Friday, May 31, 2013
Sharpthorne and West Hoathly Station.
We like going for walks and maybe sample some food from a cafe or pub.
We did it last Monday........and I have yet to post a blog about it.
But I will deal with today right now.
The plans were not all fulfilled.
We went to Sharpthorne.
I lived just outside this Sussex village when I was a baby.....1945/6.
I have never actually explored the place.....we did just a little today.
We parked the car and decided to walk down Station Road before we had some lunch.
The road once led to the station....and although we were in the village of Sharpthorne, the station had been West Hoathly Station.
The station is not there now. It was demolished when the regular line closed in 1955. (Strangely rebuilt and then demolished again in 1958) The remains of the platforms are still visible.
I have no memory of it.....but I have been on the station. This is how it would have looked to my Mother when she went by train into East Grinstead.
It must have felt a bit of an adventure on the way; but on returning to the station Mother had a long, long walk....and the first part steeply up hill .....pushing me in a pram.
We hurried down the hill and chatted with an interesting group of people.....he was Romanian and was accompanied by his students - not Romanian. I think he did craft things with them.
But bother!
We just missed seeing a Bluebell Railway locomotive pass by into the Sharpthorne Tunnel.
There it goes....you can just see it disappearing round the bend.
We would have to wait until it returned from East Grinstead.
We walked along a lane with our Romanian friend and the young ones.
Look a horse in the garden!
Cheap to feed!
Wild garlic covered the ground of a small valley between the lane and the railway.
The air was filled with a mild (and pleasant, I thought) garlicky aroma.
Excited we all get ready to take pictures and wave to the driver and passengers.
Lovely old wooden carriages at the back.
Time to make the climb up to Top Road.
It was warm.
Time for a little something....quite a big something actually.
We had bacon and egg ciabatta rolls and a pot of tea for two.
The cafe sold arts and crafts and one of the rooms was set aside for craft workshops.
Our food was very basic and normal.....but all sorts of less usual things were on offer. They had a juicer for making their own freshly made apple juice.
And then we set off for part 2 of our walk, which was intended to take in more views of the railway.
The first part of the footpath was narrow between a hedge and woodland. It was muddy.
Suddenly I heard the "flump".
Bill was laying on his back in the mud.
He was not hurt.....no more than his normal aches and pains.
But what happened next could have been comical, but was actually worrying.
He couldn't get up.
"Get away" he ordered me, "give me a minute, I can do it"
But he couldn't......I understand that feeling of somehow not getting messages from the brain to the appropriate muscles.
He kept telling me to leave it to him. I gave advice.....and in the end he allowed me to help, and together we got him onto his knees.
It took about half an hour in all to get him up on his feet.
I had almost decided to go back into the village to get some help.
So, the walk was abandoned - Bill was wet with mud.
But it has been another day out.
We did it last Monday........and I have yet to post a blog about it.
But I will deal with today right now.
The plans were not all fulfilled.
We went to Sharpthorne.
I lived just outside this Sussex village when I was a baby.....1945/6.
I have never actually explored the place.....we did just a little today.
We parked the car and decided to walk down Station Road before we had some lunch.
The road once led to the station....and although we were in the village of Sharpthorne, the station had been West Hoathly Station.
The station is not there now. It was demolished when the regular line closed in 1955. (Strangely rebuilt and then demolished again in 1958) The remains of the platforms are still visible.
It must have felt a bit of an adventure on the way; but on returning to the station Mother had a long, long walk....and the first part steeply up hill .....pushing me in a pram.
We hurried down the hill and chatted with an interesting group of people.....he was Romanian and was accompanied by his students - not Romanian. I think he did craft things with them.
But bother!
We just missed seeing a Bluebell Railway locomotive pass by into the Sharpthorne Tunnel.
We would have to wait until it returned from East Grinstead.
We walked along a lane with our Romanian friend and the young ones.
Cheap to feed!
Wild garlic covered the ground of a small valley between the lane and the railway.
The air was filled with a mild (and pleasant, I thought) garlicky aroma.
Excited we all get ready to take pictures and wave to the driver and passengers.
Lovely old wooden carriages at the back.
Time to make the climb up to Top Road.
It was warm.
Time for a little something....quite a big something actually.
We had bacon and egg ciabatta rolls and a pot of tea for two.
The cafe sold arts and crafts and one of the rooms was set aside for craft workshops.
Our food was very basic and normal.....but all sorts of less usual things were on offer. They had a juicer for making their own freshly made apple juice.
And then we set off for part 2 of our walk, which was intended to take in more views of the railway.
The first part of the footpath was narrow between a hedge and woodland. It was muddy.
Suddenly I heard the "flump".
Bill was laying on his back in the mud.
He was not hurt.....no more than his normal aches and pains.
But what happened next could have been comical, but was actually worrying.
He couldn't get up.
"Get away" he ordered me, "give me a minute, I can do it"
But he couldn't......I understand that feeling of somehow not getting messages from the brain to the appropriate muscles.
He kept telling me to leave it to him. I gave advice.....and in the end he allowed me to help, and together we got him onto his knees.
It took about half an hour in all to get him up on his feet.
I had almost decided to go back into the village to get some help.
So, the walk was abandoned - Bill was wet with mud.
But it has been another day out.
