A chance remark by Pippin in another thread made me realise that most strangers seem to think the UK is what they see in tourist shots of London. I've always told friends that London is not the UK. The landscape varies so much in different parts of the country it's impossible to describe with a few photos. I consider myself fortunate to have been born & still living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country (well I think so anyway). It was such a nice morning that after breakfast I decided to go for a stroll around Arundel, a small town about 15 minutes drive from my home. Here's a few photos I took during a very pleasant morning.

The quaint West Sussex town of Arundel with Arundel Castle in the background. The castle is relatively modern & the official home of the Duke of Norfolk (don't ask).


Arundel High Street.



The famous Black Rabbit pub. Aircrew from RAF Tangmere & its satellite airfields spent their evenings here during WWII. I didn't go inside today but they used to have signed photos of many famous Battle of Britain aces on display in the bar.



The River Arun running past the pub. Looks peaceful but this is one of the fastest flowing rivers in the UK.



A cottage beside the pub with the white chalk showing through the hill in the backgound. The hill is part of the gently rolling South Downs which run from Hampshire through Sussex & end up in Kent at the famous White Cliffs of Dover.



This is what a tiny part of my little bit of England is like at this time of year. Hope you enjoy looking as much as I did taking them.

Wow I was there just the other day! Small world isnt it? I live about a 20 min drive from there, all the way over in chichester!

The English country side is lovely. My family comes from significantly north of where you guys are. My mom was born in Shipley, which is now a part of Bradford in Yorkshire. My Dad is from Dumfermine Scotland but his family is from the Fife area. His mother is from the Maxwell clan, a right nutty bunch they are.

Thanks for the comments chaps. I hope you enjoyed your little stroll alongside old Hagar.

Craig. I'm sure there are places just as nice in your part of the world. Arundel is just down the road from you, comparatively speaking if you want a day out. You're closer than Flight-Captain & he reckons he's not too far away. ??? I suppose it depends how you look at it.
Yes, what about that World Cup then? Well done lads......!

Arundel is a tad expensive & relies on the tourist trade, much like Stratford-upon-Avon. I couldn't afford to live there. It does have plenty of antique shops & the High Street is well known for its restaurants & ale houses.

Born2fly. I had no idea we're neighbours. Your profile fooled me. NY is a long way from Chichester.

Orenda. I have relatives in Shipley & other parts of Yorkshire. This area is known as the Dales & used to be in West Yorkshire. I have no idea where it's supposed to be since they messed around with the boundaries. Please don't upset our Scottish friends by confusing the UK with England. They get understandably fed-up with that & I don't want a lot of irate Scotsmen chasing after me.

And finally my old mate Ozzy. It was supposed to make you homesick old lad. Cruel aren't I?

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Yes! Prepare to be marmaladed!!! Nasty aren't I?

Man, what I wouldn't give to just go hiking around there.  One of my dreams is to Fly into Scotland and have a driver just drop me off in the middle of the Highlands so I can hike out.  Want to see Chicago? 

Ok, let me dig up some pics...

Hagar my friend, don't you dare lose track of that beautiful camera.......it brings us wonderful images of your side of the world.....I enjoy these shots as much as anyone................keep doing this once in a while and I can assure you, I will keep looking............

Thanks again for your encouragement guys - as if I needed encouragement to bore the pants off people. LOL
Knowing they're appreciated by even a few members makes my efforts worthwhile. I especailly value your kind comments Rifleman.

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Andrew. Please don't think that the buildings in my photos are anything like the houses that the average Brit would call home. The shops in Arundel High Street are ancient & classed as listed buildings (typically Tudor I believe although I'm no expert on architecture). The same applies to the old cottages & pubs. Fortunately for us, the historic buildings in a conservation area like this are strictly preserved in their original condition as a part of the contract for owning or living in them.

Well you know it's not the best of idea's giving out your adress on a chat room! So do you live in chichester or in the surroundin area? Speak soon!

Born_2_fly

mmmm wow. i love shots of countries I have never been to which is basically all of them other than the US

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Don't get too carried away old chap. NYC has at least one cathedral. If I remember correctly, one is just across the street from the Empire State Building. It's a grand piece of architecture too which despite its size is dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers. I'm sure Fly2e will be happy to correct me on this if I'm wrong & fill in the details.

I'm sure I have a photo taken during my last visit to that fine city. Unfortunately I didn't have time to go inside. I'll dig it out & scan it some time if you're interested.

PS. I found the photo. The cathedral is not where I thought. I won't post it as this might cause unnecessary distress to friends of mine. This was not my intention in posting this topic.

Thanks for the kind words Dave. I appreciate it.

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Thanks Daniel. This is high praise indeed. I'm very flattered. 8)

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I've seen some beautiful buildings & impressive sights during various visits to the US. Unfortunately not enough time on a strict schedule to fully appreciate everything.

PS. One place I really liked was Charleston, West Virginia. We passed through there in 1996 on our way to Washington DC. Unfortunately we only had time for a quick look round. Maybe I'll get the chance to return one day.

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Thanks, I'll certainly do that if I get the chance. Please take a few pics & post them. Then I can see what I missed.