Monday September 21st, 2009; approx 3 flat miles (Map OS Explorer 123)
I've been missing the downs like mad! A couple of hours gentle stroll combined with a spot of birding was needed with my mate Gail (another Monday slacker).
We parked at BoPeep car park, which is on top of the Downs above BoPeep farm and quarry. It is reached by turning N off the A27 near the village of Selmeston, which is a few miles NW of Alfriston in East Sussex.
We opted for a simple out and back along a bridleway SW and then S from the carpark. This path takes in open downland with great views of the sea and well as an old trackway with hedgerow and scrub the lovely views into the downland bottom below. The sky was almost clear of cloud with a bit of a S/SW breeze. The light was lovely, long shadows and a slight golden tint as the afternoon lengthened.
We saw a few wheatears not far from th car park, probably waiting for a more favourable wind direction for thier channel crossing. Swallows and housemartins were on their way south as well, flitting over the grass, eeding themselves up for the jorney ahead. A kestrel out hunting, a buzzard being mobbed by crows, and lots of long-tailed tits also contributed to a lovely afternoon, as did some lovely small but delicious blackberries.