The One Where I Climbed a Mountain

Well that's how it felt the next day after I'd climbed The Many Stairs of Lewes Castle with Anna of The Mutton Years, Mr Him, a.k.a. The View and The Photographer, a.k.a  my Personal Paparazzi.  Read all about it here, in the second part of my meet up with a Real Life Blogger.

This castle is a bit different to most.  It's right in the centre of the town of Lewes.  So it's been subjected to house-creep over time.  No moat now, unless a castle neighbour's bath overflows.

It's a fine Norman castle (please see  my related piece on Pevensey Castle).

The adjoining Barbican House is home to the Museum of Sussex Archaeology and houses local collections from the Stone Age to medieval times. A mini-cinema tells the story of Lewes from prehistoric to Victorian times.

Its defences were well-designed, mainly based on the difficulty in finding its entrance - more on that in the first part of my meet up with A Real Life Blogger.

The Battle of Lewes in 1264 was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War.  It marked the high point of the career of Simon de Montfort and made him the "uncrowned King of England".  Henry III had left the safety of the castle to engage the Barons in battle and was eventually defeated by the barons' men whilst defending a hilltop. The King was forced to sign the Mise (settlement) of Lewes, ceding many of his powers to Montfort. 

And that's the end of the history lesson for today, peeps, please pack up your satchels and make an orderly exit from the classroom.  And please, don't bang your desklids!

My fellow climbers, happy Mountaineer Anna flanked by sherpas The Photographer & Mr Him.

Getting to the top of the mountain did give me a great 360 of the landscape.

Ok, it would have been more appropriate to have included a fourth landscape pic to demonstrate the 360 view, but I think you'll get it from three.



Getting to the summit of my mountain allowed me to rest for a while with my Blogger mate, my NBBM.  I pretended to be riveted by the view as I struggled to breathe at altitude.

And then, having recovered, we made our way back down to base camp.  To announce to the world that I have conquered the mountain that is Lewes Castle with its multitude of steps.  Alas, no hoardes of reporters and TV cameras awaited.  Just my Personal Paparazzi.

Now how's this for size, Queenie? 

Lady Pout, Conqueror of Her Own Personal Mountain - The Many Steps of Lewes Castle.

Disappointed at the lack of media turn-out for the event, I strolled glumly passed Harvey's Brewery, prettily nestling by the river.  That perked me up.  I have a family link to it and seeing it was something I could now cross off my Bucket List.  If I had one.

Then coffee called we lady mountaineers to Bill's.  And a beer called our sherpas to a pub.  Any pub.

More chat with cappuccinos and Harveys real ale rounded off our lovely day with Anna and Mr Him.
Thank you both so much for meeting up with us.  We had a blast.



And look what we received from Anna and Mr Him.  An artisan beer that needs to mature for 4 years and a fruity gin liqueur that doesn't :0).  So sweet and kind and thoughtful.  Unlike your Pout, who went to the Real Life Blogger gig empty-handed.  Bad Pout.

A la perchoine.