Sussex Ouse Valley Way

Sussex Ouse Valley Way Route

 Opened in 2005, the Sussex Ouse Valley Way is a 42 mile walk  that follows the River Ouse from its source close to Lower Beeding in West Sussex  to the sea at Seaford Bay, East Sussex (There is another Ouse Valley Way in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire only one mile shorter!).  Just when I thought I was exhausting walks in East Sussex, they had to go and lauch another one - this is brand spankin' new, launched in 2005.  Delightful countryside, revisiting some areas I had walked on the HWLT/SBP etc - very nice.  My first walk of 2007 was the first section from Horsham, passing under the Ouse Viaduct near Haywards Heath lovely.  Second section to Lewes - beautiful but I was a complete muppet - I prepped my map case on the train - then left it behind - so had no guide book or OS for the first two thirds of the walk...relying totally on waymarking, I predictably had problems, around Lindfield and Newick - almost gave up but through luck and perserverance got to Lewes in the end - then had a lovely puke fest migraine the next day.  Walked as: Upper Beeding to Golf Course (North Haywards Heath), Golf Course to Lewes and Lewes to Seaford Bay.

Lower Beeding To Haywards Heath (Golf Course)

Sunday 4 February 2007 - 13 Miles

My first walk of the year.  Very pleasant but feeling a bit unfit and certainly needed a break when arrived at Haywards Heath.  There is also some remains of the infamous OUSE VALLEY RAILWAY at Copyhold Lane

The start at Lower Beeding Village Hall.  A couple of miles and an extortionate bus fare from Horsham.

What is YOUR village famous for?  Slaugham

Thar she blows - Ouse Viaduct - Brighton Mainline

A feeling of Infinity, a bleedin' lot of bricks

 Haywards Heath (Golf Course) To Lewes

Sunday 1 April 2007 - 18 Miles

This section made a fool of me - as I left my map case and guide on the train - so no map or guide until the next map in my rucksack kicked in half way through, so only left with waymarking as a guide, which was not very good in places, but I persevered

Lindfield - a lovely village but badly waymarked, I traipsed round the area for 45 minutes trying to find the next waymarker

Pretty, but ambiguous waymarking tricks you - the actual path is through an indistinct muddy ditch to the left!

Sheffield Park - current end of the Bluebell.  I hope the bridge goes back in soonish.

I just thought this was quite pretty!

Weir north of Barcombe

Isfield lock is being rebuilt as part of the Ouse navigation

Oh dear, dead railway - Part of the criminally dismantled Lewes Uckfield railway

Pub near Barcombe

Looking to site of Culver junction from Bluebell trackbed - one day who knows - certainly Uckfield - Lewes reinstatement is a no brainer

Nearing Lewes

Lewes to Seaford

Saturday 14 April 2007 - 11 Miles

For April the weather is unseasonably hot - this section, walked on 14th April 2007 was hard work because I overdressed, but was relatively short.  The walk is pleasant, except for the approach and through Newhaven

The Ouse south of Lewes, The 'Railway Land' old sidings area

Feeble Humour where the Glynde meets the Ouse

Monk's House - Rodmell - The house of Leonard and Virginia Woolf

 Near Piddinghoe you have to climb a small dogleg on the South Downs to regain the Ouse

Piddinghoe Church

Remains of tidemills near Newhaven

Two for the price of one - finished Sussex Ouse Valley Way and the bit of The Vanguard Way from Seaford Head to Newhaven (They sneakily extended it after I finished it several years back)