Day eight – Devil's Dyke to A283 layby near Upper Beeding

Day eight – Devil's Dyke to A283 layby near Upper Beeding 

“Counting sheep” 

The day started with another gate that was stuck!  A woman tried to help, but fortunately there was a gap bedside which we could squeeze through. 

I passed what looked like a trig point and later headed towards three masts on the hilltop, on the way spotting a frayed cable sticking out of the ground.  It seemed a pretty random place for it to be and possibly even dangerous. 

There was a man singing along to his music.  Lyrics, something along the lines of, magic carpet rides and candles.  He mentioned about ear plugs for me next week, but actually he was a half-decent singer and he added interest to the walk.   

The chalk pathways were so bright, I felt I could do with some snow sunglasses!  On one section I found a poor decapitated pigeon that still had is racing number ring attached to it's leg.   My mind cast back to yesterday's flock and I wondered if one was missing. 

As I made my way down the slope to the gate I couldn't resist ducking through a pair of trees which had made a little arch between them.  Crowding round the gate itself was a small group of bullocks.  They were only small, but having been chased by a herd of large cattle and reading that on the South Downs alone someone is trampled every few years, I was a bit cautious to proceed, particularly as I had to go between them as they'd spread out over the whole gateway by the time I approached.  I have to say, the snorting sounds weren't particularly reassuring, but a cyclist arrived so I knew if anything went wrong at least someone would know.    

Farther up and opposite a mast, was another herd of cattle with their young.  Now here I was pleased of the fence between us as they seemed a little agitated.  In the heat, with the dust in the air and the cattle clustering like they were in a corral, it gave off an air of American ranching country.  I left them alone, so as not to upset them any further. 

Passing a newly built home, I considered how even on the downs people were building in their back gardens.  This one was already sold, no doubt due to its excellent location. 

I came acoss a youth hostel and a cafe next and was pleased of some shade from the trees in between them, before starting on a long country road. 

Bizarrely, halfway down this road, there was an empty egg carton, followed by eggs smashed all over the road.  An egg fight maybe?  The ewes with their lambs bordered the road, some snuggling together in a very cute manner and then to my surprise I spotted a herd of goats in the field just behind theirs. 

From the downhill section following Beeding carpark, it is possible to see a chimney, Lancing college and the sea in the distance.  It made for a lovely view. 

A bit lower amd I could smell smoke, though I couldn't identify the source, and lower still I came across the farmers unloading their sheep from a double-decker trailer. At first I thought they were going to drive up the track I was on which unnerved me for a second as there was really nowhere to go except into the overgrown verges, but then they turned into the field and like Mary Poppins bag, the sheep flowed out limitlessly from the trailer.  “How many sheep can you fit in those tiny trailers?”  I wondered.  It always astonishes me the sheer quantity that manifest from such a tiny space.