Christmas trees past

We never tire of this walk on the Sussex coast.

Every visit is different, dependant on tide, time of day, 

time of year and weather conditions.

Recently there have been storms and big tides which pushed all the shingle away 

to expose flat sand and

ancient preserved trees. 

Large chunks of a sunken forest have been torn up  

and thrown onto the beach.

Thought to be at least 6000 years old,

oak, birch and hazel have been identified in the peaty masses.

Sea levels here were about 100 feet lower than they are today

and the forest was preserved when sea levels rose and flooded the woodland.

What you see is not fossilised but the original spongy tree roots and branches.

Recent man made structures are also weathering

and present wonderfully sculptural eroded forms at low tide.