Southdownsview Sharing Stories from Britain’S Newest National Park May–December 2014
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FREE COPYsouthdownsview Sharing stories from Britain’s newest National Park May–December 2014 www.southdowns.gov.uk @sdnpa sdnpa Discover Another Way to enjoy © Cath Harris Find out how you can sit back and relax while exploring the National Park Page 6 Lewes celebrates 750th battle anniversary © Forestry Commission © Forestry The South Discover how Battle of Lewes changed politics forever Downs: Page 19 The return of Full of ratty surprises © John Dominick © John © SDNPA Win a summer’s supply of dog food for your canine friend – page 7 Read about how we are helping water voles Win £250 in our photo competition – page 2 return to the river Meon Page 5 www.southdowns.gov.uk @sdnpa sdnpa Contents Photo competition 2013 winners An inspiring picture capturing the excitement and giddiness of a precious Welcome to the South Downs Fingers crossed for our simple joy of two young children childhood moment,” says Comedian National Park ..............................................3 Biosphere bid! .......................................... 14 running down a hill was chosen as the and actor Hugh Dennis, who lives winner of the South Downs National in the South Downs National Park The National Park in a Nutshell .............3 Places to stay South Downs Park’s ‘Take nothing but pictures’ and helped to judge the competition. National Park ........................................... 14 Cyclists welcome here!.............................4 photo competition 2013. ‘Jump for “We can all remember the sense of Wings on the Downs ............................. 15 Joy’, by Rich Howorth, beat more than freedom of running down a hill, barely Water voles back on the river Meon ....5 100 other entries to win first prize of in control and this picture makes me Inspiring wildlife lovers in the South Notes from a volunteer rive warden ....5 £250. “This photo really captures the want to run with them!” Downs National Park ............................. 16 Discover Another Way to enjoy the Dark skies for the South Downs ......... 17 views .............................................................6 Wonderful wildlife .................................. 18 Winner Songs of the South Downs ......................7 Lewes celebrates battle anniversary ... 19 Could you be the face of responsible dog walking in the South Downs? ..........7 Supporting communities ........................ 20 The National Trust in the South Your Britain, fight for it! ......................... 21 Downs ..........................................................8 If you go down to the woods today... 22 Events ............................................................9 Stunning views and secret hideaways – it’s yours to explore! ............................. 12 Contact the South Downs National ‘Jump for Joy’ by Rich Howorth, from Brighton Park Authority at: South Downs National Park Authority South Downs Centre North Street Second Third Midhurst Place Place West Sussex GU29 9DH Tel 0300 303 1053 Email [email protected] www.southdowns.gov.uk Photo NEW ‘Heart Smart walkers near Rowlands Castle’ ‘Free as a bird’ by Jon Wigley from Ray West, from Westbourne in West Sussex Petersfield in Hampshire Share competition 2014 Tell us your secrets! your Tourist Information Centres The South Downs National Park’s thoughts photo competition is now open and Tourist Information Centres in and around the South Downs National Park this year we’re asking you to share Lewes Eastbourne Want to discuss the South your secrets with us. The theme is Tel: 01273 483448 Tel: 0871 663 0031 Downs National Park ‘Hidden Gems’ and we want to see www.enjoysussex.info www.visiteastbourne.com with others? photos of your favourite places off Whether you live in, work in, visit Petersfield Haslemere the beaten track. Is there a quiet Tel: 01730 268829 Tel: 01428 645425 or are just passionate about the valley where you can always find www.visit-hampshire.co.uk www.haslemere.com/vic National Park, joining our online peace, a café that always has the Arundel Horsham Forum is the ideal way to raise best cake, a woodland where you topics, join in discussions, post www.sussexbythesea.com Tel: 01403 211661 can find flowers? www.horshamvisitor.co.uk photos, take part in surveys or The judges will be looking for Bognor Regis simply find out about what’s going the best photos that tell the stories www.sussexbythesea.com Littlehampton Look and Sea Visitor Centre on. It only takes a moment to sign of the National Park’s ‘Hidden Brighton Tel. 01903 721866 up and then you’re ready to add Tel: 01273 290337 Gems’. www.lookandsea.co.uk your opinion to an existing item or The winning photographer will www.visitbrighton.com start your own post. Seaford receive £250, second place Burgess Hill Tel: 01323 897426 To view the current hot topics prize will be £150 and third www.burgesshill.gov.uk or to start your own discussion, go www.enjoysussex.info