Plan your summer walking adventure in the South Downs National Park
July 10, 2023
There’s nothing quite like a long, balmy summer’s day on the South Downs.
The days are so long that you can squeeze so much into the day, whether it be a walk, cycle, sea swim, pub lunch, afternoon tea, museum visit, evening photography, the list goes on!
The fields are full of fresh produce and the grapes are reaching their zenith before harvest.
Our biggest tip on those warm days in July and August is to keep hydrated and bring enough water for your four-legged friend. The weather can quickly turn, so it’s always handy to have a raincoat on standby!
Fine summer weather is often accompanied by increasing numbers of ticks, particularly in the mornings and evenings, so it’s a good idea to wear clothing that covers your skin to make it more difficult for ticks to access a suitable place to bite.
Slap on the sunscreen and get ready for a summer adventure!
Looking for tranquility?
The Itchen is considered to be one of the best chalk rivers in Britain with its crystal-clear waters filtered over thousands of years through the porous chalk of the South Downs.
Within a three-mile stretch of the Upper Itchen, five footbridges cross the river and you can make use of them to create a lovely circular walk. Don’t forget your binoculars to spot lots of wildlife on the river!
Download the Itchen walk here.
Looking for a view?
Ditchling Beacon is located seven miles to the north of Brighton and just south of the village of Ditchling. At 248 metres above sea-level it is the highest point in East Sussex with fantastic views to the sea, across the Weald and along the South Downs.
Once the site for a warning beacon which was lit in times of imminent invasion, the site is also of archaeological interest with remains of an Iron Age hill fort.
Download the Ditchling walk here.
Looking for a day out by bus?
The pretty village of Alfriston and the River Cuckmere are easily accessible by bus and offer a great excuse to “get away from it all” while not actually travelling that far.
Alfriston is a historic village in the heart of the Cuckmere Valley and was named after Aelfric tun the ‘farmstead of Alfric’ in Anglo Saxon times. The village was recorded in the Domesday Book and the area is thought to have been occupied since Neolithic times as a number of long barrows can be found in the surrounding Downs.
A highlight of this walk is the White Horse of Litlington, a chalk figure on High and Over Hill. It was carved in 1924 by a man called John T Ade, allegedly overnight by the light of a full moon so as to startle the locals with the sudden appearance of the horse in the morning! Camouflaged during WWII it was restored in the early 1980s and since then has been kept clear of vegetation (and occasionally topped up with chalk to keep it white).
Looking for your one-stop shop for walk ideas?
We’re delighted to be launching the National Park’s brand new walking hub this month.
Crammed with ideas for walks and rambles across the South Downs, the interactive hub is the best place to plan your next adventure in the National Park.
Each walk features Google and OS maps to help guide you on your journey, as well as step-by-step instructions, details of how to get there, places of interest, and fascinating facts.
The hub includes circular walks, hidden landscapes, literary trails, history trails, and audio walks.
As well as the walking hub, we’ve introduced an accessibility hub where you’ll find information on equipment for hire such as mobility scooters, accessible bike hire, and inclusive attractions and nature reserves. The hub also includes details of all the Miles Without Stiles routes, which are designed for people with mobility challenges and families with pushchairs.
Visit the walking hub and accessibility hub and start planning your day-out!