Thursdays are days off at L’Abri and we took advantage of our free time to explore the nearby town of Midhurst. We got there by bus, arriving around one o’clock and spending several hours wandering the picturesque area.
Our first stop was the ruins of Cowdray, which were absolutely stunning! We learned from the tourist website that, before being destroyed by fire, the site was host to illustrious figures like Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, and Guy Fawkes. Although we couldn’t enter the ruins due to January being the off-season, we were able to satisfy our wonder and curiosity by exploring the perimeter of the property.
Next, we visited St. Ann’s Hill, which has played host to pagan rituals, an Iron Age fort, and a Norman castle. We caught glimpses of the surrounding countryside. The hill itself was capped with a ring of ancient trees and a network of stone ruins.
For the rest of the afternoon, we wandered around Midhurst itself. It’s a beautiful little town and we marveled at the varying architecture–a conglomeration of medieval, Georgian, Elizabethan, and Victorian. We wandered into the former school of H.G. Welles, found a small duck pond, and wasted time in a bookshop while waiting for our bus.
I’m not posting much these days, due to the fact that my internet access is limited to days off when I’m able to visit pubs and cafes. It’s definitely been a challenge being so removed form technology, but it’s also extremely refreshing. L’Abri is a wonderful place to explore ideas and reflect on life. In many ways, living here feels like living in another time. I’ve been having lots of adventures and have been continuing to write! I spent an evening earlier this week drafting potential blog posts.
Hopefully, more of my reflections and adventures will make it to this space soon.
Keep Your Feet 