It feels like an age since I walked the Old Way, despite it being just 2 months back, in June. Nevertheless, the odyssey that was the Isle of Wight challenge (made it to 78k before retiring with blistered feet) and the seemingly never-ending school summer holidays have stretched time! So it was with genuine vim and enthusiasm that I boarded a train this morning to kick off a three day Old Way extravaganza which, I think, will take me to the half-way point, or thereabouts.
Day 1 then picked up where we left off in Chichester, taking in 22.6km (14 miles) over to Arundel. It remains a beautiful town and if the shops had been open I may have tarried; but instead I struck off to the east, passing by the Chichester Cross on my way out of the town centre and following the main road north east towards Westhampnett. Striking away from the main road at St Peter’s church, just off the Roman road of Stane Street, I was delighted to see the Old Way sign up in the porch of the church (it’s nice to get validation!).
Passing around the Rolls Royce ’motor vehicle works’ (as the OS map would have it) I was finally into open country. On the horizon was a set of intriguing white marquees; as I am not a motoring afficionado, it took another two 2km for me to see the signs that declared I was in Goodwood Revival territory. Vintage cars and golf clubs notwithstanding, the area around Goodwood Park is very lovely. The Dukes of Richmond own the land and, since the inception of the title by Charles 1st (bequeathed to his illegitimate son), have been benefactors of the area. The Dukes and their families have found their resting place at the church of St Mary and St Blaise at Boxgrove Priory. Adjacent to Boxgrove village, which could have stepped off the pages of a Miss Marple novel, the church was (and is, I suppose, still) part of the old Benedictine priory; elements were lost during the reformation, but there is still much to see and admire. Not least the spectacular painted ceiling! To the north of the church are the ruins of the priory guest house, where pilgrims (amongst whom I may claim a place I suppose) could seek lodgings on their way through.
Leaving Boxgrove, I traversed fields and a small copse of trees, heading into ‘Eartham Thicket’ and heading upward onto the South Downs, or at least the promise of them. This area was home to numerous flint mines and this was evident in the surrounding cottages and on the ground upon which I walked. Poppies pushed up through the stubble of harvested crops, calling attention to the chalky, flinty ground. Which is, apparently, great for grapes! I walked though long tracts of vineyard; made me thirsty for the final product!
I stopped off in the picturesque but tiny village of Eartham for, well, not exactly lunch but at least a pint. The welcome at The George in Eartham was warm and the beer excellent. In reality I had lunch on the hoof between Eartham and Slindon, just 40 minutes apart via farm tracks with long vistas all the way across to the sea (oh, the sea!).
Slindon itself was another chocolate box village but with an apparently enormous public school taking up a big chunk of land to its north west. I didn’t explore much of the village, passing along the ‘upper street’ of the village before heading out towards Madehurst Wood. This was a lovely ancient feeling forest with plenty of tracks enticing me to explore further. Frankly I was tempted, as it had turned out to be a hot day! But I stuck to the plan and soon heard the ‘roar’ of the A27. It wasn’t a roar, traffic was at a crawl (smug!), and the trail paralleled the main road until coming to the main junction for Arundel, my stopping place for the evening.
After checking into my B&B (and luxuriating in a very welcome bath!), I sallied forth into Arundel. Almost unspoilt, this beautiful little town on the banks of the River Arun boasts a Cathedral AND a massive castle, home to the Dukes of Norfolk (all of whom are descended from Edward 1st).
I arrived a bit late to do a tour of the castle justice, but I took in the cathedral and had a very lovely, impromptu guided tour of the local parish church of St Nicholas. Dating from the 14th century, this church is fairly typical of the area (flint built, Norman architecture, Victorian interference) but has some remarkable wall paintings dating from 1380 and a highly decorated organ. Due to various exchanging and selling of bits of the church between the Crown and Dukes during the reformation, the chancel of the church forms the, private, Fitzalan Chapel, part of the castle grounds. As the Dukes of Norfolk are Catholic, this is possibly the only church in England in which both Anglican and Catholic worship take place. It’s a shame to my mind that the public/private element means that the church is bisected by a medieval iron screen; it serves to perpetuate the division between two traditions that have far more in common than divide them.
I write this ensconced in the excellent Town House B&B, which is opposite Arundel Castle, next door to a fabulous Thai restaurant, and has two-for-one prosecco until 7pm (frankly, its a miracle I can type). Now for a comfy bed until the Arundel-Steyning leg tomorrow…….
Here's the map of day 4; the going was pleasant and fairly easy, with just one steep-ish hill. It took me 4.5 hours (excluding breaks) so very doable as the start to a weekend in Arundel or short break in the area.
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