Friday 1 December 2017

Exploring the South Downs on my Birthday

One of the 'perks' of being a self-employed instrumental teacher, married to an engineer at Land Rover, is that we're no longer tied to school holidays.  This means that we can celebrate my end of November birthday with short breaks in areas that are completely new to us.
 
This year we decided to explore the area where the South Downs meet the sea.. the gorgeous Seven Sisters National Park and Beachy Head Estate.  We stayed at the lovely Tiger Inn in East Dean.  (Our bedroom was the window at the right hand corner of the building).  It's a 'walker's pub' rather than 'boutique' style and we enjoyed every minute.
 
 
We walked for miles along the coast... towards Beachy Head..

 
Then back to the National Trust Tea-rooms at Birling Gap.... and on over the Seven Sisters..

 
The views in-land were equally lovely...

 
On the second day part of our walk took us through Friston Forest and down the even more gorgeous village of West Dean..

 
Before heading out to the coast again at Cuckmere Haven,..

 
The 51st (GRRR!) birthday shot!!!

 
It's an awkward journey from Worcester to this part of the south coast.  It took us almost five hours on Friday afternoon.  Nevertheless it's definitely somewhere that we'd re-visit.  The walking was fabulous and the pub (which was a lucky internet find) was just what we wanted.
 
On the way home we picked up Thomas's ashes from the vets.  For those of you who believe in such things... you won't be surprised to read that he's a very active spirit at the moment.  I've heard him eating biscuits in the kitchen and 'agitating' a metal handle on the cabinet in the dining room.  He still shares the sofa with us (there's a cold patch) and pinches Mark's spot when he stands up.  (The first time it happened, we laughed because Mark sat down, looked slightly puzzled, then said "I think I've sat on Thomas").  This morning I heard him meowing and felt him jump on the bed.  To be honest, it feels like we still have a cat at the moment.  I'm sure that it will calm down eventually....
 
I can't believe that it's the 1st December.
Where has 2017 gone??????
Jx


7 comments:

  1. It looks amazing, we've just fine north Wales and Scotland, oh and north Yorkshire. So I think we may do that area next spring.

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  2. What a lovely area, somewhere I don't know at all. I'm so sorry to read about Thomas, I know he's been having health issues for a while but it's so hard to let them go, isn't it? Sending lots of hugs. xx

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  3. Oh my!!! That CLIFF view!!! Nice to hearfrom you Jan. Thanks for the nice comment and the understanding of a fellow music teacher, even though you are now not doing the big school thing! This year, I have TWO KS2 productions as we are too big for one. I have been rehearsing the KS1 song as well as the orchestra pieces for the concert and a choir concert with an adult choir next Saturday we have been asked to do plus all the other bits and pieces. I do love it though!
    Wishing you a belated happy birthday. That is lovely that Thomas is still making his presence felt!x

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  4. A belated Happy Birthday & lovely way to spend it away on the South Downs. Take care & huggles.

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  5. Belated birthday greetings. Your short break looks wonderful, it is an area I've never visited or explored and it looks wonderful, I'm glad you were able to get away for a while:)

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  6. I'm glad you celebrated your birthday by taking a short break away in what looks like a lovely area. It's always nice to explore somewhere new and find a place to stay that's a success. Take care. Have a peaceful week both of you.

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  7. Belated birthday hugs.

    Of course Thomas is still around. When our Beardie died in 2009 it was some weeks before he left me completely. I regularly heard him wander into a room just to see where I was, one morning I could smell him behind me and it was a physical shock to turn round and NOT see him. And like Thomas, I heard him moving around.

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