The Vanguard Way Blog has been started to complement the Vanguard Way official website: http://www.vanguardway.org.uk/ The Vanguard Way is a 66 mile, long distance footpath between East Croydon (South London) and the South Coast port of Newhaven.
Primarily we hope to record interesting sightings along the Vanguard Way with an emphasis on flora and fauna and other 'natural' phenomena. To offer a contribution, please email vanguardwayblog@gmail.com We will be interested to receive details of what has been sighted, where and when, together with a photo if available.

Sunday 10 October 2021

Summer 2021

May 2021

Thanks to David from the Kent and Surrey Golf & County club  for installing the waymark posts. Presently the club house is not open or refreshments

Near Ashurstwood some  discs have gone missing and we hope to replace them soon

 

Congratulations to Dan and Rachel , Christof and Jill on completing the Vanguard Way.  


Thanks to Matthew from East Sussex CC for all the work he puts in to support us maintain the Vanguard Way in East Sussex


Thanks to Brian for the information about section 7 and the fields with crops which affect the routes given the VGW. He can confirm places to find water.  One is by the Martello Tower where there are also toilets, which close about 6pm, but there is another toilet in the car park, just before you come to Seaford Sailing Club, which remain open late.


May 2021

Valerie and her walking group were looking to complete the route by public transport


June 2021

Stuart wrote about his VGW walk in 1985 and the changes he has noticed since then. We are very grateful for the eventual donation of his photo album to the VGW Club


Tuesday 6 July 2021

Jan/Feb/March 2021


Feb 21

Improvements on the Vanguard Way

Highways England are currently upgrading the A27 east of Lewes but sadly there will be no crossing and walkers will have to continue to walk on the path, and as in the route instructions take great care when crossing. Improvements are being made continually 


Marcus has told us that that a large chunk west of Hope Gap is about to fall into the sea! A major upgrade to the cliff protection structure was already being considered, so this latest collapse may hasten the work.


March 21

In March Keith reported that an old finger post has been replaced with a new one.  It is right by the the entrance to the path but it is missing discs for the London Loop and the Vanguard Way.

Some problems are emerging after the lockdown year of 2020, a collapsed gravel path by the Cable Hut at Cuckmere Beach, a substantial landslip by the beach at Cuckmere Haven, repairs are being undertaken but the Newhaven Port Access Road is no longer closed.


April 21 

Congratulation to Gabor who has completed the Vanguard Way over three days, the first in 2021. Gabor’s comments included this comment ‘I cannot praise the guide enough, it's impeccable! Accurate, detailed, and the companion provides all the interesting facts about places I was passing through. It saved my skin a few times when I was about to take a wrong turn. Well done Colin.






All ramblers need to be aware that the contact email is colin@vanguardway.org.uk  The route instructions may have changed and ramblers need to be aware of this.

 

Good wishes to Joel and Diana in their planned walk of the Vanguard Way

Daniel has completed the route in an amazingly fast time, the fastest we know about. Well done. And Daniel thank you for the obstruction information


Thursday 4 February 2021

November 2020


Richard, who house is close to the VGW has told us he has in his garden ‘put up a sad scrap-iron sculpture of a centurion on his way home’ pointing out the way to walk the VGW. This is where it is close one of the local roman roads, this one is known to historians, somewhat blandly, have called it the London to Lewes Way. It effectively connected London with Newhaven, the Vanguard Way is its modern equivalent!”

We will be putting up a direction sign soon. 


Lets hope Neil is successful and finds the information emailed from Colin in his quest for safe parking as he walks the Way


A signage maintenance visit was made to the northern part of VGW Section 6, Poundgate to Buxted. At the start of the diverted route north of High Hurstwood the signs were clear but a number of broken or missing discs had to be replaced, and impromptu clearances made around stiles. More work remains to be done including repairing a broken fingerpost found hidden in overgrowth.


We met Steve, Martin and Ralph who were exploring the Way. Good wishes to them  








Congratulations to David and Elaine who separately completed the VGW both starting in August and completing in 4 stages by  November