Day 10: Hailsham to Seaford

There is an easy start on the Daffodil Way south to Polegate, then a bit of up and over the hillside to the scenic village of Alfriston. On the way, we will see the Long Man above us on the hillside. After lunch, it is onward down the Cuckmere River valley past the bird sanctuary. Another chalk figure adorns the hillside (this time it is a white horse). There is quite a nice public house at Exeat Bridge but we slog onward to the coastguard cottages and the sea. A sharp right turn leads up and over the headland with sweeping views of the Seven Sisters behind. A bizarre spiky platform in the scrubland seems to be a radio beacon. Seaford seafront is the next and last leg of the day past a Martello Tower, then it is a short dip into the town for the halls.

Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 10

Click on any photo to see a full resolution version thereof.

oh dear, it's not looking good out there #rainymonday Aidan Simons Original Tweet

It is so wet even Chris is in church! Aidan Simons Original Tweet

I'm gobsmacked! Chris in a church he he Jules Martin Original Tweet

Holy communion at Hailsham Aidan Simons Original Tweet

In the church. John Chenery Original Tweet

Refreshments after the service Hailsham Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Leaving Hailsham church Aidan Simons Original Tweet

On the Cuckoo Trail. Good news: the rain has stopped. John Chenery Original Tweet

Artwork on the cuckoo trail Aidan Simons Original Tweet

A grey day in Polegate John Chenery Original Tweet

St John 's church, Polegate John Chenery Original Tweet

Prayer stop at Polegate Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Met by pilgrim David Aidan Simons Original Tweet

New arrows, fancy colours! Well done Clare Gamble Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Orange Buckfast1981 Yellow Papal 1982 Pink Lindisfarne 1984 Jules Martin Original Tweet

Relaxing after Henriette's prayer stop about St Martin-in-the-fields Connection & its pilgrimage to Canterbury John Chenery Original Tweet

This is pilgrim David's local church and he had the key to open it for us. John Chenery Original Tweet

South Downs: the first climb John Chenery Original Tweet

Climbs mean views, even on a rainy day Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Guaranteed dryness inside St Peter ad Vincula, Folkington Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Brief respite Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Folkington Church Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Familiar from previous pilgrimages John Chenery Original Tweet

Rainy day fashion Aidan Simons Original Tweet

All we like sheep ... Aidan Simons Original Tweet

Further into the south downs Aidan Simons Original Tweet

From this angle, the Long Man of Wilmington seems to have lost his head John Chenery Original Tweet

Some sunshine over the Cuckmere valley John Chenery Original Tweet

What are these orange things? John Chenery Original Tweet

Descending towards Alfriston John Chenery Original Tweet

The church where we will be praying after lunch John Chenery Original Tweet

Francis outside our lunch pub with additional local fayre John Chenery Original Tweet

Richard is occluded by my appropriate beer in the Olde Smugglers Inn John Chenery Original Tweet

Smuggling Fr David out of the pub Aidan Simons

Passing the Old Chapel Centre (Congregational Church) in Alfriston Aidan Simons

A brief look inside the Old Chapel Centre Aidan Simons

St Andrew's, Alfriston, post-lunch prayers. Aidan Simons

Inside St Andrew's, Alfriston, a large cruciform church. Aidan Simons

In days of old Pilgrims would have relished this for the Kissing gates rather than for the absence of stiles. Aidan Simons

Hill-hugging rainbow in the Cuckmere Valley. Aidan Simons

Sun, rain,strange light John Chenery Original Tweet

Close up of the rainbow in the trees, below the horizon. JohnChenery

The rainbow creeps above the Horizon. JohnChenery

White horse in Cuckmere Valley John Chenery Original Tweet

Following the Cuckmere to the sea John Chenery Original Tweet

Exceat Bridge means we're nearly to the sea. Aidan Simons

An afternoon pub which when visited on previous pilgrimages had been called the Golden Galleon. John Chenery Original Tweet

Following tradition, the back markers have been bought drinks and so have allowed us to remain John Chenery Original Tweet

Ah yes, the sea, chance for a quick paddle (yes, really) Aidan Simons

The Coast Guard Cottages just clinging on to the cliffs. Aidan Simons

Seven Sisters Aidan Simons

Pilgrims of Old - former coordinator and an important part of our pilgrimage's move to ecumenism, Alan Fox, and Gary O'Brien. Aidan Simons

Seven Sisters again Aidan Simons

Mouth of the River Cuckmere John Chenery Original Tweet

Seven Sisters again (but easier to count) Aidan Simons

Alan Fox meets us on Seaford Head; Seven Sisters in background. John Chenery Original Tweet

The descent into Seaford Aidan Simons

The Seven Sisters John Chenery Original Tweet

Pilgrims making the descent into Seaford above eroding cliffs. Aidan Simons

Biggest evening pub gathering so far this year at the end of a day which for us had been much less wet than had been forecast. It did indeed chuck it down all day elsewhere in the South East but it seems that the local climate of the Cuckmere Valley and then the coast was in our favour. It rained on us for some of the morning and just the first half hour or so of the afternoon. John Chenery Original Tweet