Commence the walk at
Cissbury Ring (Map reference TQ140 080), from
the car park on the north side of the Ring approached passed Nepcote Green where
the Findon Sheep Fair is held annually.
Read up on Cissbury Ring if
you haven't already read my articles on the Iron Age fort site and give yourself some
idea of the area.
Walk north from the car park.
At the first intersection of tracks, turn right and walk beside
rolling fields and farmland.... just as Suzie, Katie and Finn the Westie are
doing.
You
will now be grateful that you carried your binoculars with you. The
distinctive lapwings are not visitors to Findon Village itself but can be seen in the Stump Bottom environs.
They
can be identified by their lazy and relaxed wing beats with flickers of black and
white as they tumble in aerobatic displays. They are waders but land in the fields in the
Stump Bottom area and can be seen pecking in the fields for earthworms,
leatherjackets, beetles etc. Lapwings breed mainly on agricultural land,
especially amongst crops cultivated in spring where there is bare soil and short
grass.
The path heads east and is straight and easy to follow.
The glistening sea is always in sight and there is often a ship out in the
Channel and yachts bobbing on the waves.
At the first junction, turn right. This is an
ancient coach road from Steyning to Findon.
This is Stump Bottom and Park Brown is on the hillside on your
left. There was a downland village here in Iron Age days to the south of
No Man's Lane before there was wholesale slaughter on the site. This
was carried out by the Saxon hoards around 477 A.D.
In the ensuing battle the
all of the native inhabitants were most likely devoured by the sword and the
entire settlement was burned to the ground with much savagery. The
community was
completely erased with no vestige left as to where it had once stood. The area
remained a deserted grassland pasture until modern excavations of the area
brought it to light again.
As you continue along Stump Bottom, you never lose sight of
Cissbury Ring as it rises away in the distance to your right.
April 2004 The sea beyond Cissbury Ring (on
the right). |
At the T-junction, you will see an dried-up dew-pond
immediately on your right
a mere remnant of its former self in the days when flocks gathered here.
Turn right at this T-junction and head west towards Cissbury
Ring up the stony track. The Ring is wooded on the side facing
you and I call this Bird Song Wood because the birds always appear to be
singing. Sometimes deer can be seen in the field on your left.
When you reach a barn on your left you will know that you have
arrived at Canada Barn. I am not quite sure why it is so named but
perhaps one day someone will tell me.
Ignore the track immediately on your left going to Lychpole
dew-pond. Continue straight ahead and it is now a steady uphill
climb and quite suddenly around the corner and over the brow of the hill, you
will find you are back at the car park on the north side of Cissbury Ring.
|
Katie and the skyscrapers of Worthing from Cissbury Ring in
October 2003.
|
I would love to hear from you if you take me up on this walk and
let me know what you come across..... and any additions to make?
WORDS OF
WISDOM FROM SUZIE AND KATIE.... "There is a misconception that SHE will take you for a walk.
This suggests that SHE will lead YOU.
Wrong.
The lead is affixed to YOU, therefore the
responsibility lies with you in the direction you are to travel.
Go exactly where you want to, SHE will naturally
follow.
If SHE should by chance attempt to restrain you,
make some loud exaggerated gagging and gasping coughing noises when other dog
walkers pass. SHE will always ease of the restraining technique".
"We've had enough of Cissbury Ring for today, let's go home"
Continue if you would like to read
Can You Spare Me An Hour Of Your Time?
Back
to Cissbury Ring Index