I took myself to the Devil's Dyke on the South Downs today- a deep valley hewn in the chalk when the Ice Age ended. I walked up onto the Downs from Hassocks, then over the undulating hills to the Dyke itself which has some of the severest gradients roundabouts.
 A nice walk in its own right but I'm looking to do some steep walking ahead of hiking in the States next month. There's a charming little cafe nearby at Saddlescombe Farm so I stopped off for some light refreshments en route- I wouldn't want to peak too soon!
 From a distance the chalk slopes look merely grassy but up close there is a teeming tapestry of plants. The area is particularly noted for orchids: