Play Misty For Me: Walking and Some More...

After quite a while not walking across Hastings Country Park, for many reasons, I ventured across to Fairlight and back early(ish) yesterday morning, and you've got it! It was a wee bit misty... I walked along the seafront to the East Hill, stopping for a chat with Paul (the street cleaner), always a great chat, then up the 200-odd steps of the East Hill; looking back in the photograph above, and mist...

I crossed the East Hill to Barley Lane, for a while walking along with, and chatting to, one of my new friends I made in the first lockdown, he mentioned he hadn't seen me for a while, and I left him to get into his car in Barley Lane, whilst I carried on eastwards until I was above Fairlight Glen, which I walked down into, and back up out of (above), and, yes, it was still misty...

I then walked across to, and down into, and back out of, Warren Glen, across the top and into the larger of the old Fairlight sand quarries, where I spotted this new information board, maybe someone had read my blog last year, certainly this information could have been shared long ago, better late than never. 😉 Interestingly, there are not just new information boards around, another at the new visitors' centre at Fairlight, Bale House (blog), but quite a few new direction signs too.

And some bullocks have turned up during my absence (above, just down from the information centre), this in addition to the usual 6 Belted Galloway, which can just be seen in the photograph below, way down across Warren Glen, honest!

Warren Glen, still misty!

And walking back, to my right, is this field (above) with wild flowers, including sunflowers, it will likely have a crop planted next year, and still misty! Oh yes, and I collected sufficient sloe berries for this year's vintage sloe gin...

And from Fairlight to St Leonards, indeed, even as far to the north as Westfield, the weekend just gone, and next weekend 11th and 12th September, there are the Coastal Currents Arts Festival Open Studios (website), keep your eyes open too! Examples...

I'm sure I wanted to say something else too, I'll likely remember by tomorrow, cheers!

Oh yes, the West Hill Lift is working again! 😀

Artists, Hastings & Hastings Country Park

I have written before about 19th century artists coming to Hastings and its environs to admire the scenery and to paint, particularly 6 years ago when I wrote a blog about Watercolourists, notably J.M.W. Turner, and a blog about the Pre-Raphaelites. Well, I reminded myself many times whilst walking across Hastings Country Park for my exercise during the COVID-19 Crisis and observing this view down Warren Glen, and particularly when filming this video whilst looking down the glen and admiring the cattle.

One of the founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, William Holman Hunt, came to Hastings a number of times, particularly in 1852 to carry out a commission, Our English Coasts, a visit during which he was accompanied by Edward Lear, who requested tutoring, and when they stayed at Clive Vale Farm, which no longer exists. This is discussed in my earlier blog, as is Hunt's painting of the daughter of a local labourer, The Schoolgirl's Hymn. Hunt and Lear were joined by Millais for some of that time, and Hunt was accompanied by Millais again during a later visit in 1858 where they stayed at Fairlight Lodge, when he worked on Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea (above) which he had originally started during the first visit 6 years previously, and The Schoolgirl's Hymn, which was completed in 1859. 

You will notice that the first photograph above is from slightly below the view from where Holman Hunt worked on Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea, but this field now is more likely to have either Exmoor Ponies or Belted Galloway Cattle in it, rather than sheep. Also, the dog in the painting was added later I believe, and is likely a black spaniel, but it was suggested in correspondence with Dante Gabriel Rossetti that it was based on the Clive Vale farmer's Newfoundland dog that Hunt met during the 1852 visit.

The fun they had... 😉 and it is a great view, enjoy!

Hastings Country Park Exercise & Vandalism Gripes!

Out for my daily exercise earlier, walking across Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve (website) and it was a wee bit misty, even more so 30 minutes before I took this photograph. But the 4 Belted Galloway Cattle were up at the top of the Warren Glen field as I was on my way walking back home, and I couldn't resist taking this, my favourite photograph of the year so far... But earlier, I was upset a tad! 

So what upset me, and made me a tad angry? Apparent ignorance of The Countryside Code (Government website) for a start! Well, first, the amount of dog poo being left on pathways by dog owners has certainly increased since the first lockdown commenced, and a friend who lives at Fairlight regularly highlights this problem to me. The Countryside Code states that dog owners should "always clean up after your dog and get rid of the mess responsibly - 'bag it and bin it'." 

Secondly, this gate (above) has had its latch replaced many many times over the last 10 months, I noticed there was a new latch when I was there on Friday, but it's gone again today, so, I'm presuming that, over the weekend, a COVID vandal has, once again, struck! Because the whole latch hasn't been nicked, just a part of it removed, it's the only reason we can think of that every time it is replaced, it gets damaged or removed, a paranoid individual must be at fault. Now, as a Hastings resident and COUNCIL TAX payer, I am very resentful that I, and other Hastings residents, are paying for the replacements that this bampot is removing!

The Countryside Code states that you should "Leave gates and property as you find them" - NOT vandalize them! If the individual, I'm guessing it's just one person, surely there can't be more bampots like him/her out there, is that paranoid about the COVID-19 Crisis then stay at home! Or if you want to take advantage walking in our wonderful local countryside park, and who could blame you for wanting that, then bring rubber gloves or sanitizer with you, please do NOT vandalize our country park! There are reasons for gates being open or closed in the countryside, read The Countryside Code (website) and please stop wasting our council tax payments!

Remember, respect other people and the countryside, many thanks. 👍

I shall now relax... 😉

Daily Walks & Hastings Proud Record Regarding COVID-19

Not much has happened, to me anyway, since Lockdown Mark 2 began... I've walked quite a bit over my first lockdown regular route across Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve, and not been inside a pub. 😒 But I have seen a few people I know/have as new friends because of my first lockdown wandering (mostly dog walkers), and been beeped by passing vehicles with drivers I know (not just because I stepped into the road in front of them 😉). Anyway, yesterday was a lovely day to walk, even if a bit misty, for example, the photograph looking back westwards above.

At Fairlight and looking back across Warren Glen (above), still a wee bit misty but it was a lovely bright day yesterday... But, before I go on about walking, I shan't keep you in suspense about the COVID-19 incidence in Hastings. I shall link you to SussexLive, which tells us that Hastings has the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in England and Wales, if not quite in the UK, apparently the incidence in the Scottish Highlands is lower. Anyway, I have regularly reported about the low incidence in Hastings, which SussexLive tells us is now the equivalent of 31.3 cases per 100,000, compared to the average of 167 per 100,000 in England (BBC). Obviously it's healthy in Hastings! 👍

So, back to my walking, but to my equivalent walk today, and I took this photograph from the steps up the East Hill of one of the catamarans coming in to land at about 07.20, again, a wee bit misty, but not so bad really, and great to see the fishing fleet still going out, about 5 fishing boats were missing from the beach as far as I could see...

I walked over to Fairlight again, pleased to hear quite a bit of chatter among the birds accompanying me, particularly Robin song, where it was a bit more misty than back in Hastings town (Warren Glen above), and I thought I'd share a comparative image:

One of the original 19th century Pre-Raphaelite artists, William Holman Hunt painted Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea (immediately above) looking down from about 20-30 yards to the right of where I took the photograph of Warren Glen (above) this morning. This painting is now in the private collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber; if you want to read about other links between the Pre-Raphaelites and Hastings, please go to this blog which I wrote a few years ago and, believe me, there are many connections!

Back in Hastings, and it is certainly quieter than usual, as you'd expect, but nowhere near as quiet as during the first lockdown, and certainly more traffic on the roads.

Anyway, please stay safe folks, mind your social distancing, wear face coverings where required, and wash hands regularly, very important... Look after yourselves!

 

Visitors' Centre & Pier Updates, Plus...

This is how the new footpath by the developing Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve visitors' centre at Fairlight looks. I was suprised it doesn't seem very level...

And Hastings Pier? Never seems to be open, presuming they're waiting for the Winter Wonderland in November! Sad times...

Anyway, I had a nice walk to Fairlight and back this morning (Warren Glen above), and the weather has improved since then, nice one, trust everyone has had a nice day!?!

I'm back & walking across Hastings Country Park again!

Warren Glen

Yes, I am back, after visiting family following my looking after their cats and house whilst they enjoyed themselves across the country in Cornwall... Hadn't seen my sister-in-law and youngest niece since February, my brother since just before the 'lockdown' in March, and still haven't seen his eldest daughter since last year... It was well worth the visit though, and I nearly feel like a normal human being again, and this morning I walked out to Fairlight and back, slightly happier...

Sunday Ramble, and revised public loos opening times...

As I mentioned an update about the public toilets opening times I thought I'd get it out of the way first, meaning you don't have to read through my rambling to get there. On my way back from my daily exercise/walk I met up with Judy who informed me that the public toilets at the Stade and those at the Pelham Beach car park, are now open from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm daily, or from 09.00 to 22.00 in 24 hour-clock-speak.

Above is the wee stream that descends Warren Glen, this morning at about 06.35, now I think it's quite cute, and the lighting wasn't too bad, considering, however... 

Before I reached Warren Glen I had a very quiet start to the morning, I saw a couple of lads from a distance in the town centre soon after leaving home, I think they were either acting suspiciously at 05.20 in the morning, or they feel the cold! They both had hoods up, it looked like from jackets, but they were a way away, so they could have had hoodies up plus jackets on top, anyway folks, was this suspicious, do you think, or are modern day youths just that soft? I'm wearing a polo shirt at the time... 😉 

Oh, and I didn't see anyone else until I got up to Barley Lane, when I think it was Neil and his wife walking along in front of me, at pretty much the same speed as me, so I didn't catch up with them before I turned off right, and down into Fairlight Glen, where I actually met someone for the first time. It was about 8 someones actually, all aged somewhere between nappies and 18, probably about 15/16 years of age, give or take, but acting closer to 12. I was nice and friendly, as I always am, said 'hello' and smiled, all I got back was some strange animal noises from one or two of them, giggles, and a shouted "BALDY!" Now, they'd probably been out all night, I couldn't smell alcohol, so I'm guessing they'd been sniffing gas (which I have mentioned in a blog before), seems to be the drug of choice for youngsters these days, and the only reason I can imagine for 8 young lads to be spending the night 'out in the country' together...

This (above photograph of pony and Warren Glen) is after I had passed the posse, and walked back over into Warren Glen, took the photograph of the stream, carried on up to Firehills and the far eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, then walked back to above Warren Glen, where I had a wee chat, more sensible discourse this time, with the 6 ponies (the other 5 are to our left/the east of the photograph). 

But I had been walking along, musing about my own teens, and how I had never taken drugs (a big NO NO for my parents, and for me, fortunately), but had enjoyed the similar benefits of testosterone and adrenaline, played football most of the time, or watched football, or tried to 'get off' with girls, sometimes did, sometimes got into fights (another big NO NO for my parents was carrying a knife, so I never did, fortunately, my mum always said that if you carry a weapon and get in a fix, you'd use it, she was most likely correct there, indeed, my brothers and I weren't even allowed one of those wee little penknives!). Oh yes, and we used to go to clubs to meet girls, drinking in a pub beforehand, or to parties with alcohol (usually a large bottle of cider or a Party Seven), and like all youngsters, we knew which pubs we could get away with drinking in whilst underage... But where did those 50 years go?!?

Thank you for bearing with my rambling, it was pretty quiet for birds this morning, but I shall be writing my latest 'Bird Blog' very soon, anyway, cheers folks and be careful!

And I didn't even mention Led Zeppelin (youtube) 😉

My Daily Walk Today - Just a few photographs

Firehills

My daily exercise/walk earlier today and another stroll to the far eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve and back, as I said, just a few photographs...

Looking across Warren Glen 

Not such good light as the previous photograph, but looking down into Fairlight Glen.

Another Weekend & More Open!

Good to see The Albion, 33 George Street (and opposite the Minigolf) TN34 3EA, back open again (facebook). As with Guidance, seating throughout and table service only for now. The large Scottish Bar, George Street side, is now used solely as a restaurant, and in the Seafront Bar and the outside area you may sit and just enjoy a few drinks, or eat there as well of course; tables can be booked at their website.

The Jolly Fisherman, 3 East Beach Street TN34 3AR (website) is now open for takeaway drinks, Thursday 6-8pm, Friday/Saturday 3-7pm, Sunday 1-5pm, plus they are now making deliveries on Thursday afternoons. They are open for table service too, Thursday to Sunday I believe, but you need to book a table, their website tells you how.

The Ferris Wheel has been in action for a while, and Flamingo Park (facebook), East Beach Street (opposite the Jolly Fisherman) has reopened too. It looks like all the amusement arcades are open as well, and the children's playground in-between Hastings Adventure Golf and the beach is open again, and not to forget the minigolf has been going for a few weeks now, so a bit more for children to do again!

Hastings Pier, 1-10 White Rock TN34 1JY, is open again (apologies for older photograph, but I've not visited for a while now, but I do need to get there very soon, maybe this weekend!) and under new management; the structure is still owned by the dodgy bloke from Eastbourne, however, the business is apparently now run by an operating consortium led by James & Mustapha/Music First (facebook), and very friendly to all locals again! Also, there is now a HUGE beer garden area, or Bier Garden (what they call it), and open air live music... I have to visit!

And am I still maintaining my daily walking exercise? Well most days anyway, this was a photograph I took from Fairlight this morning, looking back across Warren Glen.

Whatever you do, have a good weekend, but remember to maintain social distancing etc, as it's not over yet, be careful folks!