25th to 30th DEC. SOUTH DOWNS WAY (WINCHESTER TO EASTBOURNE )

I will summarise the past few days. We have been devoid of charging for the mobiles and therefore blogging,  wild camping.
We did not have the best of receptions and had to resort to stealth desparation pitching. It did however give us some fantastic spots over looking villages and towns when visability allowed.
In a way the route was the driest underfoot when flooding was occuring below, we loathed going down. 
We had some 50 + mile an hour winds beating us up and was more than exposed. Driven rain and drizzle did not slow us. We did not see it at its best but had glimpses of beauty in sunrise and full moon.
There was a feeling of isolation,  a lack of facilities had us diverting off route to drop to villages like Cocking and Steyning. What was impressive was the watering taps at fairly regular intervals.
Josh was generally good,  at one time in wind and drizzle I had to boost his moral. His boots were wrecked and leaking like a seive , we later discovered holes in his soles. The boots were done and had clumps of mud internally. Credit for J for not complaining. His boots had done over 1300 miles and were almost falling off his feet.
The South Downs is definately an all year walking heaven.
Highlight was pitched in a dry dew Red Lion pond near a trig point near Itford Hill , view in morning and evening was priceless.