Fun and frolicks on the South Downs

I chose Brighton for my first camping trip of the year for several reasons, not least, meeting up with former colleague Robbie. Two weeks ago Britain was in the grip of a new ice age so I was relieved when temperatures started to rise. The chosen campsite, Sheepcote Valley, is to the east of Brighton, handy for Brighton Marina. It was full so it was lucky I booked.

The first part of my trip was to bag Cliffe Hill, a Marilyn, which is rather tricky as the summit lies on the 12th green of a local golf course. My plan was leave very early, avoiding the toll at the Dartford Tunnel, get to Lewes around dawn and using the element of surprise, get onto the golf course before any of the golfers. It was a good plan and it got off to a good start, as I arrived in Lewes around 7am. The hills were helpfully shrouded in cloud which would provide some useful cover when trespassing on the golf course. Then things gradually fell apart; I was too early for the car park; I was in the wrong part of town; I got lost getting to right part of town. The church clock was chiming eight when I finally headed up Chapel Hill on the very steep climb up the downs.

The downs were still helpfully shrouded in mist as I made my way across the golf course on a footpath. I left the footpath and headed to the top but lost my nerve and exited the golf course to see if I could find another way. I wasted another half an hour before deciding the only way was to brazen it out. By now golfers, singularly undeterred by limited visibility, were everywhere and the cloud cover starting to lift. I lurked behind a bush until the green had cleared of players, before leaping out to take my photo and get the hell out of there. I'm suprised no one had called security to get me evicted as I kept bumping into the same group of golfers, whilest assuring everyone I wasn't lost.

On my return to Lewes I had a wander round, bought something to read from a charity shop and had a cuppa. Other things I might have done; visit the castle, visit Anne of Cleeves House, take a walk by the river or shop for antiques. Lewes is pleasant country town and a good base for touring the South Downs, the newest of our National Parks.

The weather was mild but rather gloomy so I settled into my van with a good book, The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, but alas no food as I'd left the soup behind. Saturday morning was also rather drizzly so I stayed put reading until I noticed that the van was rather warm, a sure sign that the sun had come out. I emerged blinking into the sunlight and headed off to the Marina, which was a bit like Brent Cross with boats. I thought about going to the cinema but opted for a bracing walk eastwards along the coast to Rottingdean, with bus ride back to avoid walking into the sun.

The sun was shining brightly on Sunday when I returned to Lewes to meet up with Robbie. We walked up Chapel Hill to the golf club and then onto the open downs above Lewes, eventually climbing up Mount Caburn, a much nicer hill than Cliffe. There are views along the South Downs to Ditchling Beacon to the west and Firle Beacon to east, both Marilyns I'd climbed with Noddy the dog. Robbie and I continued down the hill to Glynde for a pub lunch and caught the train back to Lewes. We'd probably still be chatting now if Robbie's wife had not rung to offer him a lift home.

East Sussex Marilyns

I've made two topping trips to East Sussex: one in November 2006 with Noddy when we topped four out of the five Marilyns and last month in the glorious spring weather when I visited all of tops again.

Ditchling Beacon 814ft (County Top)

Ditchling is a favorite of mine and one of the first I bagged. It's easily accessible from the NT car park and there is a panaramic view including the coast, the South Downs, the Sussex Weald and on a clear day the North Downs. From Ditchling you can see all the other Marilyns in East Sussex. The road up to the Beacon is quite a climb, 2nd gear for Archie and often features in major professional cycling race, event the Tour de France has climbed it. The scarp side is very impressive. Noddy and I did a lovely circular walk via Lower Standean through the folds in downs, finishing on the South Downs Way. Highly recommended.

