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A collage and pencil drawing of a stand of trees on top of a hill

My South Downs Way Journal

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Hiking Sketchbooks

A messy desk covered in sketches and art materials from my South Downs Way journal

Hiking Sketchbooks

My South Downs Way journal is one of a series of trail journals I take on long-distance hikes with the hope of capturing the landscape as I go. On the South Downs Way though, it pretty much stayed in my rucksack the whole way, despite getting very excited about buying a new one especially for this trail…

It’s a strange notion, really, (for me anyway) to want to fill a sketchbook with the story of just one hike. I usually fill them ad-hoc letting notes, ideas and observations flow, picking up whichever one has the right ‘feel’, shape, paper… So half-filled journals sit on my shelves, each waiting their turn for the next ‘right moment’. I decided I want my national trail sketchbooks to be different though, complete from start to finish – and my South Downs Way journal would be the first.

I got all excited at the thought of a neat row of 15 trail journals sat on my bookshelf in the future – which is basically a way of justifying a splurge on something I’ve coveted for ages…

Most of us convince ourselves we need new hiking gear, but no, what I needed was a new journal specifically for sketching on The South Downs Way. Of course I did. Small, square, full of beautiful paper and lots of possibilities (for the hefty sum of 17 quid). Get in my rucksack.

Sketching Come Rain Or Shine

Unfortunately, that’s where it stayed for most of the 100-mile hike – a raging storm, heavy rains and strong winds put paid to my lofty ideals.

Still, I carried on drawing at home and I’m happy to say that my South Downs Way journal is now full of sketches, notes and memories – and it even has pride of place on my shelf. I hope they give you a flavour of what I saw.

I'm standing with a large rucksack on my back about to go through a wooden gate. There's a fantastic view of a winding river going out to sea in the background

From The Trail

Mixed media sketch of a view of a track, river and hills on the walk to Amberley in my South Downs Way journal
Almost a line drawing of tall hill cliffs, with a touch of colour in the fields. South Downs Way sketchbook, 2021

A couple of just a handful of sketches from my South Downs Way Journal made on the trail

Chalk Tracks, Big skies And Rolling Hills

A brooding sky over a hilly landscape on the South Downs
Chalk track heading to a pin point in the distance with a distinctive hill behind it

Chalk and flint. Hard and rough underfoot, slippery when wet. Ancient. Broad enough for rumbling cartwheels (and mountain bikes in pairs) or narrow enough for droves of single-file sheep…a defining feature of this verdant landscape.

A loose style mixed media sketch of a chalk track and overhanging trees
Mixed media sketch of a view of a track, river and hills on the walk to Amberley
South Downs Way sketchbook - A lmixed media sketch of a long white track to the top of Truleigh Hill
South Downs Way sketchbook - a chalk sketch of a path to the top of Truleigh Hill

Dew Ponds

A flat oval shaped pond with water muddy Water filled to the brim. There's a windswept hawthorn tree beyond the pool

Old layers. Chalk, straw, clay, flint. Perfect mirrors that look like they’ve fallen off a dressing table. The surface unrippled (if it wasn’t dried up) reflecting big clouds and lonely trees. They provide the only water on top of the South Downs, keeping the livestock slaked, and me captivated.

A minimal black and white sketch of a wind blown tree beside a dew pond
South Downs Way sketch of a moody scene with a hawthorne tree on the left of a dew pond.

Chanctonbury Ring

A chalk path leads to a distinctive stand of trees on the horizon under a bank of dark grey clouds

Mostly though, I was captivated by Chanctonbury Ring (Wikipedia) and it became a focus for a number of sketches. The distinctive beech trees were like a shadow play as leaden skies threw them into silhouette one minute and lit them up with golden sunlight the next – I couldn’t have asked for a more dramatic scene, played out to an audience of of one.

A colourful mixed media sketch in my South Downs Way journal
Black and white mixed media sketch of a track leading to a stand of trees on the horizon
Mixed media sketch/collage of Chanctonbury Ring
Mixed media sketch and collage of a view of a track heading up to a stand of trees
A loose, semi-abstrack sketch of a Chanctonbury Ring
ink and chalk drawing of the trees of Chanctonbury Ring on the horizon
A brightly coloured pastel sketch of Chanctonbury Ring on the South Downs Way trail
A moody, deep coloured abstract pastel sketch

Small Oil Sketches

Simplified, moody atmosphere of trees on a horizon in oils
A loose, dark oil sketch of broody skies over Chanctonbury Ring

I hope you enjoyed my South Downs Way Journal. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments — do you keep a hiking journal, too?

Stephie

Planning Your Hike On The South Downs Way?

Read all the guides in the South Downs Way series and discover all you need to know from campsites to packing. If you want tips from choosing a tent to how to get the best price train tickets, you’ll find those in the Planning Guides.

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Comments

2 responses to “My South Downs Way Journal”

  1. Ruchard

    Hello
    Are prints available of you paintings? I really like “under the beech” a view of Chanctonbury ring.
    Regards Richard

    Reply

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