A Circular Walk via Alfriston

We definitely experienced this walk at its very best. Absolutely perfect Mid-November weather,  clear blue skies, low autumn sun and amazing views.  Any walk would benefit from this, but it particularly suited the South Downs.

The walk is just under 15 miles long and took us around six hours including a stop for lunch.  Starting from the train station at Southease (located mid-way between Lewis and Newhaven with a train stopping about every hour) the route follows the South Downs Way to Alfriston.  Just after Afriston it leaves the South Downs Way and heads directly west towards the Norton farmstead just north of Seaford.  From Norton you head north until you hit the South Downs Way before heading west again back to Southease.

Reflections on a Year's Walks - 2012

I've had an amazing year. Eight walking trips, 95 days of full- on walking and loads of adventures.   At the moment, as well as trying to keep fit on the South Downs, I'm busy working out a schedule for 2013 and reflecting on the lessons I've learnt this year.

The lessons with hindsight seem blindingly obvious.

The first - already having an impact on plans for next year - is that you can't have too much of a good thing.  I had thought that 7 weeks in Nepal would satiate my appetite for the Himalayas but it had the opposite effect.

Although I didn't get to the top of Mera Peak (the weather was exceptionally bad this spring and very few groups did),  I had an amazing adventure.  The memories of the night at high camp (perched on a 5,400m cliff on the edge of a glacier in a ferocious storm), the attempt on the summit next day (a fall into a crevasse followed by an agonising trudge through fresh snow a metre deep) and the descent the following day with arguably the best mountain view in the world (clear sight of five 8,000 m plus summits including Everest) will stay with me forever.

The view to Everest from Mera