Fill Your Boots But Don't Look Back!

Tuesday 24 November

Hedgehog Pub, Copthorne

Walkers: Farty, T.B. , Mrs P., yours truly - Sally met us for lunch with her knees

Weather: very windy, mild, some spits and spots of rain - grey and forbidding skies

Conditions: yuk - very muddy and very wet in parts - ooooo matron

Another route from this venue - there are loads more to come. The circular walk started towards the West and round we went. It was obvious by the lack of signs, missing stile parts, and chained gates, that walkers are not encouraged in these parts.

Find of the walk: a row of plastic tulips

Not many livestock fields encountered - a couple of baby cows, and a few with sheep in., one with horses. Level ground virtually throughout, which would have suited Windy, but many parts very wet and waterlogged. A plane-spotter was spotted at one point - he had forgotten his sandwiches, and, close by, was a discarded old sofa, with bun-style feet. What was once a magnificent specimen, had been carelessly dumped and left to the elements - such a shame.

We passed close to Burstow Church (under renovation), and numerous farms, most of which were selling eggs. We noticed large gatherings of hens, and the cockerel 'sorting them out', which was all over in a flash - no comment. For those not on the in-continent plan, it is advisable to take relief early on in this walk, as open fields abound, later on. No looking back was the order of the day, whilst the reliefeeeeee had to duck down en-route, and hope for the best.

The sight and sounds of aeroplanes was constant - how could anyone live here? At times, you could almost touch them they were that low. However we had mud to attend to, and before long, loud expletives were heard coming from Mrs P (we were shocked!). Her once beautifully clean and buffed boots had succumbed to the quagmire, and she was millimetres away from a total submerge in the shud (shit and mud). However she soon regained her composure in time to navigate the lake which was once the footpath, and here, T.B. almost had a slippage.

However, we completed the walk in approx 3hrs, and about 7 miles - mud is heavy and slow-going. Lunch in the pub was good, as before, and excellent value.

Next walk: not confirmed as yet, so please keep blogging on for updates.