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on your doorstep n south downs

As a little girl I spent manya happy hour flying a boxkite at Beachy Head,going on family walks toCuckmere Haven, with itsdistinctive oxbow lakes,

and exploring the dramatic roller-coaster cliffs of the Seven Sisters – tired legsspurred on by the promise of an ice cream atthe end. These days I tend to take the easieroption, helping friends exercise their horseson the Downs and through woodland in thesurrounding countryside.

However you choose to travel, it’s a capti-vating area – and I’m not just saying that

because I’m biased. Celebrated author BillBryson described the landscape as “some ofEngland’s finest” and, in April, a large part of itwas embraced by the South Downs National

Park, the country’s 10th and newest national park. Covering 628 square miles and stretching 87

miles from Eastbourne in the east to Winchester in thewest, it runs through East Sussex, West Sussex andHampshire.

While the name conjures up rolling green down-land ending at sheer, chalky white cliffs, the landscapeand scenery is diverse, taking in gentle clay hills andvales, undulating farmland and steep woodland as youtravel towards the eastern corner.n Beachy Head

Britainonview/Rod Edwards

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DownsEncompassing the country’s newest national park, therolling countryside of the South Downs is asquintessentially English as you will find. Local lassJeannine Williamson gives the lowdown on the highpoints of this captivating area

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on your doorstep n south downs

In my particular neck of the woods, the picturesquevillage of Alfriston is a justifiable magnet for visitors. Agentle one-mile walk away is Berwick Church, its spirevisible above the trees. No ordinary village church, it iscovered with murals painted by Bloomsbury Groupartists Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Quentin Bell,who lived at nearby Charleston.

sparkling winesSussex soil, high in chalk and lime, is very similar tothe Champagne region. So much so, many English

sparkling wines produced here are beating theirfamous French counterparts in internationalcompetitions. The English Wine Centre(www.englishwine.co.uk), on the corner of theA27 turn-off to Alfriston, is an interesting place tostop for lunch and browse around the shop, whichstocks wines from throughout the region.

Down the road, in the neighbouring village ofJevington, is the local culinary institution, theHungry Monk (www.hungrymonk.co.uk), self-

proclaimed birthplace of the Banoffi Pie (look out forthe blue plaque on the wall!).

10 key south downs eventsl Beachy Head Marathon

(www.beachyheadmarathon.org.uk): October22. One of the biggest, toughest and most scenicoff-road marathons in the UK, runners set offfrom Eastbourne at 9am with the first arrivingback less than three hours later.

l Lewes Bonfire Night(www.lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk): November5. Flaming torches, giant effigies and ear-splittingbangers are all part of the famous celebrations –some would say infamous – in the county town ofEast Sussex, where bonfire societies compete forcoveted trophies for the best costumes.

l Sussex Christmas: December 