Dinner on Ditchling Beacon
Thursday 16th July 2020
Finally made it back to the South Downs, for the first time this year. A bit of a late start as I was waiting for some new walking socks to be delivered. So it was more of a late afternoon / evening walk, but that meant I could have my dinner on the top of Ditchling Beacon, while watching the sun set.
London July 2020
John's Pictures

14:33:31
I waited in until two new pairs of socks I'd ordered were delivered.

15:21:54
Passing through Blackfriars on the way to Hassocks.

15:22:48

15:24:22

16:28:48
First sight of the South Downs from the train - I got a tiny bit teary at this point.

16:35:01
Near Hassocks station.

16:41:40
The path which leads alongside the railway tracks, heading to the downs from Hassocks station.

16:45:49
I took a slightly different route to get to the downs today, diverting off the path which runs alongside the railway.

16:48:27
Rabbits.

16:48:32

16:48:38

16:48:39

16:49:49
After emerging from the little bit of woodland, glorious views of the downs once again.

16:49:57
Sheep.

16:50:38
Was very envious of the location of that house.

16:51:12

16:51:21

16:52:17

16:52:30

16:56:07
At the far end of the previous field, I crossed over a road, and joined this pleasingly shady bridleway.

16:56:55

17:03:01
...then a short stretch of country lane...

17:03:56
...and now the hard work begins!

17:08:26
Just a few minutes up the hill, and already wonderful views, exhausting though the climb was.

17:10:13

17:11:44

17:11:46
Nearing the top now.

17:11:49
The Clayton Windmills - Jack and Jill.

17:13:25

17:18:14
Very happy to be rejoining the South Downs Way once again.

17:18:19
Lovely skies this afternoon / evening.

17:22:59

17:26:15

17:26:24
First time to see the sea in months!

17:28:39
Loved the silvery sky above the chalky track here.

17:29:57
I was looking a little grizzled after the climb - not a very flattering photo but I felt it important to record the moment.

17:32:21
More South Downs Way signposts, which always seem to fill me with joy.

17:34:42

17:35:37

17:37:28

17:38:30
Heading towards Ditchling Beacon.

17:40:14

17:42:28

17:44:39
A pond near Ditchling Beacon.

17:45:41

17:50:32

17:50:35

17:51:26

17:53:53
Chalk House vineyard down below.

17:54:10
Zoomed in on Chalk House vineyard.

17:55:55
The grass.

17:56:03

18:01:11

18:09:38

18:13:59
More vineyards - Black Dog Hill (including their new vineyard in the foreground) and the replanted Plumpton College vineyard a little further back.

18:16:41

18:20:43
Nice light here.

18:20:46

18:22:31
The Ditchling Beacon trig point. This was as far along as I was going to go today, and I decided to find a spot somewhere around here to sit and have dinner.

18:22:41

18:22:45

18:22:49

18:23:36

18:23:40

18:25:29

18:27:40
Overlooking the vineyards again.

18:28:27

18:28:38
I decided this would be a good spot to sit.

18:40:56
...and have some Sussex wine (albeit not one of the vineyards in view).

18:42:54
Successful cork extraction with my Leatherman tool.

19:02:03
So this is where I sat, for two hours or so, enjoying the views, the sunset, and my wine.

19:06:14

19:07:44

19:12:22
Black Dog Hill.

19:18:35

19:19:38

19:28:29
The light over towards the horizon starting to turn from silvery to a pale gold now.

19:30:18

19:32:43

19:34:10

19:34:31
I took quite a lot of photos as you can see.

19:36:21

19:37:01

19:38:26

19:38:43
I finally decided it was time to cook dinner - using my little campstove, with a foil container beneath it to be doubly sure I didn't scorch any grass. That lighter you can see there wasn't mine - but I picked it up and took it away with me when I left regardless.

19:41:56

19:53:40
My simple billy can pasta for dinner. Doesn't looks very exciting but eaten in this spot it was wonderful.

19:54:55
Meanwhile, progress toward the sunset.

19:59:20
Obviously there was quite a lot of cloud by this point, so it was never going to be an immaculate sunset, but it was lovely to sit and watch the sky changing nonetheless.

20:04:26
My titanium spork.

20:05:33

20:05:50
The spork again.

20:08:25
Golden rays now.

20:10:31

20:13:34

20:16:01

20:16:51
My walking boots and the view.

20:18:19

20:20:54

20:21:15
Nice streaks of pink sky.

20:24:46

20:26:04

20:36:59

20:47:43

20:50:16
I decided at this point to make a move, and start heading back to Hassocks.

20:52:18
Fortunately this meant heading west at least to begin with, so I could continue to watch the tail end of the sunset on my way.

20:53:05

21:01:33
A wooded bit on the way down, part of Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve.

21:04:40
Down at the bottom now, looking back up to the downs.

21:09:47
The last little pink glow from the sun.

21:12:47
The pleasant country lanes which led me back to Hassocks.

21:15:52
...and a couple of final glances back to the downs.

21:17:59
There loojed like some kind of light up on the hill there.

21:18:55
Me looking very jolly about my pleasant evening on top of the downs.