Management of Portsdown Hill is supported by Natural through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. For further information Portsdown Hill Countryside Service Fort , Portsdown Hill Rd , PO6 3LS Tel: 023 9238 9623

Welcome to Portsdown Hill Jones Richard courtesy: Pictures Portsdown Hill is a 120 metre high chalk ridge that overlooks the harbours, islands and urban areas of the Portsmouth region. It also provides spectacular views over the Forest of Bere to the . It is home to an abundance of colourful and attractive wildlife and it has a long and fascinating history.

Eighty hectares of the hill are designated The hill we see today is the product of the as a Site of Special Scientific Interest chalky geology and many centuries of because of its rare chalk grassland. This, farming, quarrying and military activity. along with other wildlife-rich sites on the Portsdown Hill is now a place of wildlife hill, makes Portsdown an important site conservation where the natural world can for biodiversity. be enjoyed… and the story continues.

Top to bottom: Flower-rich grassland; grazing sheep; Feel free to explore its open spaces Top to bottom: Greenfinch; Carline Thistle; Betony Hummingbird Hawk Moth. Right: Aberdeen Angus Left: Bee Orchid Map Pidgeon Housel Lane  Mill Lane   Widley Walk Path Fort Fort Widley

Candy’s Pit

Fort Southwick Paulsgrove Chalk Pit

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Bronze Age Portsdown’s incense cup Wildlife Victorian hill forts, and Many generations of people have Prehistoric Past lived on Portsdown the fall and rise of grazing

The chalk of Portsdown Hill of movements in the earth’s grassland, rich in specialised There are many paths that ecosystem. Butterflies, moths, In the 1850s it was thought that Soon after completion the forts Restoration of the downland was formed over 65 million crust, the layers were pushed up plant species that can cope with lead you through the mosaic of spiders, beetles, grasshoppers the French would invade to gain were obsolete. Since then they began in the 1990s with years ago at the bottom of a to form the downs we see today. the free draining and nutrient- flowery grassland and bushes. and crickets abound. the heights of Portsdown Hill. have been used for many other scrub clearance and the tropical sea. It is made from the As Britain warmed after the last poor soil. Colourful wildflowers are Greenfinches and whitethroats From the top of the hill it would be purposes, most notably for reintroduction of grazing. microscopic remains of marine Ice Age, woodland developed. Portsdown’s ridge would have everywhere. Among them are sing from perches within the possible to bombard the British planning during the D-Day landings algae. From around 6,000 years ago formed a valuable strategic rarities such as orchids, early scrub, whilst kestrels and fleet at anchor in Portsmouth’s of the Second World War. The chalk formed folded layers early farmers cleared the vantage point and a dry east- gentian and bastard toadflax. buzzards hang on the wind Naval Dockyard. To prevent this, From the 1950s onwards the Insect life defensive hill forts were built that are continuous with the trees. Over thousands of years west route through a generally Significant numbers of above the slopes as they look Redtailed Bumblebee open chalk downland of along the Hill’s crest to counter chalk of Southern England and since then, grazing livestock marshy landscape. pollinating insects share the for mice and voles. Lizards are and Marmalade Hoverfly Portsdown developed into the near continent. As a result produced a distinctive open Picture courtesy: Portsmouth Museums vegetation with many other to be seen basking, but are likely an inland attack. coarse grassland and scrub as invertebrates in a diverse to scurry away as you approach. grazing declined.