Dungeness in winter

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Yesterday I enjoyed an expedition through the wintery weather to visit Dungeness. It's an area of unique geological and ecological features, being one of the largest shingle expanses in the world. The wide open spaces are home to many rare plants, insects and birds, so there's a bird sanctuary and strict protections in place. I saw gulls, cormorants and turnstones yesterday.

 

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There's a nuclear reactor, and the hot waste water that discharges into the sea makes the area teem with fish, so there's a healthy fishing industry and angling community. As a result the walk along the beach meant lots of opportunities to poke dead things with sticks!

 

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Fishing boats............and a sneaky picture of Steve talking to a fisherman!

 

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More beach finds. The small egg cases would be from dogfish, the larger ones most likely to be from undulate rays

 

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There's a community of people living right down on the shingle, one of whom was the artist and film director Derek Jarman. Prospect Cottage has been on my 'must see' list for so many years!