WALKS FOR NICK Hi all - I'm going back to the early months of this year for my first walks, but 'Walks for Nick' is an ongoing venture and I hope to be doing some more 
in the next months. When Nick died, I wanted to contribute to his memorial fund, but to do that in an active way that would help me to reflect on Nicky, his life, and what he meant, and means, to me. I decided to do some specific walks with Nick in mind, along with my closest friends, who have been a great support to me over many 
years, and most of whom know Martin too. My first idea was to do a long walk in stages - the North Downs Way, local to me - but I wanted to keep the walks personal, rather than their being a big 'project', so decided instead to do individual walks with different friends. The first walks cluster round February/March this year, coinciding with Nick's birthday and anniversary.
in the next months. When Nick died, I wanted to contribute to his memorial fund, but to do that in an active way that would help me to reflect on Nicky, his life, and what he meant, and means, to me. I decided to do some specific walks with Nick in mind, along with my closest friends, who have been a great support to me over many 
years, and most of whom know Martin too. My first idea was to do a long walk in stages - the North Downs Way, local to me - but I wanted to keep the walks personal, rather than their being a big 'project', so decided instead to do individual walks with different friends. The first walks cluster round February/March this year, coinciding with Nick's birthday and anniversary. 1. Burwash, Sussex: February 20th.Trevor and Karen, and Gregor the dog!
I had a week on the Kent Sussex borders with my dear friends Karen and Trevor, and on the final Saturday we had our walk for Nick. It had been a pretty wet week after a very wet winter, but on the Saturday the sun shone, the r
olling Sussex countryside looked at its best, just beginning to come to life, and we felt very lucky. 
I'd wanted to do a walk that took in the countryside that surrounded our cottage, and we did just that. At times it felt like being in a painting by Paul Nash or Eric Ravilious, celebrating Englishness but at the same time catching that slight eeriness, the echo of a distant past.
olling Sussex countryside looked at its best, just beginning to come to life, and we felt very lucky. 
I'd wanted to do a walk that took in the countryside that surrounded our cottage, and we did just that. At times it felt like being in a painting by Paul Nash or Eric Ravilious, celebrating Englishness but at the same time catching that slight eeriness, the echo of a distant past. We began on an ancient 'hollow lane', with glimpses, 
opening out at points, of sweeps and curves of arable land alongside. The lane itself was lined with scrubby trees of the sort that might have been there forever, and Gregor (a border terrier) loved snuffling about in their undergrowth. I got my feet thoroughly wet at the start, as much of this lane was boggy or full of water, coated with a thin ice that it's such fun to break with a crackle;
opening out at points, of sweeps and curves of arable land alongside. The lane itself was lined with scrubby trees of the sort that might have been there forever, and Gregor (a border terrier) loved snuffling about in their undergrowth. I got my feet thoroughly wet at the start, as much of this lane was boggy or full of water, coated with a thin ice that it's such fun to break with a crackle; 
and I was wearing my Harry Tuffins' 'special' walking boots, £9.99 a pair (see above). Trevor and Karen were of course properly attired. 
Our walk took in pretty villages, ancient woodland with massive beeches, orchards (where I spent some time trying to identify a 'rare' bird) 
till T and K and especially Gregor got fed up. We passed by Rudyard Kipling's house, Bateman's, closed for the winter, where we pretended to be lords of the manor. From time to time we talked of Nick, with sadness but also in celebration. And Gregor always kept us from being gloomy, with his joyful dashing back and forth, running twice the distance we were walking.
till T and K and especially Gregor got fed up. We passed by Rudyard Kipling's house, Bateman's, closed for the winter, where we pretended to be lords of the manor. From time to time we talked of Nick, with sadness but also in celebration. And Gregor always kept us from being gloomy, with his joyful dashing back and forth, running twice the distance we were walking.
We ended our walk - where else? - in the pub, then stopped at the war memorial in Burwash, its lettering beautifully carved - on which we found the name of Kipling's son John. 
It was an elegaic day, but a day full of the warmth of friendship and of the consoling beauty of the English countryside, which for that day we were happy to inhabit and enjoy without questioning it. It was a day for Nick.
Next time: On the chalk downs in Kent, with Andrew.
It was an elegaic day, but a day full of the warmth of friendship and of the consoling beauty of the English countryside, which for that day we were happy to inhabit and enjoy without questioning it. It was a day for Nick.Next time: On the chalk downs in Kent, with Andrew.
