Sussex: a Day in Alfriston.

Adventures

11 Dec

Parking: The Willows

Dogs: some cattle, village dog friendly

Since I’ve had the privilege of the freedom of the van I tend to forget what’s on my doorstep but one of the reasons I love living in Brighton so much is everything it has to offer within a half an hour drive.

Quaint villages with independent shops are a plenty in the Sussex countryside and the joy of them is you can combine a beautiful walk with a spot of inspiration gathered from these beautifully curated shops. Alfriston is one of these places.

Laying in the valley of the River Cuckmere, the views surrounding the village are expansive and beautiful and the village itself is visibly steeped in history with it’s pretty houses and high street. Situated about halfway between Battle Abbey and Chichester Cathedral, Alfriston provided a resting place for Monks travelling between the two and the Clergy House was the fist building to be bought by the National Trust.

These days it is home to many tea rooms and restaurants, hotels, boutique and antique shops and not forgetting the joyous Much Ado Books. Alfriston is my go to place to spend a Saturday with a girlfriend, walking up above the village, coming back via the river and picking about the high street.

These images have been collected over a few years so there are some different weather scenarios going on here!

The walk.

There are many walks you can do from Alfriston but I always go back to a variation of the same one, depending on energy levels, ability of my companion or time. There are three versions of this walk - option one is a very easy half an hour, option 2 mid paced and around an hour and option 3 will need more energy and time (about 2 hours). Parking in the Willows car park head to the back right corner looking away from the road and you’ll go over a stile and the river will be directly infront of you. Take a left along the river (heads up for dog owners - there’s sometimes a bull in this field) and walk towards the bridge. Come out of the field and cross the bridge - if you want to take a short walk you can turn right back into the field and along to the footbridge which will take you in the village by the church otherwise walk a short while down the lane until you see a way pointer, you’ll be taking the track up through the trees marked the South Downs Way.

You’ll be on an incline for ten minutes on this bumpy track and when you get towards the top you can either take a right into a wheat field for option 2 or straight on for option 3 (will come to that in a. mo). There is a clear track across two wheat fields - go diagonally towards a small path through some trees taking in the beautiful views. Once you reach the trees turn right and right again just before the house so you come out on the road to the right of the house. Cross over the road and you can make your way towards the footbridge into the village.

For option 3, cross over the road and through a gate and make your way up on the track past a water well on the left. When you get to where the path bends and you can either go straight on or right, go right. Admiring the sweeping views follow the track until it opens up across a field. Once crossed the field and at some gates take the righthand gate and turn right across the path to walk along the bottom of the field scaling the fence. You’ll go through another gate and follow a track through the middle of a field with different terrain either side. Keep going straight on and after you’ve walked through a narrower area you’ll have a choice of tracks - take the one that go diagonally - so about 2 o’clock. It can get muddy along this track so watch your step. When you get to a cluster of small houses go right along the road The Street (watch out because people drive fast along here) right and then take a left onto Lullington Road. Keep walking until you get to a corner opposite a house and take the footpath through the field, towards the river and footbridge where you can head into the village.

The Village.

Coming off the walk I usually like to go to the little kiosk by the church that sells delicious sausage rolls (veggie options), a good selection of tea and amazing ice cream and sit and eat it on one of the benches in the green. I haven’t tried any of the cafes in Alfriston because Monty is a good but very big boy and it’s hard to tuck him away in a small cafe but I heard the Badgers Tea House is good and has a lovely courtyard. The Star.

Over the road is The Star, owned by Skye McAlpines mum and offers a lovely menu among timber beamed rooms.