Grumpy heads east

[Hagar]

Crumbso's excellent photos reminded me of some I took last week. I decided to take a stroll along the cliffs east of Brighton. I drove through the middle of a big thunderstorm but it cleared up by the time I reached Seaford. Unfortunately it remained very hazy & not the best conditions for clear photos. Never mind, I'm here now so let's get on with it. Regulars might remember a shot I took of some idiot fooling around on this cliff.
     

There was a RSPB bird watching post set up with telescopes aimed at this outcrop. The cliff is a breeding ground for kittiwakes which will soon be off to Canada. The single black bird is cormorant.


My original intention was to go up there & walk along to Beachy Head but it was very hot & I thought that was a tad ambitious in this heat. I decided to drive halfway & start my journey at Birling Gap. Here we are looking west, back towards Seaford where I just came from. These cliffs are known as the Seven Sisters as there are seven peaks.


This is where I'm heading. The lighthouse  in the distance is named Belle Tout & is now a private home. After a major collapse of the cliff the 850 ton structure was moved back 55 feet onto a new foundation in March 1999.


Blimey, that's steeper than it looks.


Looking back from the other side. The cliff along here looks a tad precarious. Won't be long before this bit falls into the sea.

     

This is Beachy Head in the other direction with the new lighthouse at its base. It's still an attraction for people wanting to end it all. Several poor souls jump or drive their cars off here every year.

     

I didn't go any further this time as I was wringing wet. Time to head back to the car. Hope you enjoyed our little tour.

[C]

Very nice little tour...

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Lovely tour Doug.

Hope your entire island does not crumble and fall into the sea or you are liable to get wet LOL

Looks like a lot of agricultural land, perhaps hay fields?
Are there any small pubs or a spot to eat while doing the walk?

I am very surprised not to see some sort of barrier to keep folks back from the cliffs edge, that last shot with all those folks makes me shudder when I think of what young children are like.

Would there have been observation and artillery posts all along there during the two world wars?

Again thanks for the tour Doug...lovely countryside.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Hagar]

Thanks chaps. It's been a while since Grumpy's Tours last hit the road.

Lovely tour Doug.

Hope your entire island does not crumble and fall into the sea or you are liable to get wet LOL

I expect it will one day. I'll have to move to higher ground or invest in a diving suit.

Looks like a lot of agricultural land, perhaps hay fields?
Are there any small pubs or a spot to eat while doing the walk?

Yes, those little black dots in some of my shots are large bales of hay wrapped in polythene ready for storage. They don't make traditional haystacks these days.

Plenty of pubs along here if you know where to look. There's one at Birling Gap where I left the car. I allowed myself a pint of shandy when I got back.

I am very surprised not to see some sort of barrier to keep folks back from the cliffs edge, that last shot with all those folks makes me shudder when I think of what young children are like.

I'm surprised the Heath & Safety people haven't insisted on it being fenced off. That would completely ruin it. Part of the Grand Canyon is exactly the same although it's a much bigger drop. I posted a shot of me standing right on the edge once.

Would there have been observation and artillery posts all along there during the two world wars?

There would have been defences all along this coast as it was the intended landing area for an invasion. Beachy Head is a famous landmark & much of the Battle of Britain took place directly over these cliffs. There are also several advanced landing grounds dotted around that were used in the D-Day invasion in 1944.

[ozzy72]

You're trying to make me homesick again aren't you Doug?

[Saitek]

Lovely. It is sad about the connections though as you mention with those desperate to end it all. Adds a kind of chill to the area. I personally think it is one of the most beautiful coastal areas of the UK.

[Omag 2.0]

Aaah... the white cliffs... is there anything more British? O... almost forgot... they have them in France too...  ;D

Great shots Doug! Looks like a wonderfull day out!

[beaky]

Very nice tour, and educational: didn't know you had cormorants over there (although there's no reason why not).
They'e fairly common in the marshy areas near here; usually seen on pilings near bridges and docks when they're not on or under the water.
That lighthouse is terrific- I'd love to live there. Just need to be very careful when stepping out into the back yard at night!

[Rifleman]

What a wonderful series there Doug.....makes me wish for the sights in "real time" and LIVE !

[Willit Run]

Magnificent!!

  I would love to see the White Cliffs in person sometime.  I think they just an amazing sight.

 Great series and thank you!!

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Thanks Doug

Oh and one more question if you don't mind.
English Pubs, are most of the beers on tap and at room temperature and what we would call draught/draft beer, (beer drawn from a keg).
It seems bottle beer here has surpassed keg beer and most folks are to scared to drink and drive here anymore.
Myself I do not find bottle beer as nice as keg beer and bottle beer is much more filling.  I enjoy eating/snacking (beer nuts, peanuts, potatoe chips, pretzels, cheese&crackers etc.) when I drink a beer.  

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Hagar]

Thanks Doug

Oh and one more question if you don't mind.
English Pubs, are most of the beers on tap and at room temperature and what we would call draught/draft beer, (beer drawn from a keg).

Depends on the pub. Most have beer on draught although chilled beer is becoming more common. Some pubs specialise in Real Ale with the beer served from proper wooden casks stacked behind the bar. Eno will tell you more about that.

It seems bottle beer here has surpassed keg beer and most folks are to scared to drink and drive here anymore.

Drinking beer lager straight from the bottle seems popular with the young people these days. It never appealed to me.
The breathalyser has almost killed off most of the old traditional country pubs. Not that I can disagree with that. I don't drink & drive nowadays which is the reason I restricted myself to a shandy after my long walk. (Weak beer & lemonade.) It's a great thirst-quencher on a hot day.