Guided Archaeology Walk with James Sainsbury
Perched high on the South Downs, Firle Beacon has long been an important landmark, offering commanding views across the surrounding landscape. Owing to the nature of farming practices in this part of Sussex, there are greater survivals of prehistoric monuments, with a Neolithic long barrow, multiple Bronze Age barrow cemeteries, Iron Age trackways and Roman field systems on route. James is Curator of Archaeology at Worthing Museum. Sunday 29 November. Walk start at 9.30, aiming to finish by 12.30. The walk length is just shy of 6 miles. Start point details will be sent to customers upon completion of booking.…
Crowlink Centenary Commemorative Walk
Thursday 24 September 10:30 – 13:00 Distance: 3.4 miles Start: East Dean Car Park, Village Green Lane, East Dean BN20 0DR Ref: OL25 / TV557978 September 2026 is a landmark in the history of the Friends of the South Downs. As the Society of Sussex Downsmen, we launched a campaign to raise the funds necessary to purchase 475 acres of sheep-grazed chalk downland that was destined for development. The land under threat was the Crowlink Valley, now part of the Seven Sisters Country Park. The campaign raised nearly £17,000 (£1.4 million today) in the required 28 days, consequently saving the…
Volunteer session: plastic tree guard collection
Friday 11 September at 10:00 Join Friends of the South Downs members for this volunteer task-force day collecting plastic tree guards! Who hasn’t come across redundant tree guards littering the ground whilst out for a walk? Well, now is your chance to put it right. Trustee David Taylor has organised the first Tree Guard Cleanup Day of the year and he needs up to 10 volunteers to help. The date to put in your diary is Friday 11 September and the location is Middleton Manor Estate at Wesmeston near Lewes. Half a day is all it would take and your…
Breakfast at Nutmeg Tree’s (Linear Walk)
Thursday 30 July, 08:30 – 17:00 Distance: 16.2 miles Start: Shoreham Adur Recreation Ground CP BN43 5LT Ref: OL11 / TQ211049 Route: Ditchling (09:00 breakfast at Nutmeg Tree Tea Room before the walk),SBP, SDW, W side of River Adur, Shoreham Notes: The specified meeting place (///whirlwind.note.client) is the walkend point and the start time refers to leaving from that location. Youmay be asked to drive fellow walkers to the start which is DitchlingVillage Hall CP (BN6 8TT, ///glitter.outlines.shredder) in exchange for alift back from someone to retrieve your car afterwards.
Mid Sussex Meanders – No.4
Wednesday 12 August 10:30 – 12:30 Distance: 5 miles Start: Ardingly Reservoir Car Park, Ardingly RH17 6SQ Ref: 135 / TQ336287 Route: Town House Farm, South of England Showground, Tillinghurst Farm“Worlds Prettiest Bridge”, Tilgate Wood, West Hill, Ardingly Reservoirfootpath. Two ascending footpaths and two descending make the short walkmore suitable for the more energetic walker.
Volunteer session: invasive Himalayan balsam removal
Wednesday 29nd July and Wednesday 19th August, 09:30 – 11:30 We have two dates left to volunteer for this summer: The tasks requires pulling the plant and its root from the ground. You will need to bend at the knees, reach down, and walk on potentially uneven, sometimes wet ground. We will be working on a site in Storrington, West Sussex. Refreshments will be provided and parking is available on site. Lifts can be arranged from Pulborough train station. You do not need to be available for all sessions, we’d love to have you join! If you’d like to be…
Open the Map – funded training opportunity
Friends of the South Downs Funded Open the Map Training Course The Friends of the South Downs are delighted to be working with our Award-winning Business Member Pied A Terre Adventures to offer an ‘Open the Map’ Course to our Members. We think that good map reading is a valuable skill to help us appreciate the beauty of the South Downs. Over the course of a day, this Get to Grips with Map Reading is delivered in a relaxed, practical and enjoyable way so participants can learn the ins and outs of map reading and compass use in the beautiful…
Plastic Tree Guard Clear-up Day
Join Friends of the South Downs members for this volunteer task-force day collecting plastic tree guards! Who hasn’t come across redundant tree guards littering the ground whilst out for a walk? Well, now is your chance to put it right. Trustee David Taylor has organised the first Tree Guard Cleanup Day of the year and he needs up to 10 volunteers to help. The date to put in your diary is Wednesday 27th May and the location is Middleton Manor Estate at Wesmeston near Lewes. Half a day is all it would take and your help would be much appreciated.…
Broadmoor to Leith
Friday 8 May, 10:00 – 14:00 Distance: 6.5 miles Start: Broadmoor Car Park, Sheephouse Lane RH5 5JY Ref: OL146/ TQ133454 Route: Squire’s Great Wood, Coldharbour, Leith Hill, Wotton Common. Car park is at W3W ///stuff.sketch.moral
Mid Sussex Meanders No.1
Thursday 23 April, 10:00 – 12:00 Distance: 4.5 miles Start: Ditchling Country Park Folders Lane, East Ditchling BN6 8SQ Ref: 135/ TQ337180 Route: Mid Sussex Border Path, Lockstrood Farm, Purchase Wood, Stubs Copse. Easy going, mostly flat, free car park at W3W ///scarves.fees.thrashed
