Well, it turns out getting on a computer can be quite involved in Sussex. Steyning is the last town that i walked into along the South Downs Way. Tonight i head a for France on a night ferry to Caen. it will be good to see the sea again. The walk along the downs, four days and about 45 miles in all, was wonderful. i wish i could figure out how to upload pictures without its taking hours, but i'm tech challenged in that area. i started in eastbourne, which is a seaside resort--imagine what you think Brighton is like--and was years ago--and you'd be about right. The first leg was along the coast, with chalk cliffs and an undulating grassy path above. Then the path turns inland along the Cuckmere river and before I knew it I arrived in the very charming village of Alfriston for a stay at the Star Inn, the oldest Inn about the place, so they say--my room was in a more recent annex.

Next morning I set off for Lewes, a larger town with a castle. The Downs part of the South Downs Way left me imagining I would be traveling along the base of a ridge (cursory glance at the contoured map i picked up in London not withstanding) but the downs is actually the celtic dunes--and the path climbed out of the village onto the top of what we would call a coastal range and followed along the top with views of "all of England"--had I had any idea what I was looking at--to the North, and the gentler slope to the south right down to the sea.

all along the sea breeze and the skylarks accompanied me--occasionally a road intersecting put a lot of people on the path, but often I was alone for good stretches. The downs is private land with public access, with gates and stiles through sheep pastures and barley fields. Field poppies, hare bells, and gorse abounded.

Lewes lies on the Ouse River and I had wanted to see Virginia Wolfe's house, but bridge construction prevented me. On to Pyecombe the next day, a very small, peaceful village, then on to Steyning yesterday. Seemed big enough to have a laundry, but alas no....

posted pictures on facebook!

Lewes is a sizable town with