We were down for a few days staying in our caravan at a 'temporary' caravan site in Lancing College grounds run by the local Sussex DA, part of the Camping & Caravanning Club of which we are members. As said previously, our caravan gives us opportunities to take in some walks in parts of the country we are less or not even familiar with at all. However, due to living in the near proximity for many years, we are much more familiar with this area than we are with our new base in the Chilterns. We had planned if the weather was OK to go back over ground we have walked and cycled in the past. Studying the route the evening before in our very well used and slightly past its sell-by-date, OS map, we wanted to stop for lunch at Sissbury Ring, a superb view point to take in the downs and sea, all in one 360 degree sweep! However as you will see later, this wasn't to be!
Our walk started from the access drive to Lancing College a short way from the busy A27 that as it crosses the river Arun forms its own mini spaghetti junction, elevated where the tidal river finishes its meander before going out to the English Channel and junctions taking you off to Shoreham or Steyning. Busses stop close by on the main road or more frequently in Shoreham a mile away, that also has a good train service, ample parking, shops, restaurants and too many coffee shops to mention them all. A good footpath and the old 'Wooden Bridge" crossing make the extra mile from Shoreham well worth it. Back to the walk! Sharing the drive to the college, the footpath rises slightly passing houses and a sign saying 'Private' Ignore this and look for the marked footpath that leads up to the left, leaving the drive.
The footpath leads between fields that are clearly owned by the college as frequent signs leave you in no doubt. Looking back over your left shoulder should give you views back along the coast, beyond Brighton towards the white chalk of the Seven Sisters cliffs. The path soon took on more walkers as a nearby car-park gives easy access for dogs and their carers to let off steam and through the trees are houses tucked away in secluded drives accessed from nearby North Lancing. Don't deviate from the way ahead unless, like us, we stopped to take a seat that was placed to take a rest with a view back to the river and the distant masts of Truleigh Hill. The path becomes a restricted byway as it passes to the edge of Lancing Ring ascending steadily until a path joins on the left. Take this left track that goes slightly back on yourself for a few yards before a footpath sign and a path ascending back up in our previous direction between more downland fields.This is known as Steep Down which it would be if you were coming back!
It will soon become apparent why we took this slight deviation from the byway and for those that haven't read the whole story………there is a trig point to be found and hugged!
After the compulsory cuddle and photo a few hundred yards ascent we are back on track and by keeping left on the byway and then walking directly towards the planned lunch stop on Sissbury ring. Before this though there is the Sompting to Steyning road to cross with a small car park and a track straight ahead with a barn in the distance at the foot of the ring. Passing this and walking around the ring before almost doubling back and upwards into signed posted National Trust managed land.
The mist descended before we reached our way into the actual ring and a small gathering of pic-nic-ers sitting on the mound disappeared into the view-inhibiting low cloud before we realised they must had parted. This just left the two of us to munch our sandwich and pick out where the sea would have been and where we thought Truleigh Hill might have been. Bikers appear not to have been put off though and continued to appear from the gloom at regular intervals. We put on our wet-coats packed away in the day-sack and left the misty scene taking a route around the right hand side of the ring before descending on the westerly side, through a car park and a short, way marked foot path that was also track, to join the diagonally crossing, Monarchs Way.
Turning right here we were surprised at how small and overgrown the Monarchs Way was at this point because we are certain we cycled it some 20 years ago! However the memory does funny things and it was clear a cyclist would not have penetrated the narrowness, the thorn bushes and overhanging branches. Imagining this should be down hill now as we had done our share of ups we quickly got back into our stride as the misty rain quickly cleared and jackets put away. It wasn't to be though as the map contour lines became closer together the path, that was now much wider, was definitely turning into quite a huffy-puffy bit! At the junction of the South Downs Way a rather elaborate memorial has been erected to local farmers: Mr & Mrs Walter and Mollie Langmead. It was at this point our memories started to return having cycled and walked this section on quite a few previous occasions. I was tempted to briefly turn left at this point as another 'trig' was just up the path but having been past it a few times it must already have had a Malcolm & Lesley hug! So right it was sharing the Monarchs Way with the South Downs way for the next section that ran alongside the Sompting Steyning road. The South Downs way continues but we turn off along the Monarchs Way on a concrete farm drive, equally you could easily stick to the South Downs Way here as a good, grassy underfoot alternative, as it meets up with us again in a couple of miles. Down the drive alongside the beautiful Steyning Bowl we started to chuckle as it was at this point in our past life we stumbled over a fishing competition, where devoid of any water, the fishing fraternity were casting for all they were worth. It was either the winner went furthest or had to cast onto a target or perhaps both, we couldn't work it out and failed to see then that with the sea or the Adur both almost visible at this point, why they…………anyway not for us to cast aspersions on this distinctly bizarre but lacking in cruelty to fish, sport!
