Seaford, Seven Sisters, fog and friends

The plan today was to meet up with old friends from Newton Longville, where we - and they - used to live. First we drove through Newhaven and Seaford to Birling Gap, where there are access steps to the beach beside the Seven Sisters, a seven-crested line of chalk cliffs.

This is the view from the top of the steps. As you can see, we're still plagued by fog.

The chalk cliffs are impressive, though. There's just so much chalk! And flint. That's me in the centre of the picture, by the way, standing at the foot off the cliff to give some idea of scale.

After scrambling around on the chalk and flint for a while, we went back up the steps and walked along the top of the cliffs. There we met several birders intent on spotting a Siberian stonechat. No-one we spoke to had seen it. Later I kicked myself for not having photographed them with all their camouflaged telescopes and tripods, but just before driving away I spotted one. No, not a Siberian stonechat - I wouldn't know one of them if it had a full conversation with me - but a birder.

He looked this way...

... and that...

... before walking off.

So then it was back to Seaford, stopping this time to see John and Adrea for the first time in many years. They are also boaters, owning a narrowboat propelled by a very unusual method. Can you guess what it is?

Here we all are, at South Hill, Seaford.

John and Adrea took us on a tour of some local viewpoints with superb views. We believed them about the views, but struggled to see them in the fog!

The old meanders of the Cuckmere river were just about visible, though.

Thank you John and Adrea for the tour, the meal and the boating chat.