South Coast dreaming - # 77/2011

For those of you who don't know, this is a classic "South Coast" view akin to the iconic "White Cliffs of Dover".  This scene shows the coast guard cottages at Cuckmere Haven (where the Cuckmere flows off the South Downs into the English Channel) and the famous "Seven Sisters" chalk cliffs stretching towards Beachy Head light house and Eastbourne, Hastings and onwards towards Dover after the interruption of Dungeoness and Romney Marsh .


The scene is much photographed, in sunshine, evening light, frosty early mornings etc.  My scene shows it as bad weather suddenly sweeps in having traveled rapidly up the English Channel from the South West. A strong "Souwester" is blowing - loved (and feared) by generations of British and Dutch sailors as this wind blew them hard and very fast up the Channel on the final leg of their long sea voyages towards home.  The "day tripper" photographer has to take what he gets.  When I started out to walk the cliff tops, the sun was bright. Suddenly this rough weather fell upon me within minutes!!


In the 1940s you could stand here and watch dramatic aerial battles between squadrons of German and British aircraft locked in mortal combat, swooping upon each other at 340 mph, creating the legends of the White Cliffs as they fought. 

A walk around Richmond Park 3 - # 68

We have climbed to the top of the ridge a moved north, half way along it towards Richmond. Whatever the weather, the view is spectacular and dramatic. You can see west and southwest "to the ends of the earth". Here we can see the chalk hills of the South Downs looking southwest towards the "Dorking Gap" - a strategic gap in the hills that is the site of the town of Dorking. I chose this dark, cloudy scene, taken on a cold, windy day to give you something less sweet and mild!. I was glad to get home afterwards!