Chronicles of the fortunes of the NERDS
The day dawned warm and sultry foreshadowing an above average hot day to come. Froggy and Paco, who this time had already purchased his rail ticket, boarded the train at Seaford and travelled to Newhaven where they met up with Lafayette and then continued on to Lewes to meet Sandyballs. Paco
was sporting a new purple head covering which would magically keep him from suffering from sunstroke and identify him to the local facial recognition cameras forever more.
The travelling NERDS boarded the train to Berwick and alighted there and headed immediately to the Berwick Inn to prepare themselves for the rigours of actually rambling rather than staying in a nice pub garden and boozing all day - as has taken place once or twice in the past. Beer was drunk and sunscreen applied to various exposed section of bodies not shielded by trousers, shirts or shorts and hats!
Reluctantly departing from the Berwick Inn the NERDS climbed the hill towards Arlington and then down to the reservoir
where various opinions were expressed as to which way around the lake would be quicker.
Lafayette and Sandyballs went through the fields and arrived ten yards before Froggy and Paco but had difficulty getting over a chained gate so actually came second in the “going a bit round the reservoir” race!
The day continued extremely hot and from the reservoir the NERDS headed towards the church at Arlington (not Chalvington) and eventually made it to Pete’s Pub, The Yew Tree.
Pete was not there but the NERDS were seated outside under cover and sweated and perspired.
Amazingly there was no Harveys beer so everyone had red wine, white wine and Prosecco.
There was also the opportunity to sample other beer and brandy and coffee. Lunch was mainly huge portions of lamb, superbly cooked, but as usual Sandyballs had fish and chips. The barmaids all looked the same apart from their age and their service was pleasant and reasonably quick.
After eating and drinking the consensus was;”Fuck, we’ve got to walk back.” It was still torrid but everyone set off stopping every hundred yards
or so so that Lafayette could catch up and rest his weary bones. Eventually everyone arrived knackered at the Berwick Inn and quenched their thirst with lots of alcoholic different things and counted out how many trains back to Lewes could be missed. Ultimately the conveyance back to Lewes was boarded where everyone went off in their separate ways.
