All posts by jefftravis

New leaf of life for campaign as it sets big target of 100,000 trees

April 30th, 2021

A major campaign has launched to plant over 100,000 trees across the South Downs and bring a welcome boost for nature. Following a tremendous public response to the initial 2019/2020 appeal, “Trees for the Downs” has gone from strength to strength and will now look to plant tens of thousands more trees than originally planned. […]

“The hill that became my happy place”

April 29th, 2021

Cissbury Ring is a fairly well-known local landmark, the largest hillfort in Sussex not far from where I live that I’d visited before and enjoyed. But its personal meaning elevated to a new dimension, a deep-rooted connection, during this unprecedented and challenging year. As is sometimes the case when something so beautiful is on your […]

Attractions ready to welcome back visitors to the South Downs

April 12th, 2021

Get ready to get back to enjoying some culture, history, good food and family fun! As we emerge from lockdown, a range of visitor attractions across the National Park and in nearby towns and cities will be welcoming people back with open arms. Many have spent the past few weeks and months painstakingly incorporating Covid-secure […]

Moving film tells the story of black trail runners

April 12th, 2021

It’s a chilly springtime morning in Seven Sisters Country Park and two figures in the distance are negotiating the chalk trails leading up the commanding cliffs. They are Simbarashe Mugomba and Rachel Dench – two key members of the Black Trail Runners and a force of inspiration for a growing number of people in black […]

Stunning nightscape is the people’s favourite

April 8th, 2021

Carpenter and amateur photographer Connor Lamb has spoken of his joy after winning The People’s Choice in the National Park’s first astrophotography competition. Connor’s awe-inspiring shot of the night’s sky and the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm took the top spot in the public vote that ran throughout March. The astrophotography contest was one of the […]

New South Downs podcasts will be inspired by our rivers

April 8th, 2021

Seven writers have been commissioned to pen 10 audio stories and poems, with each author focusing on one of the magical rivers that weave across the South Downs landscape. The writers will be spending time engaging with the communities that live and work in the landscape to explore the untold stories of everyday people. Listeners […]

Echoing the enchanting sound of the South Downs

April 8th, 2021

A new audio walking experience is being launched next month that weaves together beautiful music by Sussex composer Ed Hughes and fascinating insights into the collection at Ditchling Museum of Art + Crafts. Launched as part of the Brighton Festival, people will be able to explore Ditchling and Ditchling Beacon accompanied by sonorous music inspired […]