Yes, apparently it was/is the hottest day this year ........ or so Steve 
Wright said on the radio on the way home from my walk. Seeing as I started 
out east from Harting Down (West Sussex) at 7:00am, I had a reasonable cool 
start before the sun rose high into the sky.  The South Downs from here is 
one of my favourite areas for walking, and it didn't fail today.  Followed 
the South Downs Way east to Cocking Down, then dropped down north passing 
through Cocking village, before rejoining the South Downs Way at Hill Barn 
farm.  Took advantage of the water station near the farm and filled both my 
water bottles.  Started the journey west, initially on the South Downs Way 
until Cocking Down, then southerly through Westdean Woods to Staple Ash Farm 
near Chilgrove.  Followed tracks back onto the Downs, passing through 
Hooksway (great pub here, The Royal Oak), to rejoin the South Downs Way east 
of Pen Hill.  Followed the South Downs Way west over Beacon Hill to the car 
park, finishing a brilliant 17 mile hike.

Slideshow from along the route at the address below.

-- 
Sandy Saunders @ www.thewalkzone.co.uk
'Mountains or Mole Hills, summiting
still brings the same excitement!'

On Jul 1, 11:26 am, "sandy saunders" 
wrote:
> Yes, apparently it was/is the hottest day this year

Sandy--I'm really enjoying following you around the Downs--online only
right now, alas--really enjoying the photographs.  It was pretty hot
and sunny in late May when I walked from Eastbourne to Buriton--I
still have tan on my legs, above sockline, below shorts hem....  I
show my wife your photos: "I was there, yeah, I was there, I was
there...."  She gets disgusted.  "Is there anyplace you haven't
been?"  Not a thousandth of the places Sandy Saunders has been!

>Sandy--I'm really enjoying following you around the Downs--online only
>right now, alas--really enjoying the photographs.

Glad to provide some enjoyment for fellow walkers.

>It was pretty hot
>and sunny in late May when I walked from Eastbourne to Buriton--I
>still have tan on my legs, above sockline, below shorts hem....  I
>show my wife your photos: "I was there, yeah, I was there, I was
>there...."  She gets disgusted.  "Is there anyplace you haven't
>been?"  Not a thousandth of the places Sandy Saunders has been!

Well, there are still sections of the South Downs Way I have not yet visited 
........ though hopefully this year I plan to walk the full length west to 
east.  Not sure why, but that seems the best to me.  However, as I take lots 
of photos east to west may be better as I start walking early so that way 
the sun would be behind me.

-- 
Sandy Saunders @ www.thewalkzone.co.uk
'Mountains or Mole Hills, summiting
still brings the same excitement!'