The South Downs is England’s newest National Park (2010) which means it’s now protected. Stretching from East Sussex to Hampshire, these rolling hills and chalklands offer vital habitats to flowers and wildlife and birds. .
Although the South Downs appear green, they stem from the chalk cliffs (the same as nearby Beachy Head) and are home to rare birds and butterflies, including many endangered species. Although most grass, they also include stunning woodlands.
Deer are very shy, so you are likely not to see them. But you may catch a glimpse of butterflies in meadows, or birds overhead like yellowhammer and skylark.
The Long Man of Wilmington
The chalkland dates back millions of years, to tell a story of England’s past. There is evidence that humans have lived here for thousands of years, not least due to the famed Long Man of Wilmington, a ‘giant man’ carved into the chalk in a village in East Sussex.
One of the most famed chalk drawings in England is the Long Man of Wilmington, carved into the South Downs near Alfriston, a pretty village in East Sussex. This 70 ft giant man has remained a puzzle for generations, as to who he is, and why he got there.
Believed to be from as early as the Iron Age or built by Romans, there is a sketch from 1710, so we know he is over 300 years old.
The white chalk had faded, but in 1920 local people and historians got out their chisel and paint, and gave him a makeover, and today it has some concrete blocks, so is easy to maintain.
The Long Man holds a stave in each hand, with some believing these to be either to symbolise his strength, or perhaps to measure the land or he perhaps was an astronomer? Or he is watching over the fields? Nobody knows.
One tale is that he marks the site of eternal rest, of two giant brothers who roamed the South Downs, and fell in battle. If you wish to visit the Long Man without a big hike, it’s good viewed from Wilmington Priory.
Mineral Water from South Downs National Park
Of course you can always drink filtered tap water (even unfiltered tap water in England is pretty safe to drink). Having said that, if you drink or travel with bottled or canned water, South Downs Water offers still and sparkling mineral water from the deep chalk layers of the South Downs, in easy-to-recycle cans.
Never give sparkling water to pets, it could cause bloat.
This water is naturally low in sodium, and the chalk streams means it does not have to be filtered or treated. The well is 420ft below ground, just outside Chichester, the spring used originally during World War I and then as an ice factory. Before a local entrepreneur decided to create a local bottled water brand.
Local businesses can buy their plumbed-in water coolers (everything is recycled, with free delivery in the region). A great alternative to selling plastic bottled water, from far away.
