I had intended this to be just a day moving to the Caravan and Camping Club site at Crowborough. The journey was stressful with many miles of roadworks on the M25, and endless roundabouts and traffic saturation in urban areas. I have had enough of driving in this region south of the M25, and this mission is now reaching a conclusion which i will soon summarise.
I arrived at the site about 1:00pm and decided to polish off Cliffe Hill (TQ 434 107) which was only thirty minutes drive. Steep, cropped grass brought me near the summit and trig which turned out to be a golf course surrounded by barbed wire fencing with occasional stiles accompanied with notices indicating "the end of access area". The stiles were obviously for golfers to hop over from their "non access" to our "access" to find their errant balls which seemed a bit unfair. To redress the balance I ignored the signs and hopped over a stile and located the trig which by now was swathed in mist so there were no views.
Back at Crowborough I had to trespass again. This Marilyn, which is just called Crowborough (TQ 511 307) is near the centre of the town and has no semblance of being a hill. It is located in a residential area in an enclosure which is home to a water tower and a couple of those artificial covered reservoirs. I climbed over the padlocked gate and found the trig with. It is difficult to believe that it was ever able to serve its purpose surrounded by mature trees and old estsblished residential property. There is no view to anywhere nor has there been for many a year.
Cliffe Hill trig. The flag on the nearby golf green can be seen but visibility was reduced seconds later by mist or low cloud
Crowborough trig amongst the paraphernalia of waterworks and transmission mast. Reading my posts one would think that Marilyns have by definition an OS trig point, and whilst many do, it is not part of the definition, and some care must be taken to ensure there is not higher ground than the placement position of the trig.
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You've driven all the way back to Sussex after your round trip yesterday! The logistics of doing the Marilyns is obviously taxing you.
ReplyDeleteStrange but I'd never heard of Crowborough till yesterday.Then whilst talking to the father of a past climbing partner he told me his son had just moved there.Next thing you are encamped in the same.
Apparently Cliffe Hill is the lowest Marilyn so the only way is up - or in your case - hit the road.
No mention of the knee so hopefully these easy days will do it good.
Uncle Ken lived at Crowborough, so I'm sure this is some comfort. Can't think why, though. Doesn't fit in with the other (posh) school he taught at, Wellington. Perhaps this was an unposh school, part of his preparation for poshness. Don't have grid co-ords for his address.
ReplyDeleteWhy not stick to more logical projects in future: eg, All The Pubs in Wiltshire Starting With W.
RR - I'll keep quiet about the family connection when speaking to anybody during the rest of the time am here.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think being more logical would be more fun.
Blimey Conrad - I've been very busy with work and have just been catching up with your Marilyns odyssey. Or at least - I thought that I'd been busy with work, but now I think that, in 'retirement', you're probably working harder than I am.
ReplyDeleteAre you aiming to completely clear all of the Marilyns in the South of England?
Mark
Beating the bounds - hi Mark. My next post is already written awaiting a 3G signal, and that will answer your question. By the way, not having met you, I will have no difficulty recognising you if you are wearing that hat.
ReplyDeleteIt's reversible Conrad - I usually wear it with the more sober, plain black side outermost. I do have a fluorescent orange bobble hat, which has the legend 'Yes Please' emblazoned across it - can't miss me in that.
ReplyDelete