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View out to sea from Beachy Head |
Today, we continued our holiday by heading south, this time to Brighton. I lived there as a child and each time I visit the town, the experience is a mixture of old and new.
The Clock Tower, beautifully restored and glittering in the sunlight, is one of my favourite sights. I still remember a childhood dream about it.
We didn’t stop in Brighton, however, but walked down from the station (past the Clock Tower) to the seafront and caught bus number 12A. This takes you east along the coast (with many forays inland to serve the communities on its route) to Eastbourne. It was a beautiful day and at the start of the journey I enjoyed looking out of the window at the beautiful countryside and sea views.
Unfortunately, the seat was hard and not suitable for a long journey and I began suffering from a serious case of – forgive the expression – bum-ache. There was nothing for it but to get out at Beachy Head. Not that that was any hardship as Beachy Head is a beautiful place to visit.
Perched on the cliff-top near Eastbourne, Beachy Head has long been a favourite with suicides (there is a prominently displayed notice advertising the services of the Samaritans) but for the same reasons, it offers wonderful views both of the sea coast and the rolling Sussex countryside, lushly green and dotted with sheep. The picture above right shows the view towards the east, with Eastbourne with its pier.
As you can see from the previous photo and this one, the day was sunny but hazy. I was impressed with the heart-lifting beauty of the landscape and the frolicsome lambs.
We caught the bus again and completed the journey into Eastbourne. This little seaside town, a sort of sleepy cousin of Brighton, had done well out of the legend that it is the “sun trap of the south”, a claim to be taken with some scepticism. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant town and well worth visiting.
As you probably know, I like photographing the animals and birds I meet. I am also one of the few people who love town pigeons. I was keen to try out the new camera by getting a close-up of a pigeon. It became nervous at the attention I was giving it and took off just as I clicked the shutter release. I suppose we should regard this as a failed attempt but I think it has a certain amusing charm!
I did eventually get a pigeon portrait but this was in Brighton where the feathered scavengers are a lot less worried by human attention. This one was relaxing in the sun on a terrace where people were walking to and fro. It was completely unworried by my activities in photographing it.
If you go to Brighton, you of course have to take a photo of the Pier. So here is the obligatory photo of Brighton Pier. I always gnash my teeth when I say “Brighton Pier”. Why? Because all older Brightonians knew it as the Palace Pier and resent its renaming.
If there is one bird that can rival pigeons for my affections it is gulls, especially herring gulls. I love to watch them fly, for they are superb fliers and can land with utter precision on a pin-head, even in a gale. I wanted a close-up of a gull and I think this one turned out quite well. Note the beady eye watching what I am up to.
After a day of movement, we were happy to take the train home to London. But tomorrow is another day. Who knows what we will get up to? I know what we are getting up to on Tuesday, by the way: we are going to Chesterfield. Tigger has a courier run to the town of the Crooked Spire and we are going there together. We bought the tickets this evening.
Tags: Beachy Head, Brighton, Eastbourne
