L2L Day 10 Lewes to Brighton - 11 miles

Margo came across from Arundel by train to join us for the walk.


Waiting for the rain to stop - depending on which weather forecast, we decided to have a coffee at The Whit Hart.


The White Hart has an interesting history, being a meeting place for the Headstrong Club - renowned historically for its radical anti-monarchist thinkers.

Walking out of town, we passed 74 High Street which claims to be the oldest shop in Britain - dating from 1309.


Across the road is St.Michael in Lewes  Church. 



With memorial stones to previous parishioners including Gideon Mantell who discovered the fossilised skeleton of an Iguanodon which is on display at the National History Museum, and Thomas Paine local tobacconist, radical, author of The Rights of Man and 'father of the American revolution'. 

We suspected that on seeing what Trump is up to, Thomas Paine would surely be turning in his grave.

Thomas Paine's house on the High Street.


Then a long walk in the strong wind and rain to join up again with The South Downs Way beyond Mount Harry and Black Cap.


The rain didn't abate at 11.00 as we'd hoped and we must have walking above cloud level because the visibility was very poor throughout the day.


We shared the path with horses and bikes and runners and walkers. It always seems that the worse the weather, the wider the smile.


It wasn't worth trying to capture the view from Ditchling Beacon so we tried a selfie.


After Ditchling Beacon, we peered through the thick cloud mist for the Sussex Border path. Not easy!



Eventually, we found some shelter for a late sandwich stop


During the first world war, over 8500 (8.5 thousand) Indian soldiers were killed in action and 12000 (12 thousand ! ) Indian soldiers were injured. They were brought back and hospitalised in and around Brighton. The Chattri war memorial  commemorates those who died.


The inscription on the monument reads...
"To the memory of all the Indian Soldiers who gave their lives in the service of their King Emporor in the Great War. This monument erected on the site of the Funeral Pyre where the Hindhus and Sikhs who died in hospital in Brighton passed through the fire is in grateful admiration and botherly affection dedicated"


The route of the Sussex Border path drops down towards Brighton along Ewebottom Hill giving the first glimpses of Brighton.


After negotiating the A27, the path to our accommodation took us through the pretty village of Patcham - a suburb of Brighton.
All Saints church is a Norman and 13th Century building.


We could tell we were getting close to Brighton.


There nothing quite like a hot chocolate after a day like that. It was lovely to have had Margo's company for the day.


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