Kingley Vale

Activities

WESTBOURNE

A village history in West Sussex

SCOUTS

Having bought a range of camping gear either from funds raised by the committee or personally the next stage was to organise our first camp. It was decided to go to go to Kingley Vale on the South Downs. To make carrying the camping gear easier Skipper Ford built a box cart with long handles and supported on two bicycle wheels. It looked great and all the gear was piled on and off we went. Sadly the cart was not up to our expectations and just one-mile out past Woodmancote the wheels buckled. We had certainly not lived up to the motto of "Be Prepared" as the lighter gear was handed out among the troop and the remainder carried in sedan style through Funtington and then onto the Kingley Vale track at Woodend. We arrived later than intended and certainly too tired to go much further. Camp was struck adjacent to some woodland and overlooking the vale.

What is particularly remembered is the first night. It was Easter and a very cold night and what with the excitement of their first night camping there was not much sleep. We did not have the fleece-lined sleeping bags of today. Then it was surplus army blankets made into sacks with the edges closed with blanket pins. These looked like heavy-duty safety pins except that they were 4 inches long. It was a long time before there was any quiet with the excited laughter and chattering of teeth. I remember waking and hearing some lads talking quietly in the next tent. One said to the other "Are you awake?" answer "Yes, came the reply, lets wake the others". We stayed there for the weekend exploring the Vale and team races to the cross paths at top of the brow marked 98 on the map. On later occasions we camped under the yew trees themselves. It would not be allowed today as it is a protected area.

It was said by the locals that Kingley Vale is a spooky place. Local tradition is that some Danish invaders were put to the sword by local Saxon forces there and that ghostly battles rage amongst the yew trees. During our few camps there we were never aware of any unnatural happenings.

Years later there is a military history up to World War Two when it was used for mortar shell practice. Even 70 years later, from time to time, live ammunitions are discovered requiring evacuation for controlled explosions. Despite such a risk it did not deter from our happy weekend camps.

KINGLEY VALE CAMP SITE

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