We examined the water levels as we crossed the bridges at Barcombe Mills and noted that following recent rain, the levels had risen, but not to a significantly worrying level. We were pleased that the old 'toll' notice on the wall did not include pedestrians, so we continued with loose change on our pocket and made our way to the road.
The old railway line and Barcombe station were still evident and reminded us of what must have been a busy time before the work of Dr Beeching.
We finally mounted our first stile and started our walk across the first path with sight of the next stile already in view.
A steady trek around the edge of the next field, then dropped down into a lower level field and then across a short bridge into a small orchard and then another harvested field. The buzz of a strimmer in the distance became louder as we reached the edge of the field where we were heading between the gardens of 2 substantial looking houses.
Straight across the farm driveway into the next field which had also been harvested, we examined the views of Malling Down on the outskirts of Lewes. The sun kept momentarily glimpsing from behind clouds of differing shades of grey as at the end of the next field we doubled back on ourselves and walked toward the parish church of St Mary the Virgin.
We discovered the next footpath which was marked as the Greenwich Meridian Trail, a relatively new trail that starts in Peacehaven and finished some 273 miles later northwards on the coast of Sand Le Mere in Yorkshire. As we entered the next field we found a pile of wood chippings conveniently covered with mushrooms. None of us were confident in our identification of them to consider them for picking. We neither trusted our ability to identify the next junction of footpaths and for the first time took the OS map to hand and examined the direction we needed to walk.
Confirmed and confident we now headed toward "Croft Ham", another grand looking abode where it was likely that some country gentry were waited on by Butlers and the like.
After crossing the drive and entering the next field we found ourselves walking alongside a well stocked 'market garden' type plot with a lady (plus dog) was tending to the rows of produce.
At the end of the field was the Jubilee Christian Centre.
Across the next road and into the next field (harvested sweetcorn) in a direct straight line and through the hedge into the lane.
We were well into our stride and nearing completion of our third mile and still no sign of rain, even though there were still darkening skies directly in front of us as we crossed the next field of burnt-black broad beans, the merits of which we thought were connected to the fact that "broad bean crops feed priceless enriching nitrogen to the soil while they grow to their ripest form".
Having since discovered this, it didn't help matters that we'd collected a reasonable amount of the the soil to our boots and were keen to unburden ourselves from the extra weight as soon as we walked the road for a short distance and entered the next footpath.
We were now heading around Barcombe Cross and ascended a relatively small hill to find people engaged in tennis combat, having noted the very well equipped sports field with 3 tennis courts, a football field and cricket field (with the Sid Farenden Memorial Scoreboard) not to mention the well groomed Bowls Club.
We walked into Barcombe Cross High Street via Grange Road and turned left and followed the road around to the right until we reached the Village Hall. A new addition to the village, it looked well equipped for all the activities a small village of some 1,600 occupants might require.
The directions gave permission to cross the car park, then onto the next footpath that descended a short way to a junction of footpaths. A quick check on the map clarified our directional needs and still there was no sign of rainfall. The occasional dog walker would be exchanging the delights of the day and after cutting through a field of wheat which in need of harvesting we arrived in a lane where the footpath signs were showing us the way again, through a plantation or coppice of well grown Beech trees.
Our challenge was to get into Anchor Lane near to the appealingly named 'Scufflings' and then walk along the lane to the Anchor Inn. The wind was gathering strength and there was a spit of rain in the air as we reached the lane. Our pace hastened slightly as we dodged oncoming traffic that were delivering provisions to the pub. An aptly named watering hole where the hiring of boats were available after drinking some good local ale. However that wasn't our intention as we arrived and unstrapped our backpacks and took a short 15 minute rest as the wind continued to whip across the bridge next to where we sat.
The final mile beckoned and was a simple trail alongside the River Ouse. The directions were supported by even more explicit directions for where pedestrians should be going when it came to gateways.
The wind continued to blow and whilst the field of geese (which may have been pygmy ostrich, puffin or Albatross) looked uninterested in our passing, the clouds however above were more intent in depositing a shower as we paraded over the remaining bridges and back toward Barcombe Mills. The car was in sight and we re-grouped for the final stretch to the car park with minimal soaking but pleased that we didn't delay our walk any longer.
The information on the phone app provided us with all the necessary information to make it a worthwhile test.
Hike Time (including stop) 2:53:32, Distance - 6.32 miles, average pace - 27:28/mile, ascent 1137 feet, descent 1134 feet, Calories used - 472 (each!?)
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