Brisk walks and bus rides – sounds like just the ticket. The new 77 bus timetable is out for the Dyke to Brighton route. This forms part of the “Breeze up to the Downs” partnership between B&H City Council, The National Trust and SDNP. It starts on 19th April, and from 14th June to 31st August you can, er, “do it topless”. More importantly it now connects with similar services to Stanmer Park and Ditchling Beacon. More details here…
Can’t face hiding those eggs in the garden for the children?
Well, it seems that the National Trust and Cadbury have got together to solve that for you – with three separate Easter Egg Trails on the Dyke over the Easter break.
It’s a fundraiser for the NT: Entrance is £3, and the fun starts at 11am on 4th, 5th & 6th. More details here…
Saddlescombe Farm, Sunday 8th February 2015, 10:00am — 1:00pm, all tickets £3.00, children and dogs on leads welcome, slightly challenging walk, advance booking not needed.
This walk starts at Devil’s Dyke and gives you an opportunity to discover an ancient downland farm and its surroundings. Saddlescombe Farm has seen over 1000 years of history and still retains many of its old buildings, including the donkey well and 17th century barn. The surrounding downland holds even greater allure with over 3000 years of stories to tell. There will a break at the Hiker’s Rest tearoom at Saddlescombe before the return walk to Devil’s Dyke.
More information: Graham Wellfare, 01273 857712, graham.wellfare@nationaltrust.org.uk
A guided walk exploring the woods and ancient downland of one of the most remarkable hills on the South Downs. Here you will discover ancient beech trees, a mysterious history and a bizarre lunar landscape created by billions of ants.
Booking not needed. Sunday, 11th January 2015, 10:00am — 1:00pm, all tickets £3. Meet at Clayton recreation ground, just off the A273. More Information: Graham Wellfare, 01273 857712, graham.wellfare@nationaltrust.org.uk.
The SDNPA reports:
We have been informed that the Durand Academy has withdrawn their appeal against the SDNPA’s refusal of planning permission at St Cuthmans School. All arrangements for the hearing have had to be cancelled at very late notice – on the eve of the pre-inquiry meeting. Both the SDNPA and the local community have devoted considerable time and effort to get to this stage. The withdrawal reflects the high quality of our original appraisal of this development and confirms our wider stance on major developments in the National Park. We are now moving to recover the considerable costs incurred to the public purse in preparing for this appeal.
Despite the pending bill, it seems that the Academy intends to revisit Overlook Hotel:
The appeal was based on a planning application we submitted in October 2013 and we are confident that, now we are settled and operational on the site, we can rework the proposition effectively. .. So we want to take the opportunity now to work closely with the local community and planning authority, to adapt and rework the proposition going forward collaboratively.
Perhaps they should hire Lee Newlyn as a consultant or relocate to Mayfield Market Town.
Update 20th December: the Midhurst and Petworth Observer has more information about the impending efforts to recover the costs of the appeal.
Our earlier reports on this potentially precedent-setting application can be found here (May 2013) and here (December 2013).
Charlie Cain, the National Trust’s Head Warden for the South Downs, writes:
The situation is not ideal and it is our intention to remove the cattle as soon as we can. The grass growth this year has been exceptional due to the long summer and we need to keep it under control. The grazing of cattle is the most effective natural way of doing this. The excessive rainfall this autumn has made the situation worse. The grass is still growing and the cattle are causing more damage because the ground is so soft.
I am regularly monitoring the condition of the paths. We intend to replace the cattle with sheep for the winter but at the moment sheep would not consume enough grass. I am unable to predict exactly when this will happen. It will depend on how much the grass continues to grow.
As regards fencing, we have let some of the fences fall into disrepair lately. This is because a larger area is more-efficiently grazed by cattle. When a fence is situated up and down the hill you tend to get more ungrazed areas because you change the grazing pattern of the animals. Our plans for next year however include splitting the Fulking hillside into three paddocks. This may make it easier to control damage to paths because we will be able to move cattle away from the worst-affected areas.
Create your own Christmas wreath with materials collected from the downs. Take a festive walk and collect your holly and ivy. Return to historic Saddlescombe farm to make your very own Christmas decorations in front of a roaring fire in the Tudor Scullery. Mulled apple juice, mince pies and roast chestnuts will be included.
Booking essential. Monday, 22nd December 2014, 10:00am — 1:00pm, adult £6, child £3. More info here.
Join mycologist Martin Allinson for a day of recording as many species of fungi as possible across Newtimber Hill on Friday 3rd October from 9:45am to 3:00pm. Wear suitable clothing and bring lunch. Tea and cake will be served upon return to Saddlescombe. Supervised children are welcome. Booking essential. Slightly more information here.
The South Downs National Park Authority has another relevant press release on this topic:
UK Power Networks, which delivers electricity supplies in the South East, has just completed a project to remove 1.4 miles of power lines, poles and equipment at the Rathfinny Wine Estate. .. The £426,513 improvements were funded by the electricity distributor’s £6.6 million initiative to enhance nationally-protected landscapes. New underground cables have been laid to replace the power lines on the wine estate and National Trust’s Frog Firle Estate.
Pete Currell, from the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “This underground cabling is just one of three schemes happening in the National Park over the next two years and we hope that we’ll be able to announce two more in the very near future.”
The projects are chosen by a regional steering group of environment experts, including the South Downs National Park, and chaired by Natural England. UK Power Networks provides technical support and guidance and carries out the projects. Between 2010 and 2015 UK Power Networks has £6.6million to invest in projects to replace overhead lines with underground cables in AONBs and National Parks in the South East. Since 2005 the company has removed 86km of power lines to enhance some of Britain’s most important landscapes.
Earlier post here.