Another South Downs painting

At the top of Kingston Ridge near Lewes, Sussex 

The unpredictable days of March bring everything from sunshine to hail . As a fairweather person It makes it hard to plan a walk . I needed a plan B so I decided to paint a view from one of my favourite places . I need no excuses for another South Downs painting, in fact it turns out to be my  114th ! Oh my goodness , I didn't expect that ! .  

Kingston Ridge is situated just South West of Lewes in Sussex and is on the South Downs Way . It's quite a steep climb up there but it's well worth it as the views are amazing !  I have vowed to walk there every year until my knees won't let me . 

Views over the Ouse valley from Kingston Ridge 

 In late Spring the  Hawthorn blossom looks beautiful with views over the Ouse Valley towards Mt. Caburn and Firle Beacon 

Hawthorn blossom on the South Downs 

 There are two  chalk tracks that lead up to the top, this is one of them .

 Each is as picturesque as the other .

Chalk track on Kingston Ridge 

 There is also a narrow path just to the south which is very steep in places . These days I prefer to go down it rather than up !  It's so very pretty , grassy banks filled with flowers and butterflies dancing on the breeze .

Wild flowers on the grassy bank by the footpath 

 On one occasion I sat for ages watching a Kestrel hover and fly around me , it was a perfect day .

Heading down the path towads Kingston 

There's a stile half way down which has fabulous views over Kingston village, Ashcombe windmill and Lewes in the far distance . A pefect composition for a painting and a lovely memory for me :) 

                                                      "Down from the Ridge " 

                                                          Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18"  

Painting the South Downs at Kingston 

 

  Some close ups of the painting 

At the bottom of the hill the path leads onto a lane which takes you past the pretty flint  Church with it's Sussex tapsel gate  

The tapsel gate at Kingston chuch 

                                       and The Juggs .....for a well deserved pint ! 

The Juggs at Kingston 

 

It's now late August and once again it's been a Summer of rain or being just too hot  .  I've spent the past few weeks weather watching and dashing out in the good spells . A bit like one of those little women in the weather houses where they come out on the sunny days !    ha ha ha! 

 

  

 

This Summer has been a mixture of good walks and just visiting places that I've not been to . It's been an interesting few months of discovering little bits of Sussex that I didn't know existed .

 

I do however  have a couple of favourite walks that I try and do each year , one of them is up to Mount Caburn on the outskirts of Lewes .

On my way there I  noticed that the wild flowers were starting to fade along the roadsides so I didn't expect to see many on my walk ......I was so very wrong!  

As I entered through the gate into Southerham nature reserve I was greeted by a sea of colour overlooking the South Downs. So many flowers swaying in the warm breeze that seemed to go on forever!  It looked stunning ! 

My path through Southerham nature reserve

I walked very slowly through the fields  just mesmerised by the beautiful scenery around me ! 

 

 

On the other side of these fields I was greeted by splendid views  over the Sussex Weald.

 I continued my walk to Mount Caburn where I stopped for a while to watch the Exmoor ponies that were grazing in the fields . Then after stopping for lunch at the top I made my way back through more fields of flowers . 

Views of Mount Caburn, Lewes 

 It was  wonderful weather and the most delightful walk , It turned out to be a perfect day !

 

The only thing left for me to do was to capture it on canvas and paint one of my favourite views of the day . 

 

"The Scented Seas of Summer" 

Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" 

"The Scented Seas of Summer" Acrylic painting on canvas

My next walk took me to Firle beacon which gave me views north over the Sussex weald and south towards the sea. For painting inspiration I was rather spoilt for choice! 

Views from Firle beacon

I have walked here many times but today I wanted to spend some time exploring the access land.  

I started at the car park, making my way through the cows that didn't seem to be bothered about anything much, they were just chilling out in the sunshine.

Then as I approached the beacon I spotted a Kestrel . I sat and watched it hover in the air for what seemed like ages before it swooped off down into the long grass way below . It's moments like this that I love about the South downs.

Reaching  the access land I discovered just how steep it was . It wasn't an easy walk but the views made it all worth while. In fact it was so steep that I had to hold on to tufts of grass to help me climb back up ! The older I get the steeper the hills get !  😂😆

I was glad to reach the gate at the top of the path . It's obviously not walked very often as I then had to beat my way through overgrown Gorse bushes and Stining nettles . I felt like the Indiana Jones of Sussex ! Ha ha!
It was all good though and my walk down to Firle was edged with beautiful Orchids .

I have several views to paint from this walk,  but I thought the first would have to be the stile that I struggled to get back from . It just  seemed to perfectly  capture my day .

                                                "The Path Less Trodden"

Painting of the view from Firle beacon . Acrylic on canvas

 

 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

Summer painting and The South Downs

 Summer has now sadly drawn to a close. It's been a strange one this year with so much uncertainty with the Covid virus still around. 

