawthorn and hazel, and in Spring, bluebells.



Having come to the conclusion we may not visit this area again, we took the final steep incline up to St Martha's church, which sits on the top of the hill. Dating back to the twelfth century, this church became a ruin after the dissolution of the monasteries, and was restored during the nineteenth century.



On the way up we passed a couple of walkers, who had great pleasure in letting us know there is free tea and cakes on offer. No time to sit on this bench!
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We parked up the bikes and headed towards the gathering crowd, the friends of the church, who were holding their annual Easter Fun Day. We left a small donation towards the restoration fund, and with cup of tea and chocolate buttercream slab cake in hand, we sat for a short while before making tracks back to Bramley Station.

After having cycled this stage in drizzly rain and poor visibility, which makes for very difficult cycling and muddy conditions underfoot, it was an enormous relief to see our van parked up, waiting to bring us back home, and dry!

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