Distance: 10.1 Miles
Pubs: The Giant's Rest - Wilmington, The George - Alfriston, The Cricketers - Berwick, The Berwick Inn - Berwick station
Walkers: Timmeh, Loz, Matty, Yola, Susi, Ben, Rhandolph, Lucy, (the other) Timmeh, Kat
Terrain: Downland, open field.
Weather: Sunny and warm.
Notes: Llama!
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We'd originally planned to do a circular walk, back to Polegate, past the Long Man of Wilmington and a couple of geocaches, but the second pub planned (The Sussex Ox) was shut! So we had to detour to the nearest place where the girls could use the loo; so Alfriston it was, and then to Berwick for the train home.
The friendly llama was in a field just south of Polegate; it let us stroke it (very fluffy!) and then followed us along the hedge.
The food at the Giant's Rest was extremely good, definitely worth another visit. After lunch we crossed over the main road and found ourselves on a series of footpaths flanked by six-foot high fences and double gates; the farmers obviously REALLY don't want trespassers!
Plenty of pubs to choose from in Alfriston, they all looked pretty good, but we were all a bit dehydrated so mostly avoided the beer and had cider/soft drinks instead.
En route I think we also saw a donkey and lots of horses, and then plenty of bunnies and a fox towards the end of the day.
Ten people was a lot for a walk, and we had trouble getting tables together in the first pub.
I thought the llama was west of Wilmington?
No, I'm sure the llama was quite early on in the walk, just where the route turns right off the road below Wannock... could be wrong though!
I thought it was just after we crossed the road after going south from end of the bizarrely fenced-off walkways?
I could also be wrong however. :-/
So, llama's aside, a very pleasant walk in nice sun that fortunately wasn't monstrously hot, though I did manage to get a bit sunburnt as I didn't put sunblock on till the first stop.
The Giant's Rest in Wilmington was great: good selection of real ale, including one of my all time favourites, Hopback brewery's finest, Summer Lightning, and a fine pint it was too. Food prices were about what I'm coming to realise are average for these foodie country pubs, but the food was exceptional and therefore well worth it.
Off north through the aforementioned armoured and electrified passageways, separated by airlocks. I couldn't help but think they were about to unleash the flying monkeys on us, or maybe some lasers like that scene in Resident Evil. Whatever it was they had in them fields (apparently nothing) they certainly didn't want us getting at it.
Then south-west to Milton Street and the, sadly closed, Sussex Ox. A brief pore over the OS map leads us to abandon our original route and head for Alfriston, which seemed like a lovely little town. I think the pub we stopped in was the George. Can't remember what I drank here, probably beer of some kind.
On to Berwick proper and The Cricketers, then on to Berwick station and the Berwick Arms. This route is familiar to some of us as we covered it a few weeks back, but itis a bit drier and this time we saw a fox!
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