I wasn't able to get out very often so I had to make sure that I made the most of my walks and choose the places that I thought would be best for painting and give me a variety of views. This I decided would be The South Downs.

In the height of Summer I headed off  to Beddingham and Firle. It was a hot sunny day. The paths were filled with wild flowers and butterflies and the fields full of golden crops and sheep grazing at their leisure. Perfect!

I knew it would be busy on the South Downs Way  at Firle beacon so I walked up Beddingham Hill and set off  south towards Newhaven . I was greeted with stunning views towards the sea . From there I headed back north to Firle beacon .  I really couldn't have made a better choice for a walk !

Beddingham to Firle walk

It was an inspiring day and I returned home with plenty of wonderful views to paint ...

                                          "Downland to the Sea"

                                        "Golden to the Sea"

                                          "Summer Heights"

I am very happy to say that they have all found new homes.

                                                               ****************

My second main walk took to to Ditchling beacon and along to the windmills at Clayton  . The Summer was gradually fading away and the colours were more muted. I love this time of year as the Hawthorn bushes are ablaze with red berries like beacons on the slopes . 

Ditchling beacon to Clayton 

Once again it was a wonderful walk with stunning views over The South Downs and the Sussex Weald . I'm still happily painting and holding on to the memories of Summer for as long as I can ! 

                                                       

The South Downs above Rodmell

The Bluebells faded away and the countryside turned to lush greens and brilliant whites . New crops  growing in the fields, Cow parsley along the verges and Hawthorn blossom adorned the trees .
The sun came out and it was a perfect day for a walk over the Downs .
My path took me from Rodmell , past Telscombe and to the sea at Saltdean.
It was a lovely walk with amazing views !

Views from my walk from Rodmell to Saltdean

On my way I passed the vineyard at Breaky Bottom . It sits nestled among the patchwork fields that curve and slope around it . A perfect composition to paint !
                                        "Blossom over Breaky Bottom" 
                                  

"Blossom over Breaky Bottom" Acrylic on canvas

Arriving at the coast I was greeted by the colourful flowers that grow wild along the cliff tops at Saltdean . Thay made a vivid contrast against the white chalk and sea views.
                                                      "Wild by the sea" 

Painting the wildflowers on the cliffs at Saltdean

"Where the kestrel flies"

Kestrel on the South Downs near Rodmell

I was walking over the South Downs from Rodmell to Telscombe when I saw a kestrel sitting on a gatepost just ahead of me.
The sloping landscape was a lush green and barley crops swayed in the breeze.
I was as close to the sky as I could possibly be !

The South Downs between Rodmell and Telscombe

                                "High on the hills,
                                    below Summer skies.
                                 Wild is the path,
                                    where the Kestrel flies" 

           

Painting of a kestrel over the South Downs near Rodmell

 "Where the kestrel flies" Acrylic on canvas 24"x 18"

Painting the Sussex landscape in Spring

Bo peep on the South Downs

There is nothing brighter or more colourful than the yellow Rapeseed fields in full bloom!
My travels took me up on top of The South Downs at Bo Peep near Alciston in East Sussex.
As you can see the views were stunning.....

I've wanted to paint this view since we went to the Firle Hill Climb last September http://paula-paintmyworld.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Firle+hill+climb#.WPIRJKK1s1k
But now the views are even better and a perfect composition to paint. It was hard going at times but I persevered and got there in the end!

                                               "Springtime Sussex"
                                    Acrylic on canvas 24"x 18"

Painting of the view over Sussex from the South Downs at Bo Peep

 

Painting "On the slopes of Cissbury Ring" Steyning, West Sussex

Cissbury Ring

Spring has almost arrived! Yay! Blue skies and sunshine days are on their way!
My recent explorations took me over the border into West Sussex , to the picturesque village of Steyning. A place full of interesting  architecture topped off with the old Horsham stone rooftops.

Steyning , West Sussex 

My sister and I had a quick wander around the shops before heading off to the heights of the South Downs at Steyning Bowl, where the South Downs Way runs along the roadside.
 The weather made it a perfect Spring day and the views went on forever!

Views from Steyning Bowl

To the west lies the iron age fort of Cissbury Ring . Woodland slopes merge into a patchwork of patterned fields and grazing cattle and sheep.
I was fascinated  just watching the farmer plough the earth whilst being besieged by flocks of seagulls in search of an easy meal !

Seagulls flock around the plough

The view was captivating, it was so very typical of the Sussex downland . A perfect picture to paint! ...
                                              "On the slopes of Cissbury Ring"
                                     Acrylic painting on canvas 24"x 18" 

"On the slopes of Cissbury Ring" Acrylic on canvas  

For more views of this painting please visit my gallery  https://www.artfinder.com/product/on-the-slopes-of-cissbury-ring/