Thursday 31 March 2011

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.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

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.

Tuesday 29 March 2011

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.

Monday 28 March 2011

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.

Sunday 27 March 2011

South Downs Way

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

Saturday 26 March 2011

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.

Friday 25 March 2011

Falmer cottages

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

Thursday 24 March 2011

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.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Rustic benches

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

Tuesday 22 March 2011

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.

Monday 21 March 2011

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.

Sunday 20 March 2011

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.

Saturday 19 March 2011

Reservoir

One of the two reservoirs on Sweet Hill.

Friday 18 March 2011

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.

Thursday 17 March 2011

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.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

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.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Ploughed field

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

Monday 14 March 2011

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.

Sunday 13 March 2011

Another sign of spring

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

Saturday 12 March 2011

Could spring be here?

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

Friday 11 March 2011

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.

Thursday 10 March 2011

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.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

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!

Tuesday 8 March 2011

It's not just noise

There are plenty of rabbits as well.

Monday 7 March 2011

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.

Sunday 6 March 2011

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.

Saturday 5 March 2011

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.

Friday 4 March 2011

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.)

Thursday 3 March 2011

Could it be...

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

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Blowing up

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

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Cloudy mountains

Mountains of cloud or snow-covered mountains?