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The wettest walk

The auguries for the walk on August 12 were not good.  The usual pre-amble drinkers, Dave, Polly and JP, who had arrived at the Carpenters Arms in Limpsfield by bus, watched from the bar as the rain poured down outside. Polly was particularly disconcerted, as he had somehow misread the forecast and arrived with a poncho of dubious quality acquired for free at a sporting event. In addition, the sole of one of his shoes had come adrift. 

Eight of the wettest walkers

The Carpenters bar staff provided a role of sticky tape in a bid to repair Polly’s shoe.  This failed and so, as the storm outside worsened, he decided to withdraw.  He sportingly consigned his poncho to JP who had arrived equally ill-equipped, but who decided this would afford just enough protection to allow him to proceed. 

Hazel negotiates a style.  NB John Parker wearing poncho gifted by Polly

So it was that nine walkers set off southwards down the slippery scarp slope of the Greensand Ridge towards Tenchley's Manor.  The rain sheeted down as the group soldiered across flat farmland, past the picturesque Stockenden Farm, and over an endless succession of styles – presenting additional challenges for being slippery, wobbly, or adjacent to electric fence wiring.  All were negotiated safely  and the group enjoyed the comparative shelter of Honesland Wood before arriving unscathed at The Diamond pub in Hurst Green.

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Making the most of the sun at the Diamond

Remarkably the rain stopped and the group recovered as it supped beers in the sunshine in the pub garden.  But ominous clouds were already gathering and a new deluge arrived as the walkers headed  back up the ridge.   Morale in the driving rain remained high on the ascent of the aptly named Pain's Hill, as the prospect of hot food and more beer drew closer.  As the group sat down for dinner at the Carpenters Arms the sun reappeared, and we tucked into the excellent food looking out at the clear  blue skies of a warm summer evening.

A break in the clouds ahead

Walking group veterans compared to the outing to the blizzard which six members endured on Farthing Down in December 2017.  The consensus was that the Farthing Down walk was colder, this one was wetter. 

 

Hazel heads up the final ascent