I can’t tell you how often we have driven past a sign to Cocking, but I do know that every time we have done so someone in the car, quite often me, has sniggered. We’ve joked about buying a house here and being ‘The Cocking Dicks’ but I’d not set foot in the place until today.
It was another early start. Husbando drove me, via a stop for breakfast, back to the very spot he had picked me up from on Friday evening. I was on my way just before 8am. There was no gentle introduction to the hills, the only way out of QE Park is uphill, but the dappled sunlight through the trees and occasional wider views of the countryside made it a pleasant walk. At first I was irritated by the traffic noise from the A3 and then I realised that I hadn’t heard anything but bird song for a long time. It was still early so there weren’t many people about but I did meet dog walkers. I met three different dog walkers each walking with two black dogs.
I walked past the school that two of my boys went, timing it so that I was walking down the drive as all the parents were driving down the drive having dropped off their children. It’s a long drive and there were a lot of cars.
Soon after this came Harting Down. There was a well placed bench, with a view so I stopped for a few moments to take off my jacket - the weather was rather warm - before carrying on. My goodness it was stunning! If I can I will include some pictures here, but they will not do it justice! Blue skies, expansive views and a real sense of peace and tranquility. Photos may have to wait as I am connecting to the internet via two pieces of string and one of those is a bit frayed.
The sunny weather seems to put everyone I met in a good mood. There were more walkers and cyclists than I’d seen on Friday - probably because of the good weather. The route was undulating but not too challenging and I soon realised that I would arrive at my destination too early. So I stopped for lunch on a log with a view. I chatted with a local lady who was taking a rest while walking her dog, a husband and wife who were wearing ‘Camino’ t shirts and, just as I was about to leave a group of eight arrived; Kevin, Mike, Nick, Dave, Derek, Bill, Chris and Ian. They were walking the SDW to raise money for tbe RNLI. We chatted for a bit and then I walked on. It was less than 5km to my stop and I was delighted to find a cafe just before I got to my destination. The sunny weather deserved an ice cream.
I have a b&b in a cottage on a farm. The front door is right on the path. The bad news is that the village pub is closed due to some glitch or other so I got a bus into Midhurst. As I was walking around looking at the available food options I heard my name being called. Half the group I’d met earlier were sitting outside a pub and the other half were making their way in from the same place I’m in (although they are in cabins and a shepherd’s hut). I joined them for a drink - they were all recently retired (doctors, dentists,historians, documentary film maker and an accountant) who regularly walk together. Italian food was eaten, there was lots of laughter. It was not quite the evening I had anticipated and I certainly didn’t get an early night, but is was fun!
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