Crowborough 794ft

The whole town of Crowborough is built on the hill so locating the actual top is a bit difficult. The trig point is hidden in a reservoir complex that some baggers, more intrepid than I, have penetrated, or it could be behind this gate in Warren Road. My first visit was a brief photo stop with the engine running outside the Water Board complex. Feeling I hadn't really done Crowborough justice, I made a second attempt to walk there through the woods on the outskirts of town. I gave up after walking in a circle and drove there instead. Just outside Crowborough is the Ashdown Forest, a large sandy heath and plantation with lots of open access. It is best known for being the home of Pooh Bear and where poohsticks was first played.

Firle Beacon (712ft)

Firle Beacon is just to the west of the delightful village of Alfriston, which lies in a gap in the South Downs. It possesses several tempting teashops, a lovely village green and the first National Trust property, the beautiful Clergy House. There are some fine walks along the Cuckmere Valley and if you felt energetic, you could walk to the Seven Sisters cliffs about four miles away. The nearest car park is on top of the downs near the village of Firle up another steep, 2nd gear climb. The view takes in the port of Newhaven and the ferries and nearby Cliffe Hill. It was very popular for all sorts of activities; cycling, horse riding, kite flying and a beginners class for paragliding.

Wilmington Hill (702ft)

Wilmington Hill is to the east of Alfriston along the South Downs Way. I walked with Noddy on the most glorious winter day. We had left home well before dawn and had breakfast in a remote car park just below the hill, (the main one in the village had a height barrier!). There were great panaramic views of the South Downs, which are chalky hills and mainly grazed by sheep, so they are great for walking but can be very breezy.
On my recent trip I walked from the Alfriston to Wilmington to see the Long Man carved into the chalk which isn't really visible from the top of the hill.

Cliffe Hill (538ft)

Cliffe Hill is the lowest Marilyn in England rising up in a great mass just to the east of Lewes, the county town of East Sussex. The shortest way there is from Lewes but I didn't fancy the climb from sea level. The added difficulty is that the top is actually on a golf course requiring some trespassing. I set out from Glynde to the east of the hill and on my way was overtaken by some ramblers I'd see earlier on Firle Beacon. It was a pretty steep climb up the slopes of Mount Caborn (a hillfort) but once again the views were suberb. There were paragliders circling overhead, views of Glynde Place and the folds and valleys hidden from road, with wonderful names like Bible Bottom. The route to top favoured by other toppers involved walking through a farmer's field and over a stile into the golf course. The field was occupied by some very large cows so I reluctantly gave up and returned as daylight was beginning to fade. I'll be having a rematch with Cliffe Hill later in the year.

East Sussex tops in pictures

East Sussex has five Marilyns including the county top, Ditchling Beacon, and the twin peaks of Brighton. I bagged 4 of the five Marilyns with Noddy on a glorious November day a few years ago and the Brighton tops last weekend.

The Surrey Marilyns

Botley Hill, Parts One, Two and Three

Surrey has one other Marilyn besides Leith Hill, the county top. Botley Hill (876ft / 255m) is more a plateau than a hill with some very steep sides but quite level on top. So level in fact that is quite hard to work out where the highest point is and last October, the ‘top’ was relocated to its present position, near a water tower and ubiquitous radio mast. This is a bit of a bummer for everyone who has visited the former location, a trig point near the Woldingham Road, me included, who will now have to troop out to Surrey the bag the new top.

I had visited Botley Hill One on a mild, grey day in December 2006 on my way to bag the top of Kent. It was only about a sort distance from where I left the van. Easy and convenient! In January 2009 I returned to the same car park near Titsey Place hoping to combine Botley Hill Two (the relocated top) with Botley Hill Three (the former county top of Greater London). On a day with better weather and more time this would make quite a good walk. However, on the chosen day it was hard to tell if the North Downs were cloaked in high mist or low cloud. With visibility was down to 100 metres there was a real chance of getting lost. It was so bad I had to wear my high visibility jacket.

Botley Hill Three (837ft / 255m) is a point in someone’s back garden which was part of Greater London between 1965 and 1993 before Surrey reclaimed this area with a boundary change. It took me just over 30 mins to walk to Waylands House, peer over their wall and take the obligatory photo. It was so misty I probably could have wandered around their garden unapprehended but I had to make do with getting within 150 feet. Topping can be very silly at times!

