Things you might see on a walk in the country #1 ...

Now, let us be a little more cheerful.

St. Anley is temporarily disabled from riding his bicycle, owing to inability to operate the rear brake with his left hand.
So he has taken up the daily habit of exploring the countryside in the vicinity of his new home on foot.

His home is on a new development on which building is still in progress.
There has been some vandalism ...

Closer inspection behind damaged gate reveals squatters ...

They look rather nice people.

Only a few hundred yards southwards there is access to the countryside through a kissing gate ...

Regrettably, St. Anley is alone.

In an open space two rabbits take cover ...



You can just see their tales.

Emerging from the copse St A exults and praises the Almighty as he encounters a golden field of barley ... 

Cue now for the late Eva Cassidy ...

 

 

 

Then there's more wildlife ...

 

 

A Tortoiseshell?

From little acorns do mighty oaks grow ...

Following the outflow of Ham Brook, St. A arrives at the shore of an inlet of Chichester Harbour (AONB) ...



Reed beds.

A little farther on he discovers a seemingly abandoned bicycle ...

It doesn't look in too bad a condition.
Just needs a little lubrication.
I'd prefer the saddle a tad higher.

 Then ... disaster ...

This way?
That way?
Which way?

St Anley endeavours to take more photos but his camera battery is exhausted.
He will have to do it all again tomorrow to continue this illustrated guide.
It shall be done before he goes to the hospital to have those stitches removed.

A serious social comment follows ...

It is noticeable that, during his off-road promenade, St. Anley met only a few people and several dogs.
They all wished him a good morning or said, "Hello," with cheerful smiles.
(I mean the people, of course. One dog growled intimidatingly!)
Courteous pleasantries were exchanged about the weather, the beauty of our surroundings and our good fortune to live near such an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The walk home, (not here illustrated,) involved walking just a few hundred yards along a main road where there was noisy, polluting traffic.
There were many people, and a dog or three.
None of them bore smiles, nor offered pleasant greetings.
(Not even a menacing whimper was forthcoming from the Jack-Russell!)
So I hopped over a stile back on to less-trodden paths where the people you meet are cheerful and sociable ...

and there's dog poo!

 



To be continued ...