National Park Gateways
May 3, 2018
When Gilbert White & the Oates Collections in Selborne relaunches this May it will also become the newest ‘gateway’ to the South Downs. For a National Park with no border fences we hear this phrase a lot. So what do these mysterious portals look like and how do they have the power to magically transport us out into the countryside?
“People love maps. They love to know how big the National Park is and where they are placed within it – maps give the essential geographical context visitors need.” As the National Park Authority’s Place Interpretation Officer it’s part of Stephen Sibbald’s job to get people’s attention and give them the tools to go out and discover the South Downs for themselves. The National Park’s place branding (known as the Shared Identity) also has an important role to play. Whether it is the distinctive and beautiful graphics, the engaging imagery or the alluring narratives, the Shared Identity provides a consistent thread in all the work we do.
It’s particularly fitting that as a visitor arriving at the newly renovated museum, which celebrates the lives of two incredible explorers, Frank and Lawrence Oates, and the world’s first naturalist, Gilbert White, one of the first things you’ll see is the Shared Identity and mapping which shows local destinations as within the context of the National Park.
“People may have come here because they have a very specific interest in Arctic exploration or natural history, or entirely by chance. We want them to leave knowing that the stories and places they encounter are inextricably linked to the landscape that surrounds them. They come away with fuller appreciation of the UK’s newest National Park and how they can get the most out of it.” The same applies for any attraction. For example you might go to Winchester City Mill because of an interest in historic buildings and engineering but leave with the story of the River Itchen – a gin-clear chalk stream home to wild brown trout, otter and white-clawed crayfish and a great idea for a walk there.
Orientation is just the first stage. The next is inspiration. If you’ve been brought to a standstill by a huge vinyl image of the South Downs with a perfectly matched quote from a local author, chances are Stephen will have been involved. For Selborne this required sifting through Gilbert White’s writing, usually quite prosaic, until Stephen found just the right line in the poem The invitation to Selborne: ‘Here nature hangs her slopy woods to sight, Rills purl between and dart a quivering light.’ A quote from another famous local author, Jane Austen, hints that you are only four miles from the museum at her former house.
The best gateways sit in places where people are comfortable. “If you’re hungry or distracted by where the toilets are you’re not going to stop and look at a map or photo, let alone care.” Cafes make a great location for informal learning and you can find one of the first gateways that Stephen worked on in the courtyard café at YHA South Downs in Southease.
Gateways are always a collaborative effort with the partners that Stephen is working. Given the range of partners the Authority work with, these gateways come in all shapes and sizes. Forty miles south east of Gilbert White’s, he is working on a very different project with the Steyning Downland Scheme, a charity that works with the local community to conserve wildlife and get more people engaged with their local wildlife. They’ve purchased an old shipping container for storage which they are now planning to clad with wood and panels telling the story of the National Park, local wildlife and geology and encouraging people using the area, from dog walkers to mountain bikers, to treating each other and the landscape with respect.
Which leads on to the final principle of a National Park gateway – exploration. “It’s not an exhibition – I’m not here to tell you the whole story. A gateway is a jumping off point for adventure. We’ve got your attention and now we’re going to redirect you into the local area and beyond so you can go and discover more.” This could mean providing information about other nearby attractions or trails or, in the case of the forthcoming gateway at YHA Truleigh Hill, take the form of a set of walks, graded easy to difficult, leading people out into the South Downs’ landscapes.
“Even better, we might entice you back to visit the National Park another time.” This links to a wide stream of work to increase the value that being a National Park adds to communities by encouraging people to spend longer here. “A day visitor might buy lunch here but an overnight visitor will make a much bigger contribution to the economy.”
Gilbert White & the Oates collections relaunches on Saturday 12 May gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/
For more information about National Park gateways contact stephen.sibbald@southdowns.gov.uk