This afternoon Jackie drove us on a tour of the east of The New Forest.
The first stop was just outside Sway, where I spotted an attractive looking pony. Once out of the car and approaching my prey, I found there was another family member emerging from the gorse bush, some of which still adhered to my chosen subject, who had the decency to take her head out of the bush and pose for me.
Brockenhurst has quite an important railway station. Bridges are therefore found over the approach roads. As I prepared to take the first of these shots, I noticed two cyclists coming into view, paused, and clicked a few times.
The house on the left of this image is a comparatively recent building, and demonstrates an affinity for the area. The car approaching the bridge has its headlights on, as do many when driving through the forest.
On Roger Penny Way, just beyond Cadnam, stands the epitome of chocolate box thatched cottages.
A stream, here providing refreshment for a fluttering white dove, runs alongside and in front of
the idyllic country garden.
Further along, at Burwash, we encountered a flock of sheep lazing on the road.
In stepping out to make their acquaintance I disturbed them enough to cause them to take off down the road,
leaving evidence of their fright peppering the tarmac.
Nearing sunset, back on Roger Penny Way, a pair of donkeys were oblivious of the local rush hour traffic,
until they left the the road across which they cast their lengthy shadows.
Tethering Drove in Hale Purlieu. Now there is a place with a name that deserves to host a decent sunset or two.
There were more possibilities at Woodgreen.
As the ponies cropped the grass, I cropped the first of these last two pictures.
This evening we dined on oven fish and chips, mushy peas, pickled onions, and cornichons. Jackie’s choice of beer was Hoegaarden, and mine, Old Speckled Hen.