Saturday 16th
January
 |
| Levin Down from north of St. Roche's Hill |
Bright after a hard frost overnight.
Wearing new wellies, I returned to the Lavant area
for a longer walk, taking in the upper Lavant valley to the north of The Trundle.
As I'd done on Tuesday, l walked out to East Lavant
along the Centurion Way, now according to 0S Explorer map, aka the Lipchis Way.
l then walked up Chalkpit Lane towards The Trundle (aka St. Roche’s Hill),
taking the path contouring around the south side of the hill towards Goodwood.
Following the road eastwards alongside the racecourse, l took The Monarch's Way
path off to the left, past the big piles of logs and down the hill towards East
Dean. I meant to go to Charlton, but forgot to take the other path down the
hill. thence the walk turning out rather longer than I'd originally planned.
Lunch on a chilly bench on the green at East Dean. This faced the pond,
officially the source of the Lavant, though it actually rises a bit east of there,
a narrow stream running alongside Chapel Row and under the road (Main Road)
behind me. A quick sketch, though not the weather for hanging around.
 |
| East Dean pond |
Then walked to Charlton along the road, the widening
Lavant stream running alongside on my right. Fair bit of clutter and car
flappery when I got to Charlton, seemingly for the the pub on the far side of
the road, which looked suspiciously like a gastro-pub. At the crossroads past
the hotel, turned left and did a quick pencil sketch looking along the Lavant, running
through the field towards Singleton. Levin Down across the road on my right.
Then followed the path through the field to Singleton, a couple of big puddles
in the centre of the field and very muddy at the far end where cattle had
churned it up. From the Singleton church, took the path up hill towards The
Trundle, coming out onto Knight’s Hill lane which met the Goodwood road by the
car park. Awkward crossing of the Goodwood road to the path up the hill to
fort. Limited visibility with the bends which some people can take rather fast.
Though I’d been going quite well until now, slowed going up the hill, not
feeling 100% (see below).
 |
| Towards Levin Down and Singleton from Charlton |
Left The Trundle via the path westwards to Haye’s
Down. In the field below Haye’s Down, the Lavant was looking pleasingly
abundant, catching the late afternoon light. By now (about 3.30pm by the time
I’d done my quick sketch), I was conscious of having quite a few more miles to
go (about 5) with limited daylight (lighter than at the beginning of the month,
though still dark by 5.00pm). After quick looks at the now relatively broad
Lavant running through the fields from East Dean towards Binderton House
(across A286) and Ox Barn. Kept the way back into the city simple, following
the Centurion Way (even where not paved, mainly mud-free) to Mid Lavant. A
pleasantly copious flow again where the Centurion Way crossed the stream. It
now looked more like the sort of size river that might be expected to run along
this valley; the Lavant being a misfit stream, too small for its valley.
Perhaps in the distant past (probably Pleistocene or early Holocene), when the
chalk escarpment of the South Downs would have been further north than it is
now, a larger river drained this valley from the north, with the upper Lavant
between East Dean being a tributary. As erosion cut the escarpment back
southwards, exposing sandy layers in the Lower Greensand, it’s likely the
Western Rother cut back and captured the upper reaches of the Lavant.
 |
| The view over the Lavant from Haye's Down |
 |
| At the foot of Haye's Down |
 |
| The abundant Lavant above Mid Lavant |
Back in Chichester 5pm. Though tempting, time was
getting on, so I didn’t linger for a coffee.
Actually, walking boots would have been more
suitable, and more comfortable, given the length of the walk (about 15 miles)
and the frost / ice lingering in places. This frost took the edge off the mud
and the South Downs are easier wrt to mud than the clay soils closer to home,
or The Hangers, though there were still a few muddy bits around Singleton.
Mostly walked along tracks.
