South Downs Way - Pyecombe

Walking uphill from Amberley, I followed the Way up on the ridge to Kithurst Hill, marking the halfway point of my journey. The trail dropped just before I crossed the busy highway and back up the hill to Chanctonbury Ring. A prehistoric hill fort topped with beech trees, Chanctonbury is famous for legendary tales. According to myth, one must walk around the Ring seven times backward on a dark, moonless night to summon the Devil, who will trade a bowl of milk or soup for one’s soul or wish. Spooky stories have been told where “thudding hooves of invisible horses can sometimes be heard,” or a ghostly lady on a white horse can be seen if the Ring is walked around three times. The tales have found their way into modern times, with UFO sightings recorded at the Ring.

As I approached Steyning Bowl, I passed by a memorial to local farmers, Mollie and Walter Langmead, ‘laid to rest on their cherished Downs.’ A bit further was a triangular cluster of trees called the Bramber Beeches. They were planted to commemorate the Sussex branch of the Women’s Institute diamond jubilee in 1979. The Institute is a century-old women only organisation focused on bringing women together and providing educational opportunities. Held in high regard, several British monarchs were members, including Queen Elizabeth II, her mother, grandmother, and daughter (who is a current member).

From here, I walked through the sleepy village of Botolphs, crossed the Adur River, and climbed onto the Fulking escarpment with views of Fulking village. Next was the National Trust’s Devil’s Dyke. This steep v-shaped dry valley was a trendy destination during Victorian times. Various transport ventures used to take visitors to the foot of the hill, including a funicular, a cable car, and a single-track railway. Remnants of all three can still be seen today. Nowadays, the area is popular with hang gliders and paragliders.Just past the Dyke, I came upon Saddlescombe Farm, another property cared for by the National Trust. Farmed for more than 700 years, Saddlescombe was once in the ownership of the Knights Templar in the 13th century. The farm has several preserved buildings, a blacksmith’s forge, and a donkey wheel used to raise water from the well 50m below. The nearby woodland is home to a 1,000-year-old lime tree and a graffitied beech tree dated 1880, which today holds “the record as the single tallest native British tree in the UK.”

I finished this journey in Pyecombe, a village with two different settlements. The secondary settlement is called Pyecombe Street. The village split after the 1603 plague ravaged London and the surrounding countryside, forcing the villagers to move a quarter of a mile away.   

With little else to do, the Plough Inn, serving travellers and locals since the Victorian times, seemed like an excellent place to rest and have a great feed. 

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