The Heathlands Reunited project will be led by the South Downs National Park Authority, working in partnership with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Defence Estates (Home Counties), Forestry Commission, Hampshire County Council, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Natural England, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lynchmere Society and West Sussex County Council. More information here.
Category Archives: National Trust
The 77 summer service
As from today, there is a full daily bus service from the Dyke to central Brighton. Buses run (roughly) every 45 minutes and National Trust members can park up there for free. Here’s the timetable [PDF]. The service reverts to weekends only in September.
Tree Walk on Newtimber Hill
Newtimber Hill is an ancient woodland with more than ten native species of tree to hunt for and identify with the help of a National Trust Ranger. There are trees in this wood that are over one thousand years old alongside new growth.
Saturday, 5th July 2014, 10:30am–1:00pm, £3.00, booking essential. Details here.
Rave off
The Argus reports on the National Trust struggle to restore the status quo ante bellum:
More than 2,000 ravers attended leaving rubbish, including smashed bottles, beer cases, clothing and gas canisters strewn across the site after they partied for more than 24 hours. Volunteers helped to clear about 250 bags of waste ..
Charlie Cain, head ranger of the Devil’s Dyke estate, said [that] .. there is broken glass all over the Downs that is going to cause problems for years.
Elsewhere, the head ranger said:
The mess left behind after [the] rave at Devil’s Dyke was terrible. Fences and gates were cut and cattle had been separated from their water supply.
Updated 2nd June.
Wolstonbury Orchid Safari
An evening walk around one of the best hills on the South Downs to find these fascinating plants. This is a chance to see up to nine species of orchid and discover the ancient history of this enigmatic hill. More details here.
Tuesday, 10 June 2014 6:00–9:00pm, early booking essential, 01273 857712.
Saddlescombe Farm Open Day
The National Trust writes:
Discover this ancient downland farm that was once owned by the Knights Templars. Tours of the 17th century buildings, the surrounding downs and the walled garden. Displays and demonstrations of traditional work including; hurdle making, shepherding, carpenters’s workshop and more. This year we are delighted to introduce our new farmers Roly and Camilla — so watch out for newly born lambs and their sheep dog Belle. Tea and home-made cakes available.
Sunday 27th April, 10:30am–4:00pm, adult £5, child £3, family £13.
3000 years in 3 hours
Saddlescombe Farm, Sunday 23 February 2014, 10:00am — 1:00pm, all tickets £3.00, children and dogs on leads welcome, slightly challenging walk, advance booking not needed.
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.
More information: Graham Wellfare, 01273 857712, graham.wellfare@nationaltrust.org.uk
Join the Saddlescombe education volunteers
Learning outside the classroom: join the new volunteer teaching team at Saddlescombe Farm. A new classroom is being developed in one of the farm buildings. The day will be spent introducing the education staff, meeting current volunteers and finding out what is planned for the future.
Friday, 24 January 2014, 10:00am — 1:00pm. More info here.
The history of Saddlescombe
Thanks to the efforts of Janet Kennish and Graham Wellfare, the National Trust webpages for Saddlescombe have recently been enhanced with a lot of interesting new material:
- Saxons and Normans
- The Knights Templar
- The farm: 1600-1850
- A Quaker family farm
- The twentieth century
[Note added in December 2018: as is their custom, the inexcusably awful National Trust website has now changed or removed all the URLs linked above. The material is probably still there but you will need to search for it.]
Wolstonbury in winter
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, 19th January 2014, 10:00am — 1:00pm, all tickets £3 , more info here.