Beaconsfield 28 February 2016

A Ramblers walk in an area where I go to work but where I've never spent any time other than that and it's lovely up here - lots of hills, for a change.  We met up at the station and then walked through the town and out into the countryside.  I like this mosaic on a wall near the station.

There are small signs of spring if you look for them, but it's still cold enough to need hats, scarves and gloves.

Stopping for a break there is this lovely view of Wooburn Green.

It always surprises me how close the villages are to each other here.  This village was just along from where we stopped but I'm not sure of the name.  It is immaculately kept.  A lot of people commute to London from here.  All the benefits of living in the country! The roads are crazy though, I wouldn't like to do that trip every day.

Just a little further along and out into the countryside again.  The dogs of Lude Farm gave us a rousing welcome. Or maybe it wasn't a welcome, we didn't get too close.

There are still lots of daffodils around

but the trees are still bare.

Into Forty Green and The Royal Standard of England, claiming to be the oldest pub in England at around 900 years old!  It looks it. There are apparently ghosts.

They serve good coffee and their food looks pretty good too - definitely somewhere to visit again.

And back into Beaconsfield, traffic jams and a whole new week.

Burnham Beeches 21 February 2016

Burnham Beeches midwinter is a very different animal to Burnham Beeches midsummer.  There is a LOT more mud covered by a deceptive carpet of fallen leaves and the hills are such a slog. The trees are skeletel, waiting for their green draping.  It doesn't stop people walking though, but thank goodness for the tea room, they must do a thriving trade on a cold Saturday afternoon.

There was quite a big group for a winter day - about 14.  Thoughts of fitting into and baring all in summer clothes perhaps? Often the conversations revolve around upcoming holidays - Portugal for me in June.  This is the longest I've gone in my life without the slightest tan - gives me a bit of a fright when I catch a glimpse in the mirror - I try not to if I can help it... The thought of a swim though is so exciting but not in this pond.

Just look at the size of those fish!  Someone must have thought this was a good place to leave the unwanted goldfish.

These are Mandarin Ducks - a male and a female - the male the more flamboyant as usual.  Isn't he spectacular?

Midway through the walk was time for tea and what has to be the best lemon cake I've ever had - that's saying quite a lot you know, it's a favourite.  This had lemon curd and white chocolate shards as a topping and was the most incredibly moist cake.  Spectacular too in it's own way.

Then a diversion through the sculpture garden.  They looked a little forlorn in the cold and wet.

As we all did by the end of the walk, but a least we could go home.

Brighton 7 February 2013

I feel that I've been rather staid recently, mostly hanging out in the same parts of the countryside so when Judy arrived it was awesome to step out of what has quickly become a comfort zone and find some new sights.  West Sussex, here we come!

We caught the train to Brighton on what started out as a sunny day.

It hadn't even occurred to me to bring a hat - clueless I know!  The wind was howling - it is a city on the edge of the English Channel after all and it is midwinter - cold!  Hoping to warm up we took a brisk walk from the station down do the sea.  Hat shopping had to happen though - I'm acquiring a collection of hats this way.

Our first sight was of the Old Pier - in it's day it was incredibly popular. Between 1918 and 1919 more than 2 million visitors were recorded.  It was abandoned in 1975 and after two fires is now derelict but still iconic.

Walking along the beachfront I was strongly reminded of Durban - without the heat.  It has the same feel of a holiday seaside village - seagulls, amusement arcades, holidaymakers, candyfloss - lots of childhood memories.

Pebbled beach though - that's not cool!  Uncomfortable sun tanning to say the least.

And it appears, always a dedicated surfer ...

The Brighton Pier calls you - warmth, music, movement, delicious smells, laughter.

Judy made a new friend - meet Frank.

Fantastically colourful horses and calliope music.

We had a look around the casino, but it's not really our thing.

I suppose there are some foolish enough to try swimming off the pier, but not today, the water was not inviting in the least.

The view back to Brighton

Look up ...

White cliffs in the distance - with Dayne & Matt arriving soon and summer apparently arriving sometime, here's somewhere to explore.

Fresh doughnuts - the smell was irresistible!

Thinking that we would explore the lanes, until a squall of rain blew in off the sea,  instead it was find a bus quickly and have some more reasons to come back and explore.

Then it was time to head back.  Thanks for the great weekend Judy.