Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks throughout the year
Sunday 2nd February 2009
Alford (in Surrey) ~ Brewhurst Mill ~ Loxwood ~ Alford
7 miles (of mud)
Gill planned our route
today and because of her insane jealousy of my freshly-bought, brand new, Brasher
hiking boots, she purposely sent
us through oceans of mud for the whole seven sloppy miles! For some unknown
reason she decided we should start just across the
border at Alfold in Surrey. I keep telling her that I don't like going abroad to
foreign parts, but she was in charge today so I let it lie and bit my lip.
Well sure enough, those sneaky Surrey people had been messing around with the
sign posts again and poor Gill got a bit lost and confused around Monkton Hook,
right on the border of our own fair county. We made a drunk's progress through
the woods but by luck, pure chance and using a trusty compass we made it across
the perimeter and were soon once again skipping along on the superbly signposted
footpaths and bridleways of dear old West Sussex. Phew!
All we had to do then was to walk along the Wey & Arun canal until it met the
Sussex Border Path, but at Loxwood the footpath is closed due to restoration of
Loxwood Lock. Fortunately the hard working volunteers were there beavering away
and took pity on us. They let us through their building site saving us a mile of
detour and giving us a good view of their efforts.
The terrain today was mostly woodland and farmland and so the birds we saw
reflected that. Quite a few woodpeckers about with some drumming and calling, a
Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel in view at the same time, Long-tailed Tits, Buzzards,
Goldfinches as well as a lone male Stonechat and a Goldcrest.
New boots, prior to all the mud
St Nicholas', Alfold
Volunteers working hard at the Loxwood New Lock
A novel gate/stile thingy
Meet me at the sign of the goat!
Brewhurst Mill. There was no brew and the mill don't work!
Gill, just before performing a perfect swan dive.
Thanks a lot Gill........