I decided to relocate Archie to another car park within half a mile of Botley Hill Two. However I missed the turn off and had to drive all the way round the hill via the village of Woldingham. It looked and felt more like the Peak District than Surrey. I imagine there was quite a nice view from the car park as it was atop the scarp side but visibility here was down to a few yards. It was still possible to hear the M25 less than a mile away though. Botley Hill Two is just off the Vanguard Way and the actual top was barred by very large fence and some severe warnings protecting the water tower and telecom masts. No views here either, even in good weather.

Surrey tops in pictures

There are two Marilyns in Surrey. Leith Hill, the County top, is often billed as the highest point in Southern England (it isn’t.) Botley Hill is a large plateau with very steep sides on the borders of Greater London. Five London boroughs were created from northern Surrey; Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton. I bagged the county top with Noddy in 2007 and the remaining tops on three trips in early 2009.

The Kentish Marilyns

Kent has two Marilyns, Detling Hill on the North Downs near Maidstone and Cheriton Hill, the most easterly Marilyn, just outside Folkstone. Once again I visited these in the dead of winter a few years ago accompanied by Noddy.

Detling Hill, 656ft

Anyone travelling to Maidstone on the A249 can bag this hill by visiting White Horse Wood Country Park unless you happen to own an overheight vehicle! (What is it with Kent and height barriers?) Noddy and I took the scenic route along the North Downs Way from the car park at Cobham Manor. It was a very pleasant walk via the village of Thurnham and the ruins of the local castle. There were panaramic views of the Weald of Kent from a newly built viewpoint but that wasn't the top of the hill, which probably lay within the grounds of a bus collector.

Cheriton Hill, 617ft

Cheriton Hill will be familiar to anyone who has travelled on Le Shuttle to France. It's the large hill with very sheer side that looms over Eurotunnel. Wisely I decided to walk up the less steep side from my campsite in Densole. The top itself could have been anywhere on a plateau, but you did get some good views of Folkestone and the sea. I was actually quite lucky with weather too. The return journey took me through Hawkinge, a famous WW2 fighter station.

Kent tops in pictures

If ever you needed proof that topping is a very silly hobby, look no further than Kent. One traditional top, two marilyns and three unitary authority tops and not a decent view (or very good photo) to show for it.

The Shropshire Marilyns - 10 hills in 8 days

A 'fell walking' experience

The trip to Shropshire had been long in the planning. My ambition aim was to complete all ten Marilyns in eight days. I felt singularly unambitious after reading that one hill bagger had tried to do them all in one day! All the hills were quite close togther and better still quite close to campsites. What I hadn't planned for was spraining my ankle after falling on hill six which put paid to any attempts at the last four. Until I went spinning through the air on Heath Mynd everything had been going to plan.

The first campsite had excellent views of the Clee Hills and of Ludlow, with High Vinnalls behind. Ludlow was lost in the haze but looked quite pretty at night after an excellent sunset. The weather on arrival was great and I even spent some time dozing in my deck chair in the warm sun! The campsite was about three miles from the summit of Titterstone Clee hill (and clearly visible in the photo).

Saturday morning was clear, bright and warm when I set off for hill No.1. According to the map, this should have been quite easy, just pick up the Shropshire Way which ran past the campsite and follow it to the top. I found the path easily enough and followed it over numerous styles before the signage disappeared. No problem, I'll just use my GPS to put me on the right track, however the external battery purchased especially for this sort of predicament, was dead!. I forced to use my map reading so opted for the easy option and followed the road up the hill.

The hill had been extensively mined and like so many tops was covered in radars and aerials. The map indicated that the Shropshire way went over the top to the trig point, but the only way up that I could see was a very steep scramble up the mossy scree. Views from the top are extensive but reduced by the hazy sunshine. The Shropshire Way continued northwards towards tomorrow's target, Brown Clee Hill.

