Berwick to Lewes Linear Walk
13 people attending
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Join me on this linear 12.5 mile walk, staring at Berwick and ending in Lewes.
We leave Berwick heading south crossing the A27 on the Vanguard Way bridlepath and picking up the South Downs Way behind Alfriston.
The Vanguard Way is named after a bunch of infamous young ramblers in the 1960s who liked nothing better than walking and pub stops with copious amounts of amenities consumed, both done at a furious pace!
Passing through Berwick village, the Vanguard Way goes directly through the yard of St Michael and All Angels Church. This ancient parish church lies in the beautiful South Downs National Park with spectacular views of the escarpment of the Downs to the south. Not only does the church offer a spiritual retreat but has a fascinating collection of contemporary art.
http://www.vanguardway.org.uk/
https://www.berwickchurch.org.uk/
Leaving Vanguard Way we head west on to the south downs way and start to make the bulk of the days ascent peaking at Firle Beacon offering fantastic views across the Downs and the site is often used for gliding activities like slope soaring.
As we continue along the South Downs Way with Glyndebourne opera house in the distance to the north and glimpses of the sea to the south we start to descend towards Southease station.
Crossing the line at this unmanned station we we are confronted with Southease swing bridge to cross the the River Ouse. Southease swing bridge is an historic cast Iron bridge built in 1880. From there we will track north on the riverbanks toward Lewes. Passing though railway land this former railway goods yard has diverse habitats including grassland, wet willow woodland, floodplain grazing meadows and reedbeds.
Arriving in Lewes the walk will end at the station.
OS Map of the route Here!
All pictures were taken by the leader.
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What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Packed lunch and plenty of water.