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New Year’s Day

HardyMost of UK has been rained on so much so long that the ground is waterlogged. Forgetting this, wife and I decided to take on a 6.5 mile walk from the village of Steyning, West Sussex, to enjoy a bright, dry day with a light wind. Being hardy folk, we took sandwiches for lunch, part one taken on the bank of the River Adur that meets the English Channel at Shoreham by Sea.

BlueSkyPart two was in a field under an incredibly blue sky with only the bare boundary trees indicating it was mid-winter. In this little nook, sheltered from the wind, it felt really warm.

 

 

Flood It was a surprise to see so much of the river plain flooded. This sign post pointed us away from the river bank, while on the other bank two women walked their dog. Beyond that, acres of fields under water.

Is there anything quite so lovely as a tree? Even this one in the middle of cultivated field, young growth sprouting light green, is beautiful with nary a leaf to see.Tree

And the 6.5 miles mentioned on the locally-produced guide turned out to be 7.8 miles.

1 January, 2013

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Boxing Day / St Stephen’s Day

Winter, wet, cold, dark – at least it was on Boxing Day – 26 December 2012 if you don’t use British day names – though not so cold. After a fabulously relaxing Christmas Day with Alun and Carol in Newcastle Upon Tyne, we went for an afternoon walk along the Northumbrian coast, driving north to Craster first.

The sky was heavy, with a band of light showing through over the North Sea, which was so calm the pattern of dark and light was reflected on the water.

NorthSeaThe shoreline at full tide comprises large rocks and boulders. Instead of the usual breaking of waves on sand or shingle, the water ebbed and flowed through these rocks making a low groaning sound.

The pathway became pretty muddy and wife and I had not brought walking boots, so our town shoes soon collected mud enough to start a farm with.

CastleYou can see how much like a farming couple we looked at this stage. Also, in the background the outline of Dunstanburgh Castle, brilliantly located to keep out whomever was the problem in those days. Seaward are high cliffs, landward steep slopes to make access a challenge for attackers.

FarmerAmazing that an iPhone can take pictures like this.

1 January, 2013