South Downs, Cissbury Ring

 Thursday was our day at the Cissbury Ring.

The mighty earthwork of Cissbury Ring has a history going back over 5,000 years, yet still stands out and provides a broad panorama from its crown. It has been a neolithic flint mine, a bronze age burial site, an iron age hill fort, a Roman mint, a Tudor vantage point, a Victorian archaeology site and a second world war gun emplacement.

Lunch was at the Black Horse at Findon.

St Mary The Virgin, North Stoke, was certainly worth a visit for its medieval wall paintings.

Supper was at the Five Bells, West Chitlington.

South Downs, Amberley

 On Wednesday we constructed our various breakfasts in the spacious kitchen and headed out into the South Downs National Park.

Today we walked from North Stoke to Amberley ...

... in delightful, if rather windy, weather. 

For lunch we ate at the Amberley Bridge Inn, where the car park was scintillating with highly polished and powerful motor bikes, mainly of the Harley Davidson style.

In the afternoon we found the Amberley Working Museum, which was excellent, like a smaller version of the Beamish Museum in County Durham. Here were old household utensils, a print works, steam engines, leather and wood working sheds and a working smithy. We took a narrow gauge train to the far end and caught a coach coming back even though it was all easily walkable. Recommended!

After tea and rest hour back at Nutbourne we returned to The Sportsman at Amberley for supper.

South Downs, Nutbourne

 April 2026

We drove down to the South Downs and took lunch at the Rising Sun in Nutbourne. A good traditional pub with good value food.

Our afternoon walk was nearby, near Pulborough, anti-clockwise from West Chiltington church (St Mary's) to Nutbourne and back. It is Walking World ID 4315, desscribed as 

"A circular walk including a very pleasant old English village (having an ancient church with famous medieval paintings and village stocks and whipping-post from the 1600s), through a vineyard with views of the South Downs, woodland and farmland."

The Chiltington church has remarkable medieval wall paintings and an unusual wood tile steeple.

Our Airbnb was just right, a short distance out of Nutbourne, with a bedroom each and ample communal space. On a farm, we were free to roam and our hosts were very friendly.

In the evening we ate at Frankland Arms, Washington. Again good range of pub food and very good value.

Wilbraham

January 2026

 Great Wilbraham is a pleasant village not far from Cambridge. 

Our walk of 51/2 miles took us through the village, across fields and into Wilbraham Common, a nature reserve and species-rich grassland, then over to Fulbourn Fen, another nature reserve run by the Wildlife Trust of Beds, Cambs and Northants. It was a cold but bright day, a thin layer of snow and ice, temperature hovering around zero, which in places helped to make potential muddy patches into firm crisp ground.

We parked in the car park of The Carpenter's Arms in Great Wilbraham, which proved to be an excellent lunch venue for the completion of our circular walk. The pub has accommodation, a variety of eating spaces and also hosts a description of the walk we took today. Here is the description.

Great Wilbraham Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest containing at least 80 species of grassland plants.

Duncan and Mark

Kestrel with catch

Great Wilbraham

Yorkshire Dales, Hawes

Friday 19th September 2025

Rain overnight continues into the morning so on our last day we opt for a visit to the very interesting Dales museum in Hawes. Lots on the history of the Dales and of Wensleydale sheep.

From there we set off towards the A1 and home. Irritatingly there are many holdups en route so a four hour journey stretches to 6 with the prospect of relaxing in the sunshine of our home gardens diminishing fast.

Home at 6pm after a satisfying break. It's warmer and drier here in Cambridge but it lacks the beauty and drama of the Yorkshire Dales landscape.

A useful stile

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Yorkshire Dales, Carperby and Aysgarth

 Thursday 18th September 2025

The morning dawns bright but we know it can be as fickle as the American president (currently enjoying hospitality at Windsor) so we plan to head out promptly to make the most of the calmer weather before expected storms this afternoon.

Drove to Carperby and a varied walk crossing open dales, stone walls, sheep fields, riversides and into Aysgarth Falls Hotel for lunch. We followed part of Walking World ID:208 anti-clockwise from Carperby to Aysgarth.

As we leave we visit the local church with its excellent medieval “Jervaulx” screen and also Aysgarth Falls themselves now awash with heavy rain from the uplands.

There are many remains of the lead mining which once made this area so prosperous, but has left bare patches on the landscape where nothing will grow.

Walking World notes: "There is easy walking throughout on this varied ramble, but despite feeling remote at times the walker is never too far from civilisation. There is also the opportunity to shorten the walk if bad weather or aching legs intervene."
The rest of the walk is again by rivers and across fields of cattle or sheep with extensive views until we reach Carperby again. As we drive back to Thwaite along the narrow twisting roads the long-promised rain descends and there is mist on the hills. But now we are back at Kearton having showers and mugs of tea.

In the evening to the King’s Head Gunnerside which. Is a busy traditional local pub with good hearty meals and good
Black Sheep beer.

Yorkshire Dales, Muker and Keld

Wednesday 17th September 2025

The weather is persistent rain so we delay our departure for our planned walk. Eventually we head off to Muker where we view fine local photographs at the art gallery, interesting social history at a small display and after a light lunch at the Farmers Arms in Muker (popular and busy) start off on a walk along the river Swale toward Keld. 

Damp Day at Muker

There are two routes, one climbs north west from Muker up to Hooker Mill Scar then down into Keld. The other follows the river at the base of the hill and is much easier. A good choice would be to take one on the way out and the other coming back, making a circular walk with tea and cakes at the camp site/farm shop in Keld.

The weather was still playing tricks alternating between sun and rain so as three of us made it as far as the café in Keld but we decide not to complete the planned round trip involving some ascents and wait for Mark to pick us up. 

In the evening to Hardraw and the atmospheric Green Dragon (live music, candle light, open fires) for an excellent steak pie and very good beer including Theakstons Old Peculier. 

The route crossing the hills is tortuous with vertiginous cliffs just a few feet off the road and bright safety reflectors like endless necklaces guiding us away from the edge.