Winchelsea to Appledore

I had just finished my blog... And it crashed and I lost everything. So just a summary : a good walk to Rye and Stone in Oxney, but then the rain became heavier. So the final bit to Appledore & the B&B was very wet. 

I leave you with a picture from Oxney with the approaching rain :

The stats:

 

Battle to Winchelsea

It was a lovely day for walking, sun was shining, good temperature, hardly any wind.

I was away early from my hosts as they also had to leave early, and first walked from their house to Winchelsea's Anglican Church, St Mary the Virgin. 

 

 

It was open even though it was before 9. And they had a lovely sunflower bouquets behind the communion table! 

 

 

After looking around for a bit I headed to Westfield, five miles.

Because it was still early and dewy, everything looked clean and fresh

I got to Westfield Church just before 12pm, having a rest there, when the phone rang. It turned out that I had left my wallet behind at my hosts'. 

They were able to bring it to Westgate, but not until after 1pm. So I looked around the Church a bit:

The organ had to be placed very high because of the windows...

After that I discovered a little cafe and had a sandwich there, then returning to church to wait. Lovely sit on a bench in the sunshine. 

After being reunited with my wallet (thanks Tom!), I got underway again direction Icklesham.

Fields and views. This is the valley of the Brede, now a little stream but in the distant past (around 1000AD) this was still a sea inlet, that went as as far inland as Sedlescombe (just north of Hastings). 

 

 

I liked these sheep, either black or white, but no mixture...

And this plant turned very autumn red:

 

After a long time I arrived at Icklesham, a nice church, but only open in the mornings

 

Walking on towards Winchelsea, I walked past the windmill that Paul McCartney used as a recording studio. 

 

 

Windmills tend to be in high places, and this was the view from the top.

 

The sea!

From there it was down towards sea level, finding myself in reed beds.

 

 

And then walking alongside the Military Canal.

 

 

I entered Winchelsea via the New Gate.

 

 

Although it took another half an hour to get to the actual town. I only had 5 minutes to look in the Church as they were locking it up, so only a few pictures:

 

I may return tomorrow...

I had a rather strange experience today. I have been struggling with my backpack, couldn't quite find the right fit, especially on my shoulders and after that many days they started to get soar. I had already prayed to ask Jesus for some relief. And then sometime today when I put my backpack on again, my shoulders hurt again. So I prayed again. And somehow my body readjusted itself. My back straightened, and my shoulders were pushed back. It was as if God was saying, your posture is wrong. Do not slouch forwards, but put your back straight and shoulders back. And it helped! It now feels easier to carry, when I remind myself to straighten my back and my shoulders. Thank you, Jesus!

Finishing with the usual stats.

Wartling to Battle

This morning I left St Mary Magdalene to go to the the next stage to Battle. 

 

The lectern at St Mary Magdalene is not the customary eagle, but I think it is a heron, as they are nesting in the marshes below the church.

The first village after Wartling is Boreham, featuring the first pub bought by Harvey's of Lewes. 

And for the first time this walk I notice an oast house. We must be getting closer to home! 

Is this the furthest one West? 

From thereon to Penhurst, mainly by road, but the landscape makes up for it:

 

And I saw a  'working' dove cote

 

I made a short detour to see the Ashburnham non-denomontional Chapel. I have preached here a few times, when I was minister of Robertsbridge and Sedlescombe. It used to be a URC before they became independent. Still good to see that Revd Roy Cole is still preaching!

In Penhurst is both the church as well as Penhurst retreat centre in the former manse. I can recommend both! 

 

 

Then the route went up to Tent Hill, named for 'where William the Conqueror (and his army) slept the night before he defeated King Harold and claimed England.' (British Pilgrimage Society).

This gives a view over Ashburnham Place (Christian Conference Centre) 

The flat you can see is called Tent Hill House. I never knew why... 

Onwards to Catsfield. In this village are two spires, one that belongs to a building that looks like a church but is a private property. The other one would have been a mile there and back again, so I gave that one a miss...

Then over the historic battle ground to Battle, with as pinnacle Battle Abbey 

 

From here my host for tonight picked me up. I had a lovely shower, meal and company, something you don't get at a Sanctuary Church. 

I have done a full two weeks now, just one more to go! I must admit that my feet and shoulders feel it too! But we go bravely onwards 🙂

Stats:

Eastbourne to Wartling

I am currently at St Mary Magdalene Church in Wartling. I arrived at 6pm, and therefore have not been able to take a picture of it. This will be the first night that it will be cold, so I've wrapped up warmly.

What a contrast with this morning, I had an Airbnb booked and the hosts couldn't be nicer and the bed more comfortable. Here I'll sleep in a pew with the seating shelf made wider.

I want to start with a picture from Herstmonceux Church, looking back over the Pevensey levels with the South Downs in the background.

 

From my Airbnb it was up for a mile to come back to the official route, and from there to Jevington. There was on place with really good views, towards East. with Hastings and Dungeness visible and towards the West & North I could see over the plain towards the High Weald.

Jevington Church is part of the East Dean, Friston and Jevington benefice. Or EDFJ benefice for short. Or as they had discovered: Every Day Following Jesus. I liked that. It was a slogan that they repeated everywhere. Good Idea! 

The church itself was quite dark inside. 

 

 

From Jevington for the final time up the Downs again.

And the down towards Willingdon:

 

Here the South Downs ends and the plain below contains the conglomerate of towns belonging to Eastbourne.

I had my main meal in Willingdon, at the "British Queen" Pub. An unusual name especially at this time. But the food was good! From then I had to cross various roads, including a dual carriage way, a rail line and I had to pass various building sites.

before I got to Sharnfold Farm. This was the official half day point (I guess it may have been mentioned historically in Old Way). Today there's a farm shop and café, where I had a break for a coffee. 

Then I had to cross a few fields, with no signage at all, and then on the road for a while before getting to a walk alongside the river Yotham and later Hurst Haven towards Herstmonceux. This was about 5 miles but felt like 10! Nice surroundings though:

At Herstmonceux there's the Church, the Castle and an observatory :

 

 

Observatory? What observatory? Turned out that I had missed a right. So had to go back and got on the right path for Wartling. 

Usual stats (long walk today!)