My Home in Sussex, England

From 2015 till date

The Church and the Cemetery where the Woolgars sleep!

I have been writing about all my trips and travels recently and then few days back, I realised my current life is nothing but a big vacation - a true travel story. And the place I live now is no less beautiful than any renowned exotic place, if you have the right senses to discover, that is. So, today, I am going to pen down my experience of this place where I live at the moment and how it has helped me grow.

My little abode.

I don’t know which one is dearer - the home that builds you or the home you build. Burgess Hill is where I have built my own home or rather rented. (Wonder – if my life is for rent; Courtesy Dido :)) Burgess Hill is a town in West Sussex of England and Sussex is simply beautiful. 

Bachelor's Farm - I love the names in England.

I live in a little flat by the Burgess Hill station. My makeshift bed lies by the glass wall that has a glass door to the balcony. I had made a little garden in the balcony. My garden contains some herbs, strawberries and house plants. My room overlooks the rolling hills of the South Downs that beckons me every sunny morning.

My herby collection.

I wake up to the sound of chirpy magpie in the Ash tree by my room and the morning light flooding through the glass wall. After my morning routine of exercise and a cup of honey-n-lime, I like to sit in the orange ragged couch by the balcony and have my breakfast there. From there, I can see the back of the apartment. There is a little path at the backyard that takes you to a farm called Bachelor's farm in about 15 minutes of walk.

The canopy that leads to the Bachelor's Farm.

The path is full of trees and flowers - daffodils, blackberries and others that I don’t know the names of. Lots of birds keep chirping all along the way - I can spot Robin, Magpie, sparrow and often a few squirrels running up and down the tree branches. They also visit the balcony in my flat. A black fluffy cat often lurks around the corners on the same path.

In front of the Duck Pond.

There is a small pond on the way where many ducks, mainly mallards and blackbirds, heron gather to party. The lazy willow trees keep hanging all around the pond forming a cosy canopy. The path opens up to the Bachelors farm which welcomes you with the tempting view of the Clayton Hill in the distance sitting pretty on the South Downs. Climbing on to the far end of the bachelor’s farm you would reach a water tank that can also be spotted from the top of the hills.

Ah.. the rolling South Downs!

You see brown rabbits with white bottoms playing in the bushes, black, white and brown horses strolling in the enclosure by the farm, not to forget the long grass (almost touching my neck) swaying in the breeze and the little buttercups and daises that adorn the fields' green carpet.You can cross a little bridge on top of the railway tracks beside the farm and enter another farm land. This one is more rolling and gives you a direct view of the Wolstonbury Hill on the South Downs.

Wolstonbury Hill

The Clayton and Wolstonbury are my most visited hills on the South Downs. I admit I’m a bit biased towards Wolstonbury though. I climb the steep side of the Wolstonbury hill through a woody path and climb a few steps and in few minutes, I’m on the top of the hill looking over the fields and the farms, rolling hills of the downs and you can see as far as the tall pole of the Brighton eye along which the doughnut car moves up and down. There are two particular trees on the top of the Wolstonbury hill, one of which permanently lean to one side, funnily making a shape of a wolf pouncing on its prey, the prey being the other tree much smaller than the first one. My friend and I call it the wolf and the hill, Wolftonbury.

Cherry Blossoms on a sunny Spring afternoon!

Once you start climbing down the other side of the hill, it unfolds a smooth curved green valley (almost like a sleeping elephant back) lined up by trees and little woods. I call this the rabbit valley – my most favourite valley on the downs.

White-bottomed Brown Rabbit!

Lambs and Sheep - gamboling all the way!

You have to climb down through some steep steps running through the woods and get to this valley where I have seen loads of brown rabbits with white bottoms, especially at dusk. Inside these woods, the smell of wild garlic fills your senses in a warm spring afternoon. You could go all around this valley and then cross the road to get on to the other hill i.e. the Clayton.

On their afternoon stroll in the hilly Country side.

Clayton is quite well known because of the Jack and Jill windmills on the top. You can walk up the gradual slope by the horse stables or you can take the steep side of the hill to get to the top. This is where I had my first kite flying session. From here, you get the perfect wolfy view of the Wolstonbury hill.

Path climbing down the Wolstonbury. Cherry Blossoms so carefully laid out!

Whilst Clayton sees more people and cars and gives you a jolly feeling, Wolstonbury is more wild and peaceful, in my mind. Wolftonbury, Jack & Jill and rabbit valley always bring a smile on my face, they have a special place in my heart for all sorts of right reasons.

Cute Mushroom!

From top of the Clayton, I make my way along the top of the hills and crossing many gorses and a little pond and many sheep and many farms, I come to Ditchling Beacon. This place is quite popular as you can see lots of people on their bikes, walking their dogs, crowding near the single ice cream truck or just pottering around in general. From the calm and lovely Wolstonbury to the humming Clayton to the bustling Ditchling beacon, the changing scenes and sceneries form a choreography inside my head.

On the way to Ditchling Beacon.

I continue my dance crossing the Ditchling and make my way to the Black cap. Black cap is a little crowd of trees forming a cap on the top of the otherwise rolling hill. Again like many other names, the name black cap tickles my imagination.

One of the many moods!

This is where I feel at home the most – on top the green rolling hills with a light breeze and no one around but peace and raw nature (and not much people thankfully). I sit here on top of these hills and empty my mind. I lay on the grass with no care in the world. I take out one or two snacks from my bag. I have a bite, have a drink, read my book, lay idle on the grass, sing at the top of my voice when no one’s around and when there is a pin drop silence, I listen to the wind, soak in the warmth, creep on the rabbits, chase the butterflies and talk to the sheep and the horses in my secret funny voice. I feel free.

Such a gorgeous spread! - On the south downs

As much as I love the hills, I love the blue sea and noisy waves as well. Even though Brighton is the popular tourist town by the sea, I prefer the quaint and charming Shoreham, the tiny coffee shack in the beach of Rotting dean, the rugged green cliffs by the sea in Birling Gap and the winding river of Cuckmere Haven.

The quintessential English white cliffs by the Sea! - View from Birling Gap.

I love the yummy French patisserie in Shoreham where a little bird, a pied wagtail whom we call Charlie, visits every time we sit there for a bite (the choices are plenty and ever tempting). I love the river Adur that restlessly goes high and low with the tide, water flowing in and out; I also love the old weird house boats, the many sailors in the sea, the bacon smell of the cooked breakfast in Karats cafe. Speaking of bacon, the BLT (bacon lettuce tomato) sandwich in the tiny shack in Rotting dean is the least pretentious and tastiest sandwich ever. (I almost feel guilty qualifying that BLT as the tastiest because my friend makes a sandwich with seeded baguette, avocado, tomato and roasted chicken which is, in a word, suuupeerbbb!)

Seven Sisters in the distance!

I love the walk in the beach near Rotting Dean with the white cliffs overhanging with little pigeon nests and the occasional huge wave splashes on stormy days. The cliff walks of Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters are my occasional treats.

Devil's Dyke! - Yep, that's the name of this one!
Did I say, I'm in love with the way English name their places, pubs everything!?

How can I not love this place? I can taste freedom here. This place has made me grow into a much better person.

The rolling green hills, the charming blue sea, the narrow winding rivers, the pretty quaint towns, the tiny little coffee shacks, the green lush farms, the flowery woods, chirpy birds, fidgety squirrels, nervous rabbits, the pretty countryside and most importantly, the modesty in everything! – This is my home away from my home.

At the back of my apartment - Wynnstay!