Fifteen of us enjoyed a week walking in the beautiful countryside in West Sussex. For some of us, it was our first experience of an HF holiday. Abingworth Hall provided a country house atmosphere with friendly helpful staff and very comfortable accommodation.
The public rooms were spacious and the grounds very attractive. Food was plentiful and of a high quality. For those who travelled by train, the house arranged taxis. There was a good choice of walking each day, with one day off. The walk leaders were knowledgeable and friendly. Some walks were from the house; for others further afield, coach transport was well organised and punctual. There was no obligation to walk every day but most members chose one of the three walks offered daily. Distances varied between 6 and 13 miles. The group bonded well over the week both on the walks and during the evening. Light-hearted entertainment was organised in the evening with quizzes, “village fete” type games, talks on local wine production and dancing. It was very informal in the evening with no compulsion to join in. Some people just relaxed in the lounge or conservatory with a drink.
All in all an extremely successful week. The icing on the cake was the glorious sunny weather throughout the week.