I had as much trouble finding the footpath on the way down as I did on the way up, so stuck to the road. I arrived back after 4 1/2 hours and collapsed gratefully into my deckchair. I'd covered 6 1/2 miles and climbed over 1300feet due to a rather undulating route. The summit was at 1750ft marked by a cairn and a trig point.

I moved on the next day to a new campsite near Craven Arms. I went via Brown Clee Hill. (See previous blog entry for details of that walk.) The new site was about 2 miles from the summit of Callow Hill, one of the smaller hills. I took notice of local advice and again walked up via the road to Upper Dinschope and then up the steep side of the ridge, through woodlands. I managed to find a less well used, overgrown path to the top. Only when my trousers were soaked up to my buttocks did I realise that I had some waterproof trousers in my rucksack.

Callow Hill is marked by this tower called Flounders Folly. There were brilliant views both east towards the Clee Hills and west towards Long Mynd. Callow Hill is at the southern end of Wenlock Edge, marked by the tower. It took me 3hrs to cover 5 1/2 miles and 930ft of ascent. The return route took me along a short stretch of the ubiquitous Shropshire Way. After lunch, I drove Archie to nearby Craven Arms for the second hill of the day View Edge.

I left the van at Stokesay Castle and ignoring the Shropshire Way this time, walked up a grassy slope towards Stoke Wood and followed a path around the base of the hill. View Edge is a bit of a misnomer as it was a round hill, covered with trees at the top and no view. There was no path to the top so I got as near as I could and turned for home to avoid the rain sweeping in from Wales. I got back to the van in 2 hours having covered 3 miles and 570ft of ascent. I had time to have a look around Stokesay castle before returning to base camp.

The next day the weather became quite autumnal, but the strong breeze kept the showers short and there was still plenty of sun to enjoy. My next camp was on a farm with great views of a hill I didn't have to climb and some extremely friendly chickens. They appeared like groupies every time I stepped out of the van.

The next hill on the list was Burrow which had a hillfort on top. I set off after lunch to follow what appeared to be a straightforward path to the point where access was allowed to the hillfort. I hadn't gone very far before I met some locals barring my way. They turned out to be nice quiet lads content to stare and allowed me to pass unmolested. At this point the route went awol and I had to rely on the trusty GPS to navigate my way pass the unfriendly signs to pick up the access path to the top.

I have to confess to climbing over a fence to get to the actual summit and if I had any sense I'd have returned the way I came. However, I decided that the quickest way down was downhill and followed a path that soon petered out amongst trifid-like blackberries. I emerged scratched and bleeding a long way from where I intended and had a very weary foot slog back including one brief but very steep climb that reminded me of the Puy Mary. It will be no surprise by now that the way back was via the Shropshire Way. (5 miles, 3 3/4 hours and 1160 ft of ascent!)

I moved on the next day to a rather expensive site in Wales which was the nearest point I could get to Heath Mynd. (The toilets were very nice and I used the wi-fi for free). I did a tour around to see if I could park close to the hill but this wasn't possible. I chose to walk up via the road and take the gentlest gradient but it still took quite a time. Heath Mynd has been openned up as access land so you can make your way to the top but there are no actual paths up the hill. The hill was covered in heather and bracken but luckily it was quite dry. Although sunny, there was a very strong wind especially at the top. The views were stunning: a full 360° panorama that took in Stiperstones to the north, Long Mynd to the east and Corndon Hill (a Marilyn just over the border in Wales).

Feeling rather chuffed at having got the top of a rather difficult hill (and not having learnt from previous mistakes) I took the quickest way down only to put my foot in a hole and spending 10 minutes writhing on the ground in agony. (At least it was a soft landing). Since helicopter rescue seemed unlikely, I picked myself up and made my way off the hill as best I could, sliding on my bum down the steep bits. Once back at the road it was mostly a downhill plod. I did try to hitch a lift but to no avail. I made it back to Archie just as the sun was setting, having covered nearly 8 miles in 4 1/2 hours with 1365ft of ascent, most of it limping.

