April Awakens: Coastal Walks, Bluebell Woods, and Fields of Gold

April 2025 stirred the South East into life. From misty bluebell dawns in the High Weald to windswept beaches at Rye Harbour, the month was a patchwork of light, colour, and seasonal shift. I explored new paths and returned to familiar ones — chasing moonsets, scouting rapeseed fields, and tracking spring’s quiet arrival through garlic woods and river valleys. Here’s what I found, camera in hand.

Rye Harbour Beach Walk

April 2025 began with a spring walk along the coast at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. With the tide out and the light soft but clear, I followed the shoreline past weathered groynes, wide stretches of exposed sand, and the iconic Mary Stanford Lifeboat House. From there, the view opened out west to CliffEnd and the gentle rise of the high weald, then east toward Camber Sands, and the distant silhouette of Dungeness Power Station.

I filmed the walk entirely on mobile phone as part of my ongoing Suxxesphoto video series — you can watch the full video above.

Seaford Beach Moonset

Another attempt at aligning the full moon setting behind Newhaven lighthouse from Seaford beach just before sunrise. And another failure to do so.

The problem this time was trying to use the tripod to get a sharper image. Another problem was the movement of the moon and focusing. By the time I had moved the tripod and attempted to focus the moon had moved. I should have hand held without the 1.4 extended so had a min aperture of F/4 with the 1/400mm lens rather than F/8. For some extra stability could have used my monopod rather than a tripod, this is what I got the monopod for. Better still need to replace my setup with something more modern that has IBIS, great ISO performance and a 500mm lens at F2.8. Got a spare 15k?

High and Over Cuckmere Valley Sunrise

After Seaford stopped off at High and Over to check out the views and the sun rising over Wilmington Hill.

Here I was handholding the camera but for a sharper image could have used the tripod. Its a nice composition with the shape of the Cuckmere river curving below and the sunrise just clipping the hill. A small aperture ensured a sunburst effect. Later in the year would be better with the sunrise aligning further left with the river and peak of hill. Some mist in the valley would also improve the composition.

Crowhurst Combe Valley Way

Driving down the Combe Valley way Iv often noticed a countryside scene there near Crowhurst. This year they have planted rapeseed creating a sea of yellow. So decided to explore the area and try and get some photographs. Parking up near Crowhurst church, hiked to the general location.

Lots of individual elements of interest but getting them all to align up was the biggest challenge. The yellow of the rapeseed and blue sky make a nice colour harmony and is symbolic of the Ukraine flag. A lone tree though really anchors the scene but better if on the brow of the hill rather than below it.

Check out the youtube video above for a more dynamic experience bring the stills alive.

Telham Hill Battle Abbey View

After exploring the Combe Valley way used my car to scout out the countryside in the vicinity of Crowhurst. On Telham hill noticed another large rapeseed field so pulled over to check out the views.

Surprising there was a distant view of Battle Abbey. So back to the car to change lens to 1/400mm and the 1.4 extended giving me 560mm. The rapeseed blurred in the foreground adding an artistic effect. The morning sunlight just catching the stonework of the abbey.

Crowhurst Rapeseed.

Driving back an impressive view opened up along Crowhurst Road with rapeseed fields stretching out into the distance. Again, had to pull over and reach for the camera with the 24-105mm lens.

Really like the Pylon in this composition, Its not the focal point or the main subject but a strong visual anchor and adds to the scene not subtract from it. Would improve with a blue sky I think and some cumulus clouds floating pass casting dappled light below.

The great thing with these locations are they are close to where I live so not need to travel far to get in a good walk and come back with some keepers.

Mountfield Spring Wood Bluebells

Bluebell season was upon us and I needed to get out for a good walk having been stuck indoors all week. the woodland around Mountfield on the high weald in east Sussex is usually good for bluebells and not far away. On the ground it still looked a bit early being just after mid April. The bluebells were there but not at their peak maybe another week or two.

I did find a new patch of mature woodland in Spring wood not seen before. What felt good at the time not translate later post processing the images in just 2 dimensions. The biggest problem is using a telephoto lens and trying to keep everything in focus. It was quite windy that morning and with foliage everything is moving so focus stacking out of the question.

Woodland photography is technically difficult. Your trying to find some order in all the chaos. You need a thick patch of bluebells this often means zooming in which then creates DOF problems. You want to include other elements of interest too, like overhanging beech tree leaves, mature trunks rising vertically catching some sunlight, A winding path through the woodland and bluebells, the list goes on. Still practice makes perfect, exhilarating at the time, but can be disappointing back home post processing the images.

