I’m just home after a week of observations and mentoring in BIMM London.
I stayed at a hotel in Chelsea Football Club complex there were huge pictures of players past and present all around. The best thing was a bit of old wall which was the original Shed End which I stood on in 1970’s. Ah those were the days.. no corporate hospitality just hot Bovril and meat pie! 
© sue orton
Cushions finished! Now I am excited to be getting back to reviewing and weaving my south downs tweed.
© sue orton
Inspiration was hard to come by after my diploma but a practical project for cushions exploring a new weave structure has emerged. I wanted to create an cloth with contrasting colours in sections. This plain weave with weft sections raised is pleasing. My first warp was too small after washing (rusty calculations!) and the edges unsatisfactory, so I covered a small bolster. Now I have just finished a 4m length ready to be turned into cushions.
© sue orton
At last I have completed the South Downs Way, hurrah! On Friday 25th September 2015 I walked from Queen Elizabeth Country Park to Winchester in one go; yes I am mad. 
My decision was taken as both a challenge, could I walk 22 miles, and because public transport is not available now at any convenient time from Exton, the only viable mid point. An early train and school bus brought me to the climb up Butser Hill at 8.00 am.
I had chosen a fine day, chilly at the start with thick dew and spider’s webs all over the grass with hope of sunshine and clouds through the day. I ate my second breakfast of boiled egg and flapjack at The Sustainability Centre near East Meon then passed Hyden Hill, Hyden Woods, Wether Down in morning sunshine. I was feeling good but aware of my pace because of the long day ahead. Over Salt Hill through Combe Cross I missed a turning and found myself in Hen Wood…it was beautiful but an extra half mile .. soon back on track.
The sun was heating up as I trudged on baked concrete roads through Whitewood Farm. I was disappointed to see chains across, and thick mud all over the path; it felt as if walkers were not welcomed. It was here that I had my first hint of a blister, so I stopped to treat them before the climb up to Old Winchester Hill. I had lunch and a re-dress of my blisters overlooking the Meon River valley, soon I would be in Exton and nearly half way. Skirting the village on the walkers path, I set off telling myself that this was the start of my day’s walk.. needless to say my feet and legs did not believe me. Up Beacon Hill and a finger post – Winchester 10 miles! 
The next few hours I walked steadily on through field and lanes. Twice in different locations I came across Slow-worms basking in the sun, a real treat. 
Crossing and then re-crossing the A272 was tedious and an uninspiring route selection, so by the time I dropped down in hill towards Chilcomb I was very grumpy. At 5.30 pm I crossed the footbridge over the M27 my personal finishing line; 9hrs 30mins a very long day. I was exhausted but happy to have completed the 100 miles of The South Downs Way.
© sue orton
Balancing coffee on my knee after an early start I boarded the Chichester to Midhurst bus soon after 8.0 am. Sunshine and the occasional shower was forecast and a chilly wind greeting me at Cocking for the 12 mile leg to Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Soon away from the farm buildings I climbed up onto Cocking Down, Linch Down on open farmland with views north over Midhurst and south to The Solent and Isle of Wight. The path sides were full and buzzing; fields however were another matter. I was struck by the contract between fields with single grain crops and those grain fields with a 3-4m edge of wild flowers planted specifically to encourage corridors for wildlife. The former silent and the latter buzzing with bird and insect life. Linchball, Winden, Venus Woods, were south of the path. I plunged from light to dark woodland into Philliswood Down ‘peopled’ with several beautiful old Beech Trees and Hazel passing signs to The Devil’s Jumps; the best example of a Bronze Age barrow formation in Sussex. A drink stop before taking the short-cut over Beacon Hill (242m) before dropping into Harting Down. South Harting marks the original end of the SDW, it was just over half way for me. Much of the walk between South Harting and Buriton was on roads and tracks with few views north and south but the hedgerows were glorious. My lunch stop was on a grassy bank near Sunwood Farm. I strolled into Queen Elizabeth Country Park forest at tea time under a darkening sky. 12.5 miles in 4.5 hrs. Only two more walks to Winchester.
© sue orton
Rest and reading; a wonderful summer combination which I look forward to. This year it has been a little different, with the push to finish my weaving I fell into an empty hole in June energy spent and creative juices all used up. July was more gentle, mixing reading with helping some BIMM colleagues as they enter into writing up their projects. I was also delighted to be able to support the successful community ownership of Positive News – we raised enough money to secure the future of the organisation; I am the proud owner of small bit! Please support it if you can and spread the word. I’ve re-read Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain. A beautiful gentle absorbing, meditative book focused on Nan’s life walking the Cairngorms. Described as “the finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain”. So this week the next leg of the South Down’s Way from Cocking to Queen Elizabeth Country Park weather permitting. It has also been a time of abundance in the garden!
© sue orton
sue orton | gathering threads 