Tackling Devil’s Dyke and Poynings

You know how life works…the more you pack your weekdays with work, the more you need to pack your weekends with fun times to restore some balance. We’ve got friends to stay with us for the weekend and we start with dinner at home on Friday night, a couple of bottles of wine and non-stop chatter as we catch up on everyone’s news.

We’re all up fairly early on Saturday morning…there’s no time to waste and the dogs don’t believe in lie-ins. Stomachs come first though and my partner treats us all to a full English. That should set us up for the day ahead. We jump in the cars and head up to Devil’s Dyke. It’s one of our favourite walks in the South Downs. We are both Crossfit converts, but I’d go crazy if I spent all my time inside a gym, I totally need my fix of outdoors every weekend. As a doctor I could bore you to tears about the benefits of walking…but don’t worry, I won’t!

The walk is just 3 miles long but there’s a surprise workout waiting towards the end, perfect to give us all a stretch on a blustery day. Devil’s Dyke is the longest, deepest and widest dry valley in the UK – who knew?! In spring and summer you’ll find a carpet of flowers and a myriad of colourful insects, but in winter it’s all about the incredible views – you can even see the Isle of Wight. Half way round we arrive in Poynings and we make our way to the back garden of The Royal Oak. Fair enough…it hasn’t been long since breakfast, but we enjoy a pint while the dogs make some new friends.

Once we’ve successfully climbed the steep woodland steps – some of us faster than others (that’s the benefit of Crossfit!) – there’s time to sit and watch the stunt kites doing their thing before we all have to head off our separate ways for the rest of the weekend plans. It’s been a great day. A bracing walk and a pint of beer…what’s not to like?

Woman with two dogs sat on grass

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