Lavant walk on 7th June 2023

Celia and Miguel selected an excellent walk for us. We assembled on Sheepwash Lane in East Lavant, made our way up the road past the church and pub, eventually turning left onto Chalkpit Lane taking the incline at a gentle pace enjoying the sunshine, Spitfire and scenery. The anticipated reward of a field of poppies that we had seen two years ago was not to be as a wheat crop had been planted. At the viewpoint on St Roche’s Hill, some contemplated a dash up and back on the Trundle but common sense prevailed while others availed themselves of liquid refreshments from a mobile café and the remainder plundered their own stock of refreshments and enjoyed the views over Lavant Down and Chichester. Our sporadic rubbish collecting started again, the prize being a discarded Yankee Candle. The gentle descent started on The West Sussex Literary Trail but got steeper before levelling out as we came closer the River Lavant and the Centurian Way where the old railway line ran. An Egret entertained us with a flying display over a herd of cows that were not impressed. The final stretch of the walk through woodland allowed us to cool off and the cool, clear River Lavant with its streaming reeds could have been the inspiration behind Millais’ Pre-Raphaelite ‘Ophelia. We clambered back into our trusty steads back to Midhurst for a well earned lunch at the Royal Oak to refuel after our 4.7 mile walk.