Scots Pine, Ashdown Forest

Today turned out to be a far warmer, brighter day than either the forecast or the first hour or so of daylight had suggested.

I took a morning drive across Ashdown Forest, where I photographed this fine specimen of Pinus sylvestris close to the Hollies car park on the Nutley-Duddleswell road - inspired, in part, by photographs I have seen and very much appreciated recently of some 'monumental' examples of the species at another extreme of its natural range, in the central mountains of Spain.

The morning developed into an even brighter, warmer afternoon, where on another drive I photographed today's 'Extra' from the western side of Croft Ham Lane in Barcombe.