Well, Spring became one very muddy walk after another and seemed to go on forever ! The Bluebell season came and went giving a much needed display of colour.

As the weather started to improve  I decided I would start exploring some of the higher paths. My first being a walk up Wolstonbury Hill. The cowslips adorned the slopes and the views were amazing . It was a raher slow walk though, the climb is very steep and not for the faint hearted ! 

Wolstonbury Hill

I made it  ! 

 

On top of Wolstonbury Hill

 Then, everything turned white. The Cow Parsley rose and  flowered and the Hawthorn trees surpassed themselves with more blossom than I've ever seen .  The South Downs were transformed into a superb landscape of lush greens and fresh white blossom. 

Under blue skies and sunshine I explored some paths around Sompting and Sullington in West Sussex ....it was all rather wonderful :) 

 Sompting , Sussex

It was the view towards Cissbury Ring that really caught my eye and became my next painting ....

                                 "May Days and Chalk Ways "  Acrylic on canvas 24" x 20" 

Painting of the South Downs , Sompting, West Sussex

"Tracks to Blackcap"

"Blackcap" on the South Downs near Lewes, Sussex

The recent bleak weather meant that I hadn't been out walking for a while and although I don't mind staying in I finially reached a point where I just needed to escape outside.
Setting off from the outskirts of Lewes I headed west over the South Downs towards Blackcap.
It was a damp and foggy morning where the cloud covered slopes disappeared from view...

My path took me past the beacon at Mount Harry and on to the clump of trees at the top of Blackcap that were replanted to commemorate the coronation of queen Elizabeth in 1953.

Blackcap

At this point the sun started to break through so I decided to head on a little further onto
The South Downs Way . I had 2 choices, South towards Falmer or West towards Ditchling. I couldn't make up my mind so I walked a part way in each direction ....

The South Downs Way at Blackcap

The path ahead  towards Ditchling was very wet and didn't make for easy walking. I made slow progress, but looking back towards Blackcap I loved the way that the solid chalk track was patterned with a mixture of milky white puddles and cycle tracks . This I thought would be a good composition to paint :)
                                          "Tracks to Blackcap"

"Tracks to Blackcap" Acrylic painting 24"x18"

 https://www.artfinder.com/product/tracks-to-blackcap/

"Down to Cricketing Bottom" Telscombe/Southease

  Southease to Telscombe, Sussex

I put a lot of thought into where my walks will take me. Good clear sunny days are quite  rare and I need to make sure I get as many good photos as possible so that I can keep painting on the rainy days too.
I thought this time that I would follow a circular route from the village of Southease.
The first mile was along the banks of the river Ouse , a nice flat walk before heading uphill  through banks of wild flowers.

Southease, Sussex

Skirting around the edge of Peacehaven  the views west towards Beddingham were delightful and a perfect spot for a quick break and to make sure I wasn't getting sun burnt!

Approaching the edge of Peacehaven.

 Next I headed off towards the village of Telscombe, a pretty little village nestled among the South Downs, just a short walk from the sea. Here splashes of bright red poppies lit up the fields and a vast array of wild flowers lined my pathway . (Another story for another day) .
Then it was all down hill...thank goodness! It wasn't a long walk, perhaps 4-5 miles , but climbing steep hills in the Summer heat can be hard work!
There ahead of me was my next painting...
a gleaming chalk track heading into a valley called "Cricketing Bottom"  A fabulous view greeted me looking towards Mount Caburn and the Sussex Weald whilst the fields were filled with an assortment of wild flowers and butterflies.
 The perfect spot for lunch and inspiration before heading off along the valley back towards Southease
 
                                   "Down to Cricketing Bottom"
 

Painting of the South Downs at Southease, Sussex. Acrylic on canvas

 

"The Colours of May" Painting the countryside in the month of May

The month of May

Last week I took a lovely walk along the country lanes around our village in East Sussex. It was the first time I had been out for a couple of weeks and I was absolutely amazed by how much everything had grown!
The fields were a blaze of golden rapeseed crops that looked stunning, though I must confess that I can't stand the sickly smell of them!
The hedgerows at the moment are wonderful, as the bluebells fade away their place is taken by pretty Red Campions . Most striking of all though is the Cow Parsley, It's flowers seem to hover over the verges like a mist .
May has arrived in all it's glory!  I just had to get the paint brushes out.....

                                              "The Colours of May"
                                         Acrylic on canvas 

"The Colours of May"  Acrylic painting