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South Downs Way Annual Walk

Archaeology tells us that the route along the South Downs Way (SDW) has been used by humans for thousands of years. It was favoured as a relatively safe way of traveling across West and East Sussex, avoiding the dangers of thick woodland and the large areas of lowland marshes that were then common across southern Britian. So, I decided to join the South Downs Way Annual Walk in 2023. The mostly high, dry chalk and flint route along the top of the Downs was clearly an important part of Bronze Age life in this part of the country, providing a trading network that brought gold, silver, and jet from other parts of Britain into mainland Europe.

South Downs Way Annual Walk 2023
Photo by Tony Linturn

It was last year while on the Friends of the South Downs marketing stand at White Ways Bury Hill that I decided to join the Annual Walk this year. Speaking to many of the walkers who were doing the walk for the first time and others who had walked it many times in both directions, it was clearly an interesting and challenging experience for them.

Footprints of Sussex

Footprints of Sussex have been running the annual SDW walk for over 30 years. Together with their fabulous team ’Red Shirts’, they guided and supported us over the nine days from Eastbourne to Winchester, a total of 106 miles.   

I’ve walked long distances in my younger days but nothing like 106 miles across rolling hills and lush landscapes from sea level at places like Cuckmere Haven and Eastbourne to viewpoints like the chalk cliffs at Seven Sister and Beachy Head, Butser Hill (271m), Winchester Hill, Ditchling Beacon, Devils Dyke and Firle Beacon (217m) that provide amazing 360⁰ views across the Downs.

South Downs Way Annual Walk Tony Linturn
Tony above Pyecombe

So, in preparation for this challenge, I joined the regular Friends of the South Downs Walks and Strolls programme last September to be able to walk an average of 11.5 miles each day.

South Downs Way History

I found the SDW was steeped in history capturing numerous landscape features dating back to Neolithic times (around 3,000 to 2500 BC) including protective enclosures, ancient settlements, long barrows (communal graves) over 60 metres long and many hundreds of smaller round barrows for single or family burials which are marked on the OS maps as ‘tumuli ’on high ground along the SDW. There are many hill forts spread across the Downs dating back to 300 – 200 BC which are believed to have been trading places and seats of power for tribal chieftains as well as providing safety during periods of tribal rivalry and conflict.

The South Downs Way Annual Walk is also a very beautiful way to see the South Downs, trekking along narrow footpaths at the side of steeped valleys, across dried up river beds, wide open farm tracks through field of wheat, corn and other agricultural crops as well as through wild meadows filled with wild flowers such as Field Poppys, Fragrant Orchids, Round Headed Rampions as well as wild herbs and spices like Thyme, Garlick, Mint, Marjoram, Sage and ancient health remedies like Lady’s Mantle, Elderflowers, Lavender, Feverfew and Mignonette which were used by the Romans and Anglo Saxons to treat migraine, bruises and other everyday ailments.       

South Downs Way Annual Walk Wildlife

We also saw a myriad of wildlife including many different species of butterflies, bees, beetles, grasshoppers, and unusual looking snails. Rooks nesting in Beech trees, Jackdaws, Seagulls and Fulmars sweeping and souring along the Beachy Head cliffs, small birds such as Skylarks fluttering over the fields, Whinchats, Stonechats and Corn Buntings feeding and nesting, and larger birds like Red Kites, Buzzards and Kestrels hovering above looking for mice and other small creatures to feed on. Forget going to the zoos, this really is wild Britian in all its splendour.

We also saw many very old churches and other building dating back to Anglo Saxon and Norman times in and around thatched roofed villages that have stood in an unchanging landscape for hundreds of years.

I also met lots of lovely and interesting people over the nine days including retired doctors, scientists, teachers, nurses and midwives. Mothers and fathers who were taking a break from their busy families and pilgrims and travellers trying to reconnect their lives and make new friends along the way.

I must also take this opportunity to mention the Trustees and walk leaders like David Green, Paul Wilkinson, Janet Goody, Ian Wright, Gaynor Waterman and Ian Lancaster and others who motivated me to get fit and do the walk.  I’d like to say thanks to my trusty walking companion Nigel Watts, who helped me read the map, avoid getting lost and see things I would probably have missed had it not been for him pointing them out, and lastly, to my wife Gill, who made my pack lunches and who I shared the funny times each day. Yes, a very memorable experience indeed.

Tony Linturn

Member and Volunteer

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Strolling with the Romans

Would you like to go strolling with the Romans, along the road from Noviomagnus to Londinium? Stane Street, the Roman road that ran from Chichester (Noviomagnus) to London, was originally up to ten metres wide. Much of it is buried under modern roads following the same route.  The exact date of construction is uncertain; however, on the basis of archaeological finds, it was in use by 70 AD.

Stane Street photo by Judy Robinson

Stane Street shows that Roman roads were not always as straight as we used to believe.  A straight line alignment from London Bridge to Chichester would have required steep crossings of the North Downs, Greensand Ridge and South Downs and so after the first section, the road was designed to exploit a natural gap in the North Downs cut by the River Mole and to pass to the east of the high ground of Leith Hill, before following flatter land in the River Arun valley to Pulborough. Although at no point does the road lie more than 6 miles from the direct line.

