Sunday, December 21, 2008

The lake at Woods Mill

I regularly visit the Sussex Wildlife Trust's reserve at their Wood's Mill headquarters near Henfield in West Sussex.  There are many pools, streams and a river here and the photograph shows the largest lake in its sombre midwinter persona.

20081221 Wbx & Mtre 004

The reserve is rich in wildlife and has, of course, been studied in detail by the staff and the many visitors with their comprehensive knowledge of Sussex wildlife.  Whether one knows anything about wildlife or not, it is a very peaceful and beautiful place, accessible to all.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Charcoal smoke

On cold mornings in the upper Brede Valley smoke from the charcoal burning kilns in Marley Lane rises in the stillness and spreads out in a thin layer over the denser portion of air that has filled the valley bottom where the frost lies.

20081205 Churchland fields smoke 003a

This is a traditional industry probably done in the same place for hundreds of  years.  It stopped for a while a few years ago, but has now started again and the smoke is back.  The farthest ridge in the picture is where the Battle of Hastings was fought, Normans on the left, Anglo-Saxons on the right.