South Downs Summer Bucket List
July 30, 2014
Schools out and so is the sun! The South Downs have a lot to offer at any time of year but some activities best or only enjoyed during the summer. Here are just a few favourites.
Count butterflies
The chalk grasslands of the South Downs are a great place to spot beautiful butterflies such as the Adonis blue and green hairstreak and one of the rarest butterflies in the country, the Duke of Burgundy. Log your finds as part of the Big Butterfly Count and you’ll be part of a nationwide survey helping to measure the health of our environment. Find out more at www.bigbutterflycount.org
Taste award winning local wine or tour a vineyard
Some of the best sparkling wine in the UK comes from vines grown on the South Downs. Ridgeview Wine Estate has become well known for their award-winning wine and offers guided tours, wine tasting and of course the chance to buy some of the produce.
Spend a day hopping on and off buses
Leave the car at home this summer because, until 31 August, the whole family can travel for just £12.50 across the South Downs and beyond. The new Discovery ticket lets you hop-on-and-off the bus at any time meaning you can make the most of your time in the National Park without worrying about where to park or getting lost. You can download ready made itineraries or use it on an open top bus that goes all the way from Brighton Pier to Devil’s Dyke.
Appreciate the dark skies on a stargazing trip
The South Downs is a great place to escape from the artificial light of our cities and towns and do some stargazing. There are two Dark Sky Discovery sites in the National Park at Winchester Hill and on Butser Hill & Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Other good spots include the Trundle, Iping Common and Stedham Common. Although summer nights are shorter there’s still plenty to see such as the constellation Cygnus (the swan) and Sagittarius which is only visible in summer time. Every August we pass through a band of dust and gas left in the orbit path of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The result is the amazing Perseid meteor shower.
Go kayaking on the Cuckmere
What could beat passing a hot summer day by a river? Spending it on the river. The Cuckmere River’s famous meanders are a great place for beginners. Find out more from local canoe and kayak schools in the area that provide equipment and tuition.
Explore the low tide rock pools at Birling Gap
Birling Gap is the perfect place to go for a seaside picnic, hunt for shells and look for sea life in the rock pools at low tide. It’s also a great way to get a different view point of the impressive Seven Sisters white chalk cliffs. The best conditions for rock pooling are calm seas, sunny skies and a low tide.
Paraglide at Devil’s Dyke
No bucket list would be complete without an activity to get the adrenaline flowing. What better way to experience the South Downs than from 1000 feet up in the air paragliding at Devil’s Dyke? There are a few paragliding schools offering lessons and tandem flights in the area, but call in advance to check that the weather conditions are good for take off.
Follow the South Downs Food and Drink trail
Enjoy great South Downs restaurants, pubs, farms shops and cafes with tasty local produce. If you need an excuse to join one of the National Park’s food and drink trails think of the local businesses that you’re supporting, which also boosts the local economy. These trails are a great addition to any food lover’s summer bucket list.