Left hand down a bit

Turning a little to left after yesterday's picture we see across a corner of Hollingbury and the (now seemingly permanent but illegal) travellers' camp to 39 Acres and the Roman Camp.

Hollingbury

From the field beside the crossroads known as Old Boat Corner we can look across the Hollingbury industrial estate to the Hollingbuty housing estate, a large estate of council houses built in the early 1950s. The tethered balloon is advertising a self-storage depot.

Lewes racecourse

Not that it is a racecourse now and hasn't been for a good many years, but some of the buildings are still standing and can be seen across the valley. The main Brighton to Lewes road runs through the valley with the railway parallel to the road - there's a train just in the picture.

Lewes

As we continue uphill, now on the South Downs Way, we see in the distance the town of Lewes clustered around the Norman castle.

South Downs Way

Further on we join the South Downs Way as it winds its way up the hill from Newmarket Bottom.

Distant view of Falmer

Head out from Falmer towards Woodingdean and there is a bridleway running across the Downs from where we get this distant view of Falmer - including the almost completed Amex Stadium.

Falmer cottages

A terrace of typical flint cottages in the village of Falmer.

The wild flower meadow

The latest project for the Friends of Withdean Park is to sow a miniature wild flower meadow in a corner of the park. Much of the turf has been lifted in preparation for sowing the seeds.

Rustic benches

The Friends have also made and installed a number of these benches around Withdean Park.

Friends of Withdean Park

The group calling itself the Friends of Withdean Park undertake various jobs to improve the park, including making flights of steps like these on some of the steeper sections of the woodland paths.

Low bridge

This low, narrow bridge under the main London to Brighton railway line is on the route to and from Sweet Hill. Before the bypass was built, this was the main road from London to Hove and many times lorries got stuck here.

That's a bit better

From further up Sweet Hill we look over Patcham and Hollingbury. Almost slap bang in the middle of the picture is the tower of All Saint's church, Patcham. I think that must be Duke's Meadow behind it.

Reservoir

One of the two reservoirs on Sweet Hill.

By way of contrast

The view from part way up Sweet Hill is of the water works and pumping station. The bypass is just beyond.

Strange circles

We're once again up on the Downs behind Falmer and looking towards the south-east across the valley through the Downs that runs from Brighton towards Lewes. The high point is Firle Beacon.

Oh yes, those circles. They were caused by circular metal containers for silage stood for feeding the animals.

Chalky field

There seems to be more and more chalk as we approach the top of the field. It's a wonder anything grows in this soil.

Ploughed field

The whiter soil towards the top of the field is full of chalk.

Iford Hill

Iford Hill and the Kingston Escarpment as seen from the road behind Falmer to St Mary's farm. It's all starting to look spring-like and there's even a touch of green in some of the trees.

Another sign of spring

The very earliest lilacs in Withdean Park are starting to show buds.

Could spring be here?

The daffodils are out now in Withdean Park, so maybe this is spring at last.

My friend's back!

I haven't seen him for ages but he was back in the park yesterday morning. He's got a new puppy now and she's a bit of a pest. He's grown a bit since I last saw him.

From the Boss: It's the better part of a year since we saw Aiden and his mother but Fern heard his voice across the park, her head went up and she rushed to greet him. He was just as pleased to see her again.

The big fella

The path goes on beyond the bushes in yesterday's picture and passes beside a field where there are usually cows. There was a big chap in that field last time we were there.

A stiffish climb

It's quite a stiff climb to the top of Sweet Hill. We are about two-thirds of the way up to those bushes - and they aren't at the top!

It's not just noise

There are plenty of rabbits as well.

More noise

Not only does Sweet Hill have noise from the A23 and railway line, but the Brighton by-pass produces a constant rumble of traffic, especially the slip road from it for traffic to join the northbound A23.

Sweet Hill

We have visited Sweet Hill before. It is one of the noisier walks as the hill stands immediately to the west of the main Brighton to London road and railway which run parallel to each other through the valley below. Just the other side of that footbridge are the RSPCA kennels for stray and unwanted dogs.

West Blatchington mill

West Blatchington used to be a village out on the Downs somewhere north-west of Hove. Now it's just a suburb of the city of Brighton & Hove with a large proportion of council (or ex-council) housing. The windmill still stands, even though two of the sweeps need a little attention. It does seem a little strange to see such a country relic inside a built-up area.

It's a kite!

And that chap is balancing on a trolley to be pulled across the grass - which is a bit rough so he won't stay on for very long. (He didn't.)

Could it be...

...a tent? It's rather a draughty spot for camping.

Blowing up

He appears to be using some sort of a stirrup pump to inflate that thing, whatever it is.

Cloudy mountains

Mountains of cloud or snow-covered mountains?