WALK REPORT Photos from a circuit we did at New Years on the Seven Sisters cliffs. It was a cold, drab day but it felt good to be out nonetheless. A big group this time: myself, Londoners Anne and Ross, Sally and Simon from Brighton, Si’s brother Martin from Tokyo, and Yoshi and Yuka from Orange County, California. Very few photos today – it wasn’t the best weather for it, and anyway we didn’t make it out to the cliffs until the sun had set. 16 pics in this set. [back to the walk profile]

1. Ross modeling a tube of Colman’s English mustard. We’re making picnic sandwiches on the train out from London Victoria.

2. Beers at the Golden Galleon pub in Exceat. Because some of us were coming from London and others from Brighton, we arranged to meet in the pub. (Starting a walk with a pint is generally not a good idea.)

3. Setting off. This is Yoshi and Yuka on Exceat Hill. The meandering Cuckmere River is in the background.

4. Just over the hill from Exceat is the tiny village of Westdean. We stopped to visit All Saints church here. Detail from the nativity scene on display.

5. Many of the buildings in this part of Sussex feature decorative flint. This is the exterior wall of the rectory at All Saints, Westdean.

6. Yuka climbing one of the stiles near Friston Place. Muddy! Photo by Yoshi Oshima.

7. Posing for a group shot, on the lane near Friston Place. Clockwise from bottom left: Yuka, Anne, Simon, and Martin.

8. Descending the hill into East Dean village.

9. Outside the Tiger Inn, East Dean, on a damp and chilly afternoon. We ate inside where it was warm. Photo by Yoshi Oshima.

10. Yoshi ordering drinks at the bar. Photo by Yuka Oshima.

11. Tomato soup for lunch in the restaurant upstairs.

12. A steep climb after lunch brings us out to the cliffs. This is the view towards Belle Tout lighthouse from East Dean. Because of cliff erosion, the lighthouse was moved several yards back from the cliff edge in 1999, at great expense.

13. A rare Manx Loaghtan sheep in a meadow outside East Dean. Photo by Yoshi Oshima.

14. Yoshi on the path near Crowlink. Photo by Yuka Oshima.

15. Stone wall on the lane down to Crowlink – Seven Sisters cliffs dead ahead.

16. Cows on the clifftops of the Seven Sisters.

It got dark after this. Gave me the idea of doing night walks on this route, at least when the skies are clear. I bet the stars look fabulous from here.

Thanks to everyone who came along on the first walk of 2008. If you’d like to try this route yourself, check the walk profile page.

DW