Birling Gap at Sunset

Birling Gap from the beach at medium tide. 

Sunset time.

A Walk: from Seaford to the Cuckmere Estuary

 Seaford Bay view from the top of the cliffs

 

 Seaford Head

 

 Coastguard Cottages

                                                                  

                                                                The Seven Sisters

Walking from Seaford to the Cuckmer River Estuary through the Seaford Head Nature Reserve, in glorious weather.
The Reserve is located at the eastern end of Seaford, spanning from Seaford Head over to Cuckmere Valley and inland with the Cuckmere River. The Reserve is jointly owned by Seaford Town Council, the National Trust and East Sussex County Council.
Seaford Head is classed as a Nature Reserve because it encompasses so many valuable conservation habitats. It stands on one side of one of the last remaining undeveloped river mouths on the South Coast: the Cuckmere Estuary. It is home to many  rare and significant species of plants, birds and insects, providing visitors with walks with stunning views of the Seven Sisters Cliffs and the Cuckmere River Valley.  
http://www.seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk/Seaford-Head-Nature-Reserve.aspx

The Pinnacle

                                                 The Pinnacle, Holywell

Falling Sands

Falling Sands with  Beachy Head Lighthouse in view

Thunderstorm

Thunderstorm seen from the top of the cliffs.

Cliffs are falling down

Tidal surges and storms are battering the coast. The Cliff face is the ultimate canvas for Mother Nature. Omnia mutant.

Dusk at sea

 

                             Dusk at Sea

By Thomas S. Jones

1882-1932

---

To-night eternity alone is near:
         The sea, the sunset, and the darkening blue;
Within their shelter is no space for fear,
         Only the wonder that such things are true.

The thought of you is like the dusk at sea --
         Space and wide freedom and old shores left far,
The shelter of a lone immensity
         Sealed by the sunset and the evening star.

I won't let the sun go down on me

Walking on the cliffs

Beachy Head Lighthouse - Winter

The Beachy Head lighthouse  became operational in October 1902. For more than 80 years, the red-and-white striped tower was manned by three lighthouse keepers. Their job was to maintain the light, which rotates, making two white flashes every 20 seconds. It was then visible 26 miles (42 km) out to sea. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1983 and the keepers withdrawn.
In June 2010, Trinity House announced in the five yearly "Aids To Navigation Review" that the light range would be reduced to 8 nmi (15 km) and the fog signal discontinued. In February 2011, the work was undertaken and light range reduced by the installation of a new LED navigation light system. The fog signal was discontinued at this time.
In 2011 Trinity House announced that it could no longer afford to repaint the distinctive red and white stripes and that it would have to be left to return to its natural granite grey. It stated that because boats now have high tech navigational systems the day marker stripes are no longer essential. However, a sponsored campaign to keep the stripes was launched in October 2011. The required £27,000 was raised, and the tower will be repainted in the spring of 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beachy_Head#Lighthouses 

Belle Tout

 

The Belle Tout Lighthouse was built in 1832 and decommissioned in 1902. It has been a tea-shop, a home ; part-destroyed during the second world war, was lovingly rebuilt in the 50's. In 1986, the BBC purchased the lease to Belle Tout for the filming of mini-series The Life and Loves of a She-Devil and a year later it featured in the James Bond film The living Daylights.
By 1999 the erosion of the cliffs was threatening the foundations of the building and drastic steps had to be taken to stop it from falling into the sea. On 17 March 1999 in a remarkable feat of engineering work the Belle Tout was moved 17 metres (56 ft) away from the cliff face. The 850-ton lighthouse was moved using a pioneering system of hydraulic jacks which pushed the building along four steel-topped concrete beams that were constantly lubricated with grease. The site should now be safe for many years and has been designed to enable further moves as and when they are required.
It is currently a luxury hotel.

A cloudy,windy Birling Gap

In the last one sad signs of cliff erosion