The Ritualistic picnic at the Long man of Wilmington.

So, to welcome in another July (how time flies) a post dedicated to “The ritualistic picnic at Wilmington”.
Every July, by hook or by crook, Lucy and I take a Sussex road trip. We speed through the countryside like a young Isadora Duncan and Sergi Yesenin to a cinematic soundtrack- usually Rachel’s or Tindersticks and a bit of Arvo Part to heighten the drama as we ‘take down’ pheasants, pedestrians and any stray children greedily clutching ice creams that may cross our path. Sometimes our trip involves a visit to Charleston House- home and country retreat of the Bloomsbury group. Sometimes a stop off at Lewes to troll around the flea markets and generally make a nuisance of ourselves. Sometimes we take a pilgrimage to Folkington Manor, the country estate of Lucy’s ancestors. Many of her family are buried in the beautiful churchyard in the village. Virginia Woolf writes in her diary about crossing the Folkington Manor land on one of  her rambling walks and upon meeting Lucy’s great-grandfather, swiftly being told to “get off my land”.  Sometimes we end up as far down the A27 as Hastings and St leonards and loop through the village of Jevington and onto Birling Gap. However, one thing is certain- we always take a picnic to the top of the Long man of Wilmington and gorge ourselves silly on Epoisses cheese and cherry tomatoes.
The date is set for our next rendezvous with Sussex and the South Downs…..I can’t wait!