Keep off the daffs!

There are hundreds of these yellow flowers out in Withdean Park and the Boss yells at me if I start walking through them. Can't think why - he doesn't bother about most other flowers.

Not snapped today!

Come on, Boss! I don't care if the fields are wet and muddy - maybe the sky will be blue like this when we get there.

From the Boss: It wasn't. Misty and wet all afternoon.

Waggy Walks

OK, Boss, I'm back - and raring to set off on a waggy walk!

Rocky Clump

Now come on, Boss! You know I don't do cows and there's no way I'm going across that field.

From the Boss: The copse on the skyline is known as Rocky Clump. It was the site of a Romano-British farm and a Roman shrine.

I nearly forgot to say that I'm off for a rest in kennels this afternoon. I'll be back in a week or so.

Not just trees that are down

Stanmer is the site of the Council's greenhouses and nurseries. One of the greenhouses collapsed under the weight of the snow back in January and we just got a glimpse of it over the wall.

Coppicing

Somebody has been working hard. They say it has to be done, but I prefer to rummage through the undergrowth.

From the Boss: Each year, part of the woods in Stanmer are coppiced pretty severely.  Very often people sentenced to community service for some minor crime are employed to do it.

Just a few more weeks

The bluebells are coming along nicely and in just a few more weeks this path will be meandering through a carpet of blue.

An old country saying

"Kissing's in season when gorse is in bloom."

Of course, we dogs don't bother with kissing, but any human who is so inclined could find gorse in bloom in any season of the year.

The way home

Back on the golf course

Hey, what's he doing up there?  Is he hoping to catch a little white ball?  And doesn't he know that dogs shouldn't be hanging around the holes those balls go into?

Prehistoric defences

The rampart may well date from prehistoric times, but I somehow doubt that those posts were there in the Iron Age or whenever the fort was built.

Looking east

Something tells me I had better not chase that little white ball.  Anyway, they often seem to disappear down a hole out of my reach.

From the Boss: After crossing the golf course we get a good view across Bevendean to Woodingdean on the top of the far hill.

On the way to the Roman Camp

A sunny afternoon

Despite the bitterly cold east wind yesterday afternoon, the puppy park provided a social venue for both dogs and their owners.

Memorial benches

Scattered around Withdean Park are several benches which members of the public have bought in memory of different people. The Boss quite often stops by this one.

From the Boss:  Tony Shaw was our family doctor for many years.  He was perhaps the best family GP we have ever had - absolutely brilliant with the children when they were young, and nothing was too much trouble for him.

The climbing trees

This tree is situated near the top of the park together with a few more like it.

With those low, spreading branches it is easy to understand why they have been known to generations of children as 'the climbing trees'.

And this is the view

 

The Council originally erected the fence to protect young lilac plants from rabbits but it is now known as a good place to bring puppies as they have plenty of room to run but can't escape, hence it's new name - the Puppy Park.

Flats with a view

 

These flats are on the London Road and look across the road to Withdean Park, a lovely view.  Look closely and you will see that daffodils sprouting under the beech tree.

Seat with a view

 

"I see no ships"

This seat on the ramparts of the Roman camp provides wonderful views across the city and the English Channel.

They're out now

Catkins

Could it be that spring really is coming?