C Y C R a m b l e r s
Burpham Ramble , Saturday 14th January - by David and Amanda Pearce
It was a cold , dry and partly sunny day for this 5.6 mile walk from the village of Burpham , north-east of Arundel , on the South Downs .
Walkers who have not visited that part of West Sussex before might like to have a look at a video about the Arun Valley made by CYC member and local historian Tony Pratt . Tony is creating a picturesque “ postcard trail ” of the Arun Valley which features scenes around the village of Burpham .
Particularly interesting is the role that the Arun played in the early 20th century when river transport was so much more important and Burpham had a busy wharf . The video is at : https :// vimeo . com / 194540833
While 46 of us were puffing up the slopes and strolling past the Gallops , birding expert Kerry Jackson spotted “ a grey-legged partridge which flew across the path as we set off ”, a hovering female kestrel , several red kites , a buzzard , common gulls ( not that common apparently ), a flock of lapwing flying overhead at the hill-top coffee stop , rooks on the hill side and a fieldfare – wintering , visiting thrush . A corn bunting was heard and there was a distant view of a hen harrier ( one of the birder chaps Kerry chatted to had seen three !)
Sighted near the village church in the fields were mute swans and wintering visitors Bewick ’ s swans . Kerry reports that there were many other species such as robin , blackbird , blue tit , great tit , jackdaws , house sparrows , dunnocks and pheasants ( all we saw was a robin and some pheasants !)
A total of 56 would-be CYC ramblers passed “ through the books ” for this walk and we are sorry we were unable to include all of them on the walk or fit everyone into the lunch at The George pub at Burpham .
Best to get your names down for the next ramble , from The Partridge at Singleton . Now there ’ s a bird we ’ re not likely to miss !
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