Picnic Areas and Picnic Sites

Can seagulls become pets? Yes indeed they can while remaining in the wild.
My second floor kitchen window overlooks the sea. For many months now, two
birds have visited me regularly - Eric a male followed by Ursula a female.  

 Eric is larger than Ursula and braver. Lands on the cill
and taps on the window with his beak - if no response from me lets out loud repeated squawks.
      
                                                                                                                                                                         When I have visitors the birds join in the meal - a real picnic.  Eric has enjoyed stewed peaches and cream from a spoon, Ursula will delicately take salmon skin from a fork.            

In fact they will eat anything bar vegetables -
offer them a lettuce leaf and they will push it aside with their beak and let out an irritated squeak.

Oh dear I have learnt they can reach the age of 25!

Words & Photos,  Copyright Katia Ellis

 
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I am fundamentally lazy and, while not fashionable to say so, pretty urban. So, for those of you who want to picnic in isolation, following an arduous trek up hazardous hills and along narrow trails, the following is not for you.  My family and friends live in Brighton and Hove.  Most evenings after work in Summer, we picnic in Adelaide Crescent gardens.  If we have a late tennis lesson booked, we will head off for St Ann’s Wells.  At the weekend, we usually picnic on the Royal Pavilon lawns - not least because there are often some seriously up-market buskers playing hauntingly beautiful music.  If, on the other hand, we want an early picnic supper, we will head for the beach and sit on the shingle. Soon, as day changes to early evening and the sky becomes a mix of orange and midnight blue, thousands and thousands of starlings arrive to settle for the night on Brighton’s collapsed West Pier.  As the starlings sleep and night falls, fires are lit all along the coastline as people bar-b-q.  So many people see a picnic as a work of art:  we don’t.  We usually have simple food e.g. nice bread and cheese, and don’t mind the shingle or sharing space with lots of others.  We leave the ‘work of art’ for nature:  the ’starling spectacular’ over Brighton’s West Pier is simply awesome, the perfect romantic accompaniment to any picnic, no matter what age the lovers  . . .
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Address: 
Staplefield Road, Handcross, Haywards Heath, RH17 6EB

Tel: +44 (0)1444 400321


One of the great Gardens of the Sussex Weald with a collection of rare and beautiful plants from all over the world, including breathtaking spring colour in the walled garden, an old fashioned rose garden, summer borders and much more. The romantic ruins of the family mansion, part destroyed by fire in 1947 can be seen and five of the remaining Messel family rooms are open. The wider estate offers wonderful woodland walks and a wild garden. Open Banks Holiday Mondays. Licensed Pavilion Restaurant and extensive shop & plant sales area open same days as garden, restaurant close at dusk if earlier than times stated below. We regret that on bank holidays and weekends in spring and summer, admission may be restricted if the garden is too full. Full program of events, see listing on our website. Shop, garden and restaurant close at dusk if earlier than times stated above. In winter the shop and garden close at dusk if earlier, and access to some parts of the garden is limited. Last admission to house 3:45. Restaurant closes 30mins before property. Open BH Mons. Shop open daily in Dec. Christmas lunches in restaurant Tues-Sun. Closed 25/26 Dec and 1 Jan 09

Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans