under another sun

Up and another tasty breakfast. Sun streaming through the windows first off. Enjoying the antler coat racks here and there in the pub's restaurant area. Then after packing, Lorraine having a strategic snooze, and dealign with a bit of work stuff we drove up to Harting Down where we had some magnificent views down to South Harting, and also of rainclouds drifting along to the north of us. A gorgeous moving vista of sunlight and cloud shadows that no photo can do justice to, especially when I forgot my camera and used my iPhone instead. For some reason my walking boots, which were top of the range exemplary boots I have used for about eight years, decided to fall apart after getting wet yesterday. The soles were by now flip-flopping along, and I was getting a bit twitchy as is my wont on the side of big bald hills, we had a lovely walk. Skylarks particularly at song and we saw a pair of them either competing in song or about some kind of mating business. Gorgeous liquid trilling an...

Up after not the greatest night's sleep despite the comfortableness of the beds. Lorraine and I sauntered into the pub from our room and had a good breakfast, which included black pudding which I'd not had for some time, and remembered why.  Lorraine had sourced a circular walk for us up into the wooded downs and we had an absolutely lovely walk for about three hours. Very squelchy underfoot, but lovely to be among trees and crossing fields in little valleys and climbing up to a long straight forested path, and down again through fields. Good to see Lorraine's pink cheeks as we puffed up the hills. The excellent thing about going for such a long walk is that it renews your appetite. We had a substantial lunch and a pint of Tipster and a bit of a read in the pub before retiring back to the room for an afternoon snooze. Gradually stirred ourselves and drove off to see Lorraine's work pal Fiona and meet her husband Simon. I'd not met either before, and they were a we...

A morning feeling hassled and tidying up bits of work and chatting with Matty about work stuff and getting ready for L & my mini-break. Loaded up the car, and gnawed baguette bits with ham and salad that Beth had made for us and drove off to South Harting in the West Sussex. Lovely little village nestled in the middle of the South Downs National Park, which is officially an area of outstanding natural beauty. We stopped before we got to the village getting uncomfortably changed in the car, and then went for a walk on Harting Down in the mizzle. The Vandalian Tower, an 18th Century Folly looking particularly mysterious rain-blurred sky. Also got a message from Carl saying his brother Rory has lung cancer, which brought a bit of a sad note to things. The thing about mobile phones is that you can never get away from it all, because you take it all with you in your pocket. Then rather dripping, we changed again and then drove down to The White Hart, where we were given a lovely lit...