Special Reserve

One of the few benefits of winter and short days, is that you don't have to get up quite as early to catch the sunrise. It's a beautiful time of the day made all the better with a crisp frost and some bracing sea air, and where better to experience that than one of my favourite places, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

The reserve is a stunning place any time of the year, but the beautiful orange glow of dawn and the backdrop of hundreds of birds making a veritable racket(!) make it a really very special place to be (and well worth an early start to get there).

I visited earlier this month, and with the exception of a couple of dog walkers, had the place to myself. The moon was still in the sky as the sun rose, and it was perfect for taking a few shots. The one above is of the Mary Stanford Lifeboat Station, a poignant place last used ahead of the lifeboat disaster of 1928 in which 17 men perished. When you remember the story, you can't help but be moved by the lonely isolation in which the old lifeboat house sits - it really is a truly remarkable location.

There's huge support for the nature reserve, with many volunteers taking part in beach cleans, guided walks and talks, and helping with the upkeep of the area. Most recently, the reserve has started to see the building of a new visitor centre - The Discovery Centre. Construction is still underway, but it will certainly be a tremendous asset fit for the 21st century, and a lifetime away from the ramshackle old bungalow it replaces.

Another site for which Rye Harbour is very well known, is the Red Roofed Hut (aka Gran's Hut) which looks out to sea next to the inlet. A distinctive, quirky place, there must be 10's of thousands of photographs of it all over the world, and every time I go, I can't seem to resit the temptation to take 'just another' picture.

There are any number of walks around the reserve, from a mile or two, up to 10 plus and I really would recommend a visit if you've never been, maybe followed by a bit to eat in the Bosun's Bite. Go early though - it's well known by many people and can get quite busy. For me, it's best enjoyed in some solitude, preferably as the sun rises over the sea.