Further walking was out, so I spent the remainder of the trip admiring the view from the next campsite, which was located just west of Stiperstones. The view was towards the plain around Shrewsbury and the Pennines in the far distance. It wasn't so bad as I had access to wi-fi and spent my idle hours catching up with Strictly Come Dancing.

However I have some unfinished business in Shropshire (The Wrekin, Caer Caradoc, Pole Bank and Stiperstones). I'll be back!

From Munros to Marilyns

Relatively curvy hills....

A Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3000 feet high, named after Sir Hugh Munro who first catalogued them. (The man must have been a librarian in another life.) Munro's Tables are the most famous lists of mountains, but plenty have followed where Sir Hugh led. The Munros are quite a challenge as they are very high and a long way away. Munro bagging (as climbing a Munro is called) is very popular and people find all sorts of ways to make a fairly impossible task even harder, like walking them all in winter.

Ben Klibreck (3,154ft)

One thing all the lists (Corbetts, Grahams, Nuttalls, Hewitts etc) have in common is absolute height. Until 1992 that is, when Alan Dawson published his book The Relative Hills of Britain and the 'Marilyn' was born. A Marilyn is a hill with a relative height of 150m (about 500ft) to its surroundings, i.e. it is high compared to the land around it rather than sea level, or in other words, it sticks up.



Slioch (3,217ft)

The advantage of this list of hills is that you are not confined to Scotland, Cumbria or Wales for your challenge, although most of the Marilyns are located in Scotland. Our challenge is to climb all the English Marilyns under 2000ft, modest enough, but sufficient to while away many satisfying hours on planning trips and routes, checking maps and buying more maps. Indeed more hours are spent planning the walks than actually walking them. However there are walkers made of sterner stuff than I who have bagged 1,549 Marilyns out of the total of 1,554.

Wilmington Hill, East Sussex (702ft) 8.30am

Marilyns are distributed throughout the country but most, unsurprisingly are in Scotland. There are 179 are in England (69 in Cumbria alone) and my aim is to bag everything below 2000ft (129). I made a start a few years ago when Noddy and I bagged 5 on a gloriously sunny November day. We left before dawn so had no idea quite what the weather had in store. Sadly, this turned out to be Noddy's last big walking trip as arthritis and other illnesses set in that have curtailed his abilities if not his enthusiasm. To date we have bagged 14.

Firle Beacon (713ft) with Wilmington Hill in the distance

Click here for a list of English Marilyns

Noddy relaxing

What makes a good Topping experience?

The ultimate top...

Ben Nevis at 4408ft is the ultimate county top but is probably several thousand feet beyond me. What puts me off is not the height but the amount of ascent, how long you spend walking uphill. To climb Ben Nevis you have to ascend for over 4300ft as you start at nearly sea level, and unless you get taken off the mountain by helicopter you'll have to walk back down again. Too much like hard work to me!

In other respects, Ben Nevis has some of the hallmarks of a good topping experience, 360° panoramic views and a cairn or marker to identify the highest point exactly. Leaning nonchalantly against a trig point makes a much better photo. A good top should stand out proud from its neighbours too, be unmistakably higher than its surroundings. Good tops don't have to have pointy tops, ridges can provide excellent views too. However a really good top is never too far from a handy accessible car park (no height barriers please). A tea shop or café is always very welcome after a long (or short) days walk, although I do have Archie and his excellent facilities when needed. Warm (not hot) sunny days, clear blue skies and a light breeze all help make the day more enjoyable.

As with so many things in life, size isn't everything. Ben Nevis is never going to be achievable but I'm looking forward to scaling lesser lights like Worcestershire Beacon in the Malverns or Dunkery Beacon in Exmoor, or even lowly Normanby Top in Lincolnshire where the Wolds rise out of the fens and views are enormous.