The area between Amberley and Ditchling is what Americans call a ‘dry county’. That’s why pub-based South Downs walks are not possible in this benighted region. Or so The Telegraph would have you believe. [Confused Telegraph readers who find themselves on this page should look here.]
Latest News of Local Interest
Galloping off into the sunset
RWE bailed out of the Atlantic Array last November. ScottishPower Renewables abandoned the Argyll Array the following month. SSE withdrew from Galloper back in March this year. And now RWE has followed suit. The Adonis Blue caterpillars and the Bronze Age cross dyke on Tottington Mount may yet survive.
Preloved whippet puppies
On the market
Fulking Fair shortlisted
Congratulations are due to Bob Rowland and the whole Social Committee team: Fulking Fair has been shortlisted by The Argus panel of judges for the Community Event of the Year at The Argus Stars Awards 2014 to be held at the Theatre Royal Brighton at 3:30pm on Saturday 1st November.
Mapping the woods [update 2]
Our two earlier posts on the LiDAR-based archaeological research into what lurks within the wooded areas of the South Downs were in July 2013 and March 2014. The SDNPA is now calling for volunteers to (i) poke around in the woods [field surveys], (ii) poke around in dusty boxes in Chichester [archive research], or (iii) interrogate elderly locals [oral history]. More information here and at the WSCT.
Mountain Bikes on the Downs
We’ve all seen them. Youngsters on fearsomely expensive mountain bikes skilfully descending precipitous trails on the Downs around Fulking…
Well if you look closely, you may find that some of those youngsters aren’t that young, the bikes aren’t that expensive and the trails may not be a fearsome as you imagine.
Fulking has some great MTB trails for riders of all standards to enjoy – many that only the locals know about. So to encourage more of us out, we’ve put some of the lesser known and shorter circular routes on the website. More will be added in future. Take a look and if you’re already into mountain biking, please contribute your own favourite routes by emailing webmaster@fulking.net.
Current Calendar PDF
Pigeon Post now features a calendar for the relevant month on page one. But items are added to the calendar constantly so, by the middle of the month, there may well be events listed that never made it to the copy of PP that you blue-tacked to your fridge door. We have thus added a button to the the right sidebar, immediately under the Filofax calendar icon, that will allow you to download an up-to-the-minute printable PDF of the current month’s calendar whenever you wish.
Meals for mink
The SDNPA’s annual review for 2013-14 has just been published. The first achievement listed in the press release is the provision of 450 water voles to the River Meon. Other highlights include resurfacing just under a mile of the South Downs Way, replacing 46 signposts and repairing or replacing 24 gates. The full report is here [PDF].
Fireworks
Fulking Parish Council asks residents to alert their neighbours in advance if they plan to set off fireworks. This is essential if your neighbours have pets, poultry or livestock on the adjacent land and applies at any time of the year (e.g., birthdays, weddings, parties, New Year, etc.), not just the traditional November round of fireworks