The Stroll

There is something special about walking along a route that was constructed by Roman soldiers so long ago.  Along the way you get a great view of the Channel on the horizon, which seems to be remarkably close and at one point the Roman road cuts through an earlier, prehistoric linear earthwork .  The path descends into woodland and at the lowest point can be quite muddy until you start uphill again through the trees.  Its a moderate stroll but if you would like to extend it, the route connects to both the Monarch’s Way and the South Downs Way.

Bignor is also the location of a Roman Villa of domestic proportions where you can really get the feel of how people lived.  There are some good mosaics, a bath house and an example of a hypocaust (underfloor heating system). The site was discovered by George Tupper in 1811 when he uncovered the Summer dining room water basin after striking it with his plough.  

Today the Villa is still managed by the Tupper family under the control of Trustees.  It is open in the spring/summer months and has a tea room.  (check website for 2021 opening times). It well worth a visit and needs support, as it is an ongoing battle to preserve the site from the elements and damp etc.  You can see why the wealthy family who built it, chose the location, as it stands in a beautiful valley. Nowadays there is a vineyard right next door and as it is thought that the Romans introduced wine making into Britain, that seems very fitting.

What did the Romans ever do for us? Take a trip to this area and see for yourself.

Caroline Douglas, Trustee

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The Great South Downs Sit Down

View from the newly-installed Saddlescombe Bench

Many walkers tell Friends of the South Downs that there is very little provision to sit down and rest along the South Downs Way, which runs from Winchester to Eastbourne. Today, 19 May 2021, marks the day we proudly reveal the first bench in our ongoing project to provide seats at intervals along the entire length of the iconic route.

The first bench has been installed at East Hill above Saddlescombe Farm on National Trust land. FOSD Patron Lord Egremont cut the ribbon to launch the campaign. Vice-Chairman Andrew Lovett addressed the assembled group of representatives from the NT, South Downs National Park Authority and Trustees of FOSD, at a small, Covid safe, celebration.

Chainsaw sculptor Chris Bain / Photo by Dan Fagan – National Trust

After first gaining permission from the South Downs National Park Authority, we turned to the National Trust, as a major landowner along the route, to provide the initial sites. The first benches are being carved by local chainsaw sculptor Chris Bain. Each bench will be made of sustainable, locally sourced oak and feature a small hidden downland creature. Benches will be individually designed to blend into and enhance the setting in a sympathetic way.

Caroline Douglas, the FOSD Trustee leading The Great South Downs Sit Down project, said, “we are so grateful to Jane Cecil, the NT General Manager and the NT Rangers for all their help and enthusiasm in getting this project off the ground and to Chris Bain for producing such a beautiful bench. More progress has been made with finding sites, so watch out for other benches appearing over the coming months.”

When you visit one of our benches, please share pictures onto our Facebook or our Twitter page! If you find any spots along the South Downs Way that might be a perfect place for one of our benches, please contact us.

Bench dedication ceremony, 19 May 2021. Photo credit: National Trust
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Cycling in the Downs

Have you ever thought of doing sections of the South Downs Way on your bicycle?

For anyone not so keen on the uphill sections there are electric bikes available for hire in a number of towns located close to the South Downs Way. Midhurst is the recommended start point for this 20 mile roundtrip. E-Bike Adventures e-bike hire service and All Ride Now e-bike shop in Midhurst can help there.

From the hire shop, it’s just a short distance until you reach the turning for Bepton and you are then on a quiet country road running alongside Midhurst Common and out into open countryside. The route passes through Cocking and then up to the South Downs Way via Crypt Lane. Look out for the Time Column in Cocking and (disused) railway tunnel which hopefully will one day become part of the Centurion Way.

After crossing the A286, it’s a slow steady climb up the South Downs Way, but there’s plenty of reason to stop to admire the view to the West and North. You now have 5 miles of South Downs Way to enjoy. There’s dense woodland on your right and grazing pasture, ancient tumulus and plenty of places designated as SSI opposite. You reach a height of 234M at the intersection with the path to East Dean to the south and Duncton to the North. The views to the North East and West even on a dull day are fantastic. A short detour from here to Tegleaze Crown will take you to the highest point on the South Downs in Sussex at 255M. It’s downhill from here to Duncton via the quarry and A285. Check your brakes before you freewheel down and make a stop at the overview point at Fryan’s Hanger.

At the bottom of Duncton Hill after the 2 sharp lefthanders, turn left into Beechwood Lane. In ¾ mi, you’ll find a small gate on the right leading into Seaford College. Turn left and pass through the school grounds and along the track with Lavington Stud Farm on your right and pass the gatehouse. A right turn will lead you to St Giles Church, Graffham and on down the hill into the old part of the village.

Follow signs for Heyshott/Midhurst until you reach Heyshott Common. Follow the sign marked Footpath to Dunsford (the former home of Richard Cobden). Pass Canine Partners and along the path to Dunsford and up the road to Pendean. You arrive at Oaklands Lane where you turn right passing over the disused railway to Pulborough until you come to Church Road on the left. It’s a short sharp rise but you’ll sense refreshments are (hopefully) just a few minutes away so it’s little bother. From Church Road turn left onto Selham Road and it’s a few hundred yards down to Chichester Road and South Pond in Midhurst. For your well-earned coffee and cake the time will come again to try Gartons in the Market Square. The time will also come again when there are plenty of pubs for something stronger.

Chris Steibelt, Trustee