Telham Wood Garlic

Iv explored some woodland on Telham hill before which is good for bluebells and garlic come springtime. You can only wander so far before cut off by a railway line. Studying OS maps online I could see there was another patch of woodland the other side of the railway. So decided to explore this location one misty morning in April.

Surprisingly here the garlic was almost in full bloom. Garlic grows thickest by the sides of woodland streams. Following the deer tracks further into the woodland there were some patches of bluebells

I absolutely love exploring new woodland during springtime especially on the high weald in east Sussex. This year dont want to just return to the same locations and photograph the bluebells want to discover pastures new.

Bewl Water Return

Been a few years since I last visited Bewl water. Over that time had some interest in the photos previously taken via this website. One of them from a local councillor trying to stop a holiday park development.

Recently contacted me again and planted the seed to return to Bewl water more to check out the April bluebells in some of the mature woodland there. What I found instead was some fantastic high weald view of the valley and reservoir below.

I was parked in the main carpark which locks the gate at 8pm so not stay for golden hour but not far off it. Really should have checked the high ground on my last trip if your shooting a large expanse of water within a valley. Autumn would work particularly well here with the mature oak trees.

With the wide expanse should have taken some handheld panos, not think of it at the time. What this helps is capture a wide scene and eliminate dead space. Oh well, another high weald viewpoint discovered. What helps these scenic shots is the cumulus clouds in the sky and the direction of the light. If the landscape were a model in a studio directional light is the most important factor.

Misty Morning Bluebells Vinehall Woods

Woke to see a misty April morning and with the bluebell season in full swing decided to visit a nearby woodland on the high weald. Vinehall woods has some good bluebell patches and this year 2025 did not disappoint.

One reason to repeat visit a location is the thickness of bluebell growth can change one year to the next. This year in Vinehall woods the bluebells were much thicker.

Once the sun rose higher the mist dissipates quickly within seconds, one minute its thick the next its gone. Experimented with different compositions of the same beech tree with low hanging fresh green leaves surrounded by a sea of bluebells a classic spring scene. Stepping back and zooming in with a telephoto lens compresses the scene and makes those bluebells look thicker. Should have stuck around for the sunlight break through the trees.

The Myth of Coppicing

Unfortunately one of my favourite ancient woodlands is being cut down. This really saddens me in this age of climate crisis. We are told stories its for the good, but I disagree more like profit. Greenwashing.

straight trees are cut down, the crooked ones are left standing

Be a crooked tree if you want to survive. There is lot of chaotic woodland with no light but small trees that they dont cut down. They only need to create myths its for the good to get away with it. I have seen this across all the high weald woodland, we are talking about hundreds of thousands of mature life giving trees being cut down.

I mean does that look like the work of someone who really cares about the forest and the environment? Or more working for someone who only cares about profit? And you get these people say dont step on the bluebells – and they accept this – the myth.

Buckland Hill to Little Bayhem Scout

After visiting Bewl Water I researched the surrounding area using OS Maps looking for new footpaths and patches of woodland. Who knows they may be havens of wild bluebells and garlic given late April.

Discovered thick wild garlic in a patch of woodland Sluice wood near Little Bayhem on the east Sussex and Kent border. Although seas of thick garlic most of the woodland was chaotic no strong compositions. Then found a mature tree surrounded by garlic merging with thick bluebells in the background. Being mid afternoon the light was harsh but the trip was more about getting outdoors scouting rather than nailing the perfect shot. Although spring felt like a summers day.

Ewhurst Green Morning Loop

Made a return to Ewhurst green to walk a loop not done before. At this time of year all about scouting out new patches of woodland on the high weald, hoping to uncover new April spring compositions of bluebells and garlic.

One patch uncovered in Chantry wood, a combination of garlic in the foreground, stream and overhanging tree in the midground and bluebells in the background. Got the tripod out for this one as low light in the canopy of the woodland. F16 with no wind could focus stack. Like the layers and angles crossing the composition with the banks of the stream snaking through the frame leading your eye from the foreground garlic to the background bluebells.

End of April

If you enjoy these walks and want to support my ongoing landscape videography, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

And if you’re a fellow landscape photographer, consider turning your images into passive income — I’ve now sold over 5,000 photos on stock sites. You can start with Shutterstock using my referral link.