On the beach

. . . and still more sheep!

It was most amusing to see all these sheep following each other in single file, just like a lot of . . . (wait for it!) sheep! Some decided to go down that steep hill and many of them very nearly went arse over elbow!

. . . sheep . . .

Near yesterday, far today.

Sheep, . . .

Sheep near, . . . I'm convinced there are more sheep on the Downs every winter.

Vandalism

Just along the path from yesterday's picture. It might look like vandalism to you and me but it's just how the farmer has trimmed his hedges.

Mud and puddles

Given that this has been the driest autumn on record, that a local water company has recently been granted a drought order to permit it to extract water from rivers, and that we have had virtually no rain for the last week or two, I was astonished to find the path from Falmer to Balmer Down was so muddy on Saturday.

The harbour mouth

A survey vessel enters the River Adur/Shoreham harbour mouth. We are on the Shoreham Beach side of the river which runs to the left with the harbour going to the right. The river used to run along there for about a mile but burst through the bank to enter the sea here several centuries ago.

The lifeboat station

Opposite the mouth of the River Adur and the entrance to Shoreham harbour are the lifeboat station and the lighthouse.

Shoreham-by-Sea

The Sussex Shoreham (there is another in Kent) is basically three parts. There's Old Shoreham up by the old toll bridge (where we saw St Nicolas church a couple of weeks ago), Shoreham-by-Sea (which is the subject of today's picture) and Shoreham Beach (the opposite bank of the River Adur from which I took this picture).

Early dusk

It was only 2.45 when I took this picture the other afternoon while walking across a field beside the Upper Lodges of Stanmer Park.

Pink

Seen from the bedroom window, the clouds in the west reflect the rising sun. There is a light dusting of frost on Sweet Hill.

Failure

Can you see the rainbow? No, nor can I, but it had been there. We saw it first from the kitchen window. I dashed upstairs, grabbed the camera, removed the lens cap and switched on. The rainbow was still there. By the time I had pressed the button it had gone! But the light was something a bit different, sort of yellowish.

Skating in Brighton

Once again, an ice rink has been laid on the lawns of Brighton's Royal Pavilion.

Firle Beacon

A distant view from the part of Stanmer woods known as the Pudding Bag.

Winter ploughing

On the Downs north of Brighton, with obligatory seagull.

Evening lights

The evening lights of Patcham as seen from my bedroom window.

Royal Crescent

Royal Crescent, Brighton, 14 houses facing the sea which were built 200 years ago, has been home to many famous people, including Sir Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright. It was a dull afternoon when I last drove past and took this picture.

The Sassoon mausoleum

Just along the road from St George's church is what was once the Sassoon mausoleum, now a restaurant. Too much history for me to post here but Wikipedia has more details.

St George's church

Built in 1824, St George's church in Kemp Town, Brighton, was a favourite of Queen Adelaide, hence the royal coat of arms above the door.

Yes, the picture was taken back in the summer.

The Royal Sussex

Just a little farther along Eastern Road from Brighton College is the Royal Sussex County Hospital, dating from 1828 in pre-Victorian times. There are plans to demolish the old block seen here and replace it with up-to-the-minute facilities (which they probably were 180+ years ago!). The very new children's hospital can just be seen in the top right-hand corner of the picture. This photo was taken in the summer, just before the Gay Pride weekend, hence the flag as well as the Union flag.

Brighton College

Brighton College is nowhere near as old as you might think from looking at the gateway.

Wild Park

A calm afternoon beside the dew pond at the top of the Wild Park.

Pill box

Known as pill boxes, gun emplacements like this were built across south-east England in 1940-41 in case of invasion. I thought most were made of concrete, not the brick that this one has been faced with. I suppose half a dozen or so men could have squeezed into one.

Bare bones

I wonder how long this boat has been lying in the mud of the River Adur.

Morning light

We will continue our stroll along the banks of the River Adur tomorrow but today's picture is what I saw from the bedroom window yesterday morning.

Mud flats

Looking north from the toll bridge. Below, one of the local residents. A redshank, I think.

Low tide

The River Adur is still tidal here by the toll bridge.

Old Shoreham

We return to Shoreham today, specifically Old Shoreham. This picture, taken from the west bank of the River Adur, shows the Old Shoreham toll bridge with St Nicolas church in the background. This bridge was for many years the main crossing of the river although only wide enough for a single carriageway. The bridge was originally built in 1781 and was restored in 2008 when it was re-opened by the Duke of York. "Restored" is rather euphemistic as the bridge was practically rebuilt.

Winter skyline

In Stanmer Park. I like the way those bare trees make such a symmetrical dome.

Snakes alive!

I have never seen an adder here or elsewhere. It is the only poisonous snake in our islands.

Patcham windmill

Winter sunshine lights up Patcham mill seen from the Waterhall valley.

Lancing College

Seen from across the River Adur on Mill Hill. The gothic revival chapel is said to be the largest school chapel in the world. The school was founded in 1848.

Old Shoreham

St Nicolas church dates from the 10th century and is Grade 1 listed. The main picture shows the church from the south-east and shows that the chancel roof is tiled. The smaller picture was taken from the north-west and the roof of the nave can be seen to be in Horsham slabs.

Nature's bling

It's not just mists

This is also the season for fungus in many shapes and sizes.

Season of mists

When I set off with the dog just before 9.00 we had thick fog. By the time I got home we could see the top of the Downs above the fog in the valley. A quarter of an hour later we could see the valley as well.


Actually, that was on Wednesday but I've only just got round to downloading the pics from the camera.

Twisted tree

I don't even know what species of tree this is - near the Upper Lodges of Stanmer Park - but there is something about the gnarled and twisted branches I find attractive.

The stile again

Taken from the 17th tee of Waterhall golf course.

Yesterday

There was even a blackbird singing as I took this photo!

The stile

Stiles have been made in this way all my life and probably for many years before. As a means of crossing a fence, they don't come much simpler. But they do present something of a challenge to the less agile and are impossible to pass with a wheelchair. Brighton & Hove City Council must have spent thousands of pounds replacing barbed-wire fences on land it owns with sheep-proof netting and, at the same time, installing gates. Many of those gates are in places where nobody would attempt to take a wheelchair, but I suppose some fit young mothers might take a pushchair or buggy.

It's fallen in the water

Fern dropped her ball in the Wild Park dew pond yesterday. She is quite happy to splash her way through a muddy puddle but a stretch of water as big as a dew pond is frightening so it was quite difficult for her to retrieve her ball.

Waterhall dew pond

I find it a little disconcerting to see the ripples in the sky in this upside-down picture.

Sold

Actually, it's only the fixtures and fittings that have been sold. The new "owners" have acquired the remainder of the lease without any premium. I wonder if the fixures and fittings include the millions that Mike Holland spent renovating the building? Anyway, the new owners intent to open Stanmer House as an up-market restaurant. I suspect that the prices will be too steep for my pocket so I will not be posting a restaurant review any time soon!

Patcham Place

As one drives into Brighton, this imposing black and white building stands facing you. For many years it served as a youth hostel but is now unused and is, I believe, for sale. The circular drive round the weeping willow is used as a car park by people who are car-sharing.