© Josie Barnes

Flotsam and jetsam

These photographs were all taken during a lowtide lockdown walk from Pett Level to Hastings by photographer Josie Barnes.

An interesting aspect of being forced to stay at home (and only take exercise locally) has been that we have all become reacquainted with our immediate neighbourhoods. So I started walking locally: Fairlight, The East Hill, and the Country Park, for example.

At the beginning of May when Lockdown eased slightly, I fulfilled an ambition to walk from Pett Level to Hastings at low tide under the cliffs.

The scenery is breath taking, all the more so for being completely inaccessible by car, and by foot only at low tide (at some personal risk). There are several headlands to walk around and the scenery is unpredictable and dramatic. There are then many rocks to negotiate, the cliff is actively subsiding and the sea comes quite close, even at low tide. It is not an easy walk (and therefore not recommended).

I was curious to see the level of fly-tipping which had occurred over the years, the flotsam and jetsam which had drifted to shore, not to mention the cliff erosion. We see the impact of people on the environment as well as the impact of nature itself. The photos are therefore an un-easy balance between natural beauty and ugly human detritus; that’s what’s interesting.

© Josie Barnes

© Josie Barnes

© Josie Barnes

© Josie Barnes

To see more of Josie’s photographs, follow her on instagram or visit her website.

Important: if you are considering walking along the beach between Hastings and Pett, please check the tide times and only walk at low-tide. This walk took Josie four hours. Remember that there is no mobile phone reception along the beach, and the terrain is not easy. Only go with a friend who has done the walk before, and make sure you carry a rucksack with water and wear good trainers or climbing boots.

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