Landscapes
Google “landscape” and you are greeted with pictures of mountains, lakes with mountains, lakes with autumnal trees and mountains.
There are no mountains in Sussex. The South Downs are a chain of chalk hills that make great cliffs and are adorned with the occasional horse or giant.
Sussex has many ancient woodlands with diverse fauna and flora. The chaos of trunks, branches and leaves is challenging to photograph.
A mist can help. Or a shaft of light that picks out a random selection of woodland. A splash of contrast in hue.
Dawn mist at Silbury Hill
A morning mist around Silbury Hill in Wiltshire.
Manmade. This is thought to be the largest Neolithic construction in the UK.
Nikon D850 35mm F-13 1/80 secs iso 400
White cliffs
Looking up at the white cliffs from Birling Gap Beach.
The red filter darkens the sky.
Nikon D850 85mm F-5.6 1/600 secs iso 125
Morning mist at Silbury Hill
A morning mist around Silbury Hill in Wiltshire.
Manmade. This is thought to be the largest Neolithic construction in the UK.
Nikon D850 35mm F-10 1/80 secs iso 400
Pett Level - low tide
This is what Pett Level looks like when the tide is out.
With a low mist obscuring the morning sun, it reminds me of images of First World War battlefields.
Nikon Df 50mm F-16 5 secs iso 100
Morning mist
The early morning sun breaks through the mist in the Powdermills Woods, Battle.
Nikon D850 35mm F-16 1/60 secs iso 160
Belle Tout Lighthouse
Storm clouds over the lighthouse. This lighthouse has already been moved back from the rapidly crumbling edge of the cliff. Judging by the large cracks forming, it might have to be moved again. Or be lost to the sea.
The lighthouse was replaced by Beachy Head lighthouse and is now rented to brave tourists.
Nikon Df 85mm F-20 1/500 secs iso 200
Pett Level - maintained
A tractor carrying out maintenance on the sea wall with interesting cloud formations.
The tide is out.
Nikon D850 35mm F-16 1/180 secs iso 160
Pine trees
Pine trees tower overhead on an autumn day.
Nikon D850 50mm F-22 47 secs iso 80
Red roofed hut
This is a bit of a landmark at Rye Harbour.
Constructed in the 1930’s as a private beach hut. I have never seen it being used, but it always has a fresh coat of paint.
Nikon D850 50mm F-18 1/320 secs iso 250
Pillbox
There are a couple of very well-preserved pillboxes at the entrance to Rye Harbour.
This one was catching the evening light with stormy clouds in the background.
Nikon D850 50mm F-22 1/320 secs iso 250
Dionysus in nuttery
Among the ferns at Sissinghurst gardens stands Dionysus. Greek god of harvest and fertility.
Spring time.
Nikon D850 85mm F-5.6 1/125 secs iso 400
Sheep by Avebury stone
These sheep were relaxing in the shade of one of the stones of the stone circle at Avebury.
Nikon D850 85mm F-9 1/200 secs iso 200
Illuminated stump
This old moss-covered tree stump caught my eye.
I decided to experiment with nightlights in this snowy evening light.
Nikon D850 35mm F-14 35 secs iso 80
Dramatic perch
This tree at High Wood, just north of Bexhill, has undergone major trauma.
Now used as a perch by the birds.
Nikon D850 85mm F-2 1/800 secs iso 640
Dartmoor pony
The Dartmoor ponies by Beachy Head are quite used to visitors. I think this one was getting a little annoyed at me.
Nikon D850 85mm F-22 1/160 secs iso 160
Lynmouth Tower
A beacon on Lynmouth Harbour tower is silhouetted in the sunrise.
Nikon D850 35mm F-22 1/13 secs iso 200
Broken structure
This broken structure remains next to the Mary Stanford lifeboat station on the shore of Rye Harbour.
Nikon D850 85mm F-14 1/200 secs iso 320
Three oast cowls
The oast houses in Kent were used for drying hops for use in the brewing of beer.
The cowls rotate with the wind and help keep the hops dry while maintaining airflow.
Great Dixter garden, Kent.
Nikon Df 105mm F-16 1/500 secs iso 640
Calm sea, choppy beach
The bulldozer had just been out clearing a path for the Hastings lifeboat to get down to the sea.
It left the beach with this turbulent topography.
Nikon D850 85mm F-13 1/250 secs iso 100
Dartmoor ponies
This group of ponies were relaxing next to Beachy Head. They are wild animals, but very tame.
Nikon D850 200mm F-8 1/400 secs iso 250
Church on marsh
St Thomas Becket church at Fairfield stands on Romney Marsh. Photographed on a stormy day with impressive clouds, sheep graze in the forground.
Nikon D850 35mm F-22 1/320 secs iso 250
Slate bed on beach
The beach at Kilve is a geololist’s dream. This slate bed had fractured in a wave form.
Nikon D850 200mm F-8 1/400 secs iso 250
Young buck on path
This was taken at Knowle Park, Kent. When planning this trip, I was envisaging tracking wild deer through woodland. The deer turned out to be very tame. This one was just nonchalantly walking along a path, looking slightly bored.
Nikon D850 200mm F-5.6 1/1600 secs iso 640
Lynmouth Harbour
Moored boats in Lynmouth harbour with locals and tourists looking on.
Nikon D850 85mm F-11 1/250 secs iso 250
Autumn colours
This chestnut tree displays gorgeous colours at the High Woods, Brede.
Nikon D850 85mm F-5.6 1/60 secs iso 250
Swan & heavy vehicles
A swan cruises by as vehicles toil in the background, redistributing pebbles and shingle.
Nikon D850 85mm F-14 1/160 secs iso 200
Vita’s magnolia
This impressive magnolia was planted at Sissinghurst Castle gardens by Vita Sackville-West about 90 years ago.
It is dying in parts, but I think that adds to the beauty.
Nikon D850 85mm F-11 1/800 secs iso 200