Thursday 30 September 2010

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.

Wednesday 29 September 2010

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.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

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.

Monday 27 September 2010

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.

Sunday 26 September 2010

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.

Saturday 25 September 2010

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.

Friday 24 September 2010

Looking ahead

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

Thursday 23 September 2010

And further still


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

Wednesday 22 September 2010

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.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Badgers

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

Monday 20 September 2010

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.

Sunday 19 September 2010

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.

Saturday 18 September 2010

As evening falls...

...the shadows lengthen.

Friday 17 September 2010

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.

Thursday 16 September 2010

Still on the beach

The view to the west.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Saltdean beach

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

Tuesday 14 September 2010

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.

Monday 13 September 2010

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.

Sunday 12 September 2010

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.

Saturday 4 September 2010

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.




Friday 3 September 2010

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?

Thursday 2 September 2010

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.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

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.