Change

An ancestor standing on this same spot 200, perhaps 300 years ago, would have seen pretty much the same scene. Looking carefully there is a fence and a white pole just across the river. And there might have been more trees in some areas. But little else has changed. Whether he, or she, would like me have had raised spirits looking out there is something I cannot know. Although they would not have had worries about the decline in the natural world and indeed the prospect of a planet becoming hostile to human life.

Walking a few hundred yards westward along the coast there was much more evidence of change. The photo in the extra shows the viaduct. But that has been there over 160 years and some would argue it enhances the scene. But the twin engined train carrying two flasks of toxic nuclear waste is something added by my generation. Like many things it makes my life more comfortable but we have still found no long term solution to storing it.