place will be £50. Chichester to www.southdowns.gov.uk and Worthing Find out how to enter at www.visitchichester.org click on ‘Forum’ at the top right of www.southdowns.gov.uk/ www.visitworthing.co.uk the page. photofilmcomp2014 2 THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK www.southdowns.gov.uk @sdnpa sdnpa Welcome to the South Downs National Park The South Downs National Park is a truly special place. Sitting play. You can show your love for the working landscape, so the best possible in one of the busiest parts of the UK, its diverse and inspirational National Park, and help us make sure way to become involved is to explore that it’s here for future generations to its landscape, visit its tourist attractions, landscapes are precious to all who live, work and visit here. enjoy, in lots of easy ways. For example, and, of course, spend your time and Look through this issue of South The South Downs National Park on page 6 you can “Discover Another money in its historic towns and villages. Downs View and you’ll get an idea of Authority works in partnership Way” to enjoy the area by just how much is happening across the with a wide range of organisations, leaving the car at home National Park. Why not organise a landowners, farmers, local businesses, and walking, cycling or star party, or see how many different residents and visitors all of whom are taking the bus and train. butterflies you can discover? If you are committed to caring for these special On pages 9 to 11 you’ll a keen photographer, you can capture landscapes. This year we and our find local events and on some of our hidden gems, and your partners launched the first Partnership page 15 you can find out photograph might feature on the next Management Plan for the National Park. more about some of the edition! To find out more about the This sets out a long-term vision, and National Park’s wonderful story of the National Park, and all it has the many projects through which we butterflies. to offer, visit us at the newly opened are working together to look after its The South Downs South Downs Centre in Midhurst. special qualities. We all have a part to National Park is a living, Trevor Beattie, Margaret Paren, Chief Executive Chair The National Park in a Nutshell Largest 112,000 residents National THIRD Park LARGEST % NATIONAL PARK IN ENGLAND 85 population farmland 18 distinctive landscape types % 4% chalk 91,000 24 grassland volunteer woodland days cover annually % of which 1,200,000 is ancient % poultry MARKET 45 woodland TOWNS 44 km arable 4 21 land of coastline (including 165 the defined 120,000 conservation sheep Sussex 2 MILLION areas Provides water for Heritage people within 5km 1.2 million Coast) people 37% 46,000 % permanent cattle 4.4 28 registered pasture 738 OPEN historic parks ACCESS 46 MILLIONys LAND and gardens visitor da annually 17,000 schools in or nearby pigs 183 parishes 15 % 3,300 km of rights national or 616 local wildlife of way including the scheduled 5,860 sites South Downs Way monuments European listed wildlife sites buildings SOUTH DOWNS VIEW 2014 3 www.southdowns.gov.uk @sdnpa sdnpa There’s a sense of freedom that only comes from being out in the open air on a bicycle and one of the best ways to explore the South Downs is on our 1,200 kilometres of public bridleways. You can discover new places – secret valleys and glorious views – that you’d never reach by car and cover far greater distances than you’d ever manage on foot. No matter your level of fitness or need for adventure the South Downs has something for you. For a family day out Alice Holt offers something for the whole family with a selection of comfortable trails to suit all levels Greenhalf Cyclists © P. including a ‘Beginners Track’ for those just starting out and a family trail exploring further into the forest. Until Cyclists welcome here! September you can also enjoy the Gruffalo Trail and discover panels with themed activities celebrating the 15th To enjoy a day mountain biking east Hampshire. Sculptor Richard Perry farm shops to visit in West Sussex and birthday of the best-selling children’s Amberley train station offers excellent has worked with local communities to Hampshire. Buying local food is a great book. access to the South Downs Way create 20 sculptures that tell the stories way to help support communities and The cycle hire is currently being mid-point from where you can also of the geography, history and wildlife farmers whilst exploring some of the redeveloped so please check availability link with numerous un-marked forest along the route – from a butterfly at distinctive flavours of the National Park. before travelling on 01420 520212 or tracks and Bignor Hill to the west and Bentley Station in the north all of the www.southdowns.gov.uk/foodanddrink the stunning vistas and ancient sites of way to a shipwright’s toolbag at the www.forestrycommission.gov.uk Please don’t give our cyclists a bad Chanctonbury and Cissbury Ring to Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth.