Sussex Scrapbook ~ Nature walks throughout the year

Saturday 13^th March 2010
Seven Sisters Sheep Centre - Belle tout Lighthouse - Sarcen Stone - Crowlink - East Dean - Sheep Centre
5.4 miles
Start point: TV557 970
OS Landranger map 199 - Eastbourne and Hastings

We know we may seem a little sad but we have to confess to being completely potty about sheep: we love 'em! The Sussex landscapes that we're so passionate about are nearly all maintained by the constant grazing of these loveable, docile grass-munchers, without whom we would live in a very different looking place. For thousands of years they've been here in the fields, quietly doing their thing while human civilisation has gone through wars and strife, turmoil and unrest. Theirs are the woolly faces of unchanging, peaceful, geological time - patiently watching and waiting until that fateful day when all of the monkeys have gone and it's their time to rule the Earth and wreak revenge... Who knows?
After spending more than two hours with the happy sheep we felt very relaxed ourselves, so we slipped off for a short walk down to the Belle tout Lighthouse, through Birling Gap and out and over three of the sisters as far as the Sarcen Stone. The tide was fully out and along the cliffs we were treated to squadrons of Fulmars soaring around like spitfires. We then headed back inland to East Dean via Crowlink and Friston church. When we got back to the sheep centre we found that we'd just missed a Southdown sheep called Moll giving birth. Moll had been bleating at us in a friendly way just before we'd left for our walk, but like the chumps we are we hadn't recognised it as an imminent birth.

Ah!

Aaah

Aaaaaah!

Multiple species of expectant mothers...

 
Feeding the new lambs

A library of different wools for spinning.

Unfortunately an all too familiar and avoidable occurrence.

Birling Gap, Belle tout and a Fulmar seen from the Seven Sisters.

The cliffs are subject to erosion due to the sea undercutting them. Here you can see a large section of the cliffs has recently fallen.
The debris will protect that section of cliff from the sea for about 9 years.

Heavy rain and freeze/thaw weathering add to the cliffs woes. Here's Gill standing next to a bit that's nearly ready to fall.

Moll and her new lamb Martha