Blackberry season was in full swing with the sun back out and in the barmy South although a good week away from picking at home. With our berry patch full of fresh air and lack of car-fumes we ate one for every two we stored for later, in our now convenient but empty lunch boxes. They were bountiful and unusually easy to pick owing to the lack of foragers we jested both human and insect. We were observed however by a large herd of mixed cows some with newly born calfs and a large bird-of-prey that had settled on a not too distant gate post. With red hands to prove guilt we walked on down into the farm that the drive served from the Sompting end. Upper Maudlin farm is a working farm and horsey with it, with stables barns and pretty farm cottages to both sides before descending into the outskirts of Steyning. Turning left here will take you into the town or straight on into the pretty village of Bramber with its castle remains, pubs and bus service back to Shoreham or even Brighton. We didn't do both but instead leaving the Monarchs Way we turned right along Coombes Road sharing it with a small amount of light traffic until joined by the South Downs Way again on this short road section. 
The South Downs Way and our way back, then leaves the road and joins briefly with the Downs Link, a bike-able disused railway line all the way from Guilford to Shoreham that incidentally we have completed twice over the years, but that is another story to be told! Its here we meet the river Adur to continue on the last leg.
Despite a sign indicating the path we want to take is closed, we err on a sense of adventure and take the path anyway. This is based on the fact that two children are walking along the path some distance ahead (these turn out later not to be children but a happy young couple that have been 'mud-paddling' in the river) and the fact the sign looked as if it had been there some time, judging by the faded writing. Even Lesley, who is known to have a slight bias towards caution, agrees and off we go, keeping to the right bank, whilst the South Downs Way crosses the footbridge and ascends upwards towards Truleigh Hill onwards to Devils Dyke and eventually Eastbourne. The Downs Link also crosses and takes the more popular left bank that fills with bikes on a mission especially on sunny days and weekends. The riverside path is either on the bank or mound built up as a flood defence, take your choice but both follow the river with all of its meandering, making what looks like a short distance a somewhat long homeward stroll. However there is lots to observe, from egrets to gulls that are doing what they should be doing and digging for grubs quietly, not stealing chips and making a dreadful noise whilst getting fat on it!
Depending on the ebb and flood, the Adur could be either barely a puddle or it could be a raging torrent of brackish water, taking flotsam or any craft out to sea at a fair rate of knots whether they want to or not. Today at this time it was inbetweeny making it safe for a few kayaks that were paddling effortlessly past us. Our goal of Lancing College came into view and with it a temptation with tiring legs to take one of the defined and well used short-cuts across the flood field, cutting out the considerable meanders, saving at least 15 minutes each time. But we resisted, sticking stoically to our task before reaching a small sailing club on a short spur of the river that needs to be rounded if carrying on. Its here we leave the path, through a small car park and back onto Coombes Road for the short road section back to out start. The road here is rather bendy and care is needed which side to take to avoid oncoming or following traffic. 
There is an alternative to leaving the riverside path or should you wish to go back to Shoreham, take in a drink at the excellent Red Lion or simply avoid the road. Continue on under the aforementioned 'spaghetti junction' until you reach the old 'Wooden' foot bridge where you leave the footpath. Left here & over the bridge for pub or Shoreham, or turn right, along the edge of Shoreham airport and cross back over the busy A27 using the pedestrian crossing lights and back to your start.
FOOTNOTE: Its obvious I know but please use appropriate foot-ware and clothing. The South Downs are not a wilderness, however it can get pretty bleak very quickly, especial in winter. Mist comes down at any time so good to have clear directional knowledge of where you are, an OS map and the usual navigational aids could help. Be prepared to shorten the walk at any time. This is relatively easy to do on this walk which will be unpleasant if you are not 'enjoying' it due to weather, fatigue or whatever! Distances given may not be exact and check out the Red Lion pub opening and serving times if that's in your end of walk itinerary. Busses are 7 days a week but run less frequent on Sunday and in the evening. Parking in the college is for residents only but there are plenty of alternative spots if you search them out.