All Saints' church

As we go higher, we can look back at the church in Patcham which just pokes above the trees. The other roof is an old barn that has been converted to houses.

Under the bridge

I don't like the noise of all that traffic on the bypass under my paws - and I'm sure the bridge shakes.

The bridge

I don't really like crossing bridges like these, but if I want to get to the Downs I'll just have to grit my teeth and bear it.

The season's finished

This picture is actually a week old and was taken as we climbed the hill beside Braypool recreation ground on our way to the Downs. It was probably the last match of the season for these cricketers.

St Mary's Farm again

From the far edge of the wood we got a view of the 'cottage' at St Mary's Farm, last seen here.

Up and away

The path led up to the right into a beech wood astride the ridge. Despite it being late summer, the sun shining through the leaves gave it an almost spring-like feel.

Looking ahead

How long till the rest of the valley is swallowed up by the university buildings?

And further still

The university is having more student accommodation built, gradually extending its buildings further up the valley.

Further along

The path wound its way through a narrow strip of woodland and we got a view over the university buildings and across Moulsecoomb to the sea.

Badgers

Lots of badger setts in the banks - or one extremely large one. The spoil outside this entrance makes a very large pile.

A new walk

The Boss has been known to boast that he has walked every footpath within several miles of home. But he lied: there was one he had never walked - until a couple of days ago. It runs from Falmer along the boundary of the University of Sussex grounds, starting a bit a sunken lane with steep, high banks on either side.

Patcham Clock Tower

This was built as an advertising gimmick in the 1930s when a large housing estate was being built in the north-east of Patcham.

As evening falls...

...the shadows lengthen.

The island

It might take keen eyes to see it in the photo, but the Isle of Wight was visible from the Downs yesterday afternoon - rather more than just about but not very distinct. It is, after all, some 50 miles away! In the picture there is a clump of bushes on the next ridge, just in the centre of the shot. The grey smudge above that is the island.

Still on the beach

The view to the west.

Saltdean beach

A pedestrian tunnel runs under the coast road from in front of the Lido which leads to the popular beach.

Saltdean Lido

In the next valley to the east of Ovingdean is another art deco building - Saltdean Lido. This had fallen into a sorry state but was restored sometime in the 1990s. Facing the sea as it does, the paintwork does get a bit bashed about and there are one or two bits that could do with touching up again.

The route to the kennels

Heading east from Brighton we drop into three valleys: first, Rottingdean, then Ovingdean and finally Saltdean, which where the kennels are situated. High on the cliff-top at the mouth of the Ovingdean valley is this art deco building. It was built in 1938 for St Dunstan's, the organisation which cares for blinded servicemen, and provides holidays, respite care and, for a few, a permanent home.

A hackneyed subject

The Boss says that although sunset is a hackneyed subject, he found this one quite dramatic so he'll post it despite it being a cliché.

I'm on holiday

I'm on my holidays right now. This is me having a quick walk in the woods on the way to the kennels.

From the Boss: Fern is camera-shy and it was quite an achievement to get her to sit still long enough to take the picture above. She particularly dislikes the flash, as you can see from the smaller pictures.

Tree tags

I've heard of dog tags, but tree tags? There are a number of trees in High Park Wood that have been painted with a red spot and have a numbered tag nailed to them. Could they be subject to tree preservation orders perhaps?

Our market

The Asda supermarket is the nearest thing we have to a market. It dominates the Hollingbury industrial estate which, fortunately, is situated in a valley and does not impinge overmuch on the Downland views.

Market day

From the Boss: There are many bloggers who are part of the City Daily Photo network and Fern is one of them. The network announces a theme for the pictures for the first day of each month, although naturally following the theme is entirely voluntary. Today's theme is markets, but as there is no market in Stanmer, Fern has kindly agreed to let me post this picture taken in the market in Nice when I was on holiday there.