It is rare I ever make it up early enough to catch a sunrise, even in winter. But it was 4AM in bed on a Saturday morning, I was wide awake and could not sleep, so get up and lets catch a sunrise over the south downs in east Sussex from Bopeep.
Towards Bopeep
I had studied the peek of Bopeep on the OS maps online, I had often noticed the distant tip of the hill when driving down the A27 out of Hastings and thought to myself I want to explore that part of the south downs. I had also noticed the peak from others walks like the one over Wilmington hill.
The Golden Hour
There was a small road leading up to a free carpark on top of Bopeep, that was where I was heading during the blue hour. Interestingly the road is called a bostal meaning a small lane leading up a steep hill usually the south downs and its origin is from a lost dialect exclusive to Sussex.
Well I was in for a treat looking east as the sun rose above Wilmington hill with hanging mist on the ground, the blue hour turning into the golden hour. My intention was to head south west towards Newhaven then back up to Firle then back to Bopeep, but I was following the dawn light, towards Alfriston and Cuckmere haven, I would be walking a few extra miles today on the South downs.
Certainly there is a reward for getting up so early and being immersed with your camera during the golden hour. You will often read the best time for landscape photography is the golden hour due to the hues and the colors and low contrast.
The golden hour not last long and soon the sun had broken over the hills of the south downs to the east although still low in the sky and the mist still holding on to the weald below.
It was a beautiful warm spring day for February, I headed back toward Bopeep to continue my walk down south towards Newhaven. Its alot more remote down here, wind swept, few people about.
Then I headed back up towards Firle and finally a long return to Bopeep late afternoon, if not so tired could have stayed for the second golden hour and sunset. On days like this on the south downs your camera’s shutter button does not stop clicking, I had to change batteries and there is too much post processing to do back home at least in one sitting. Good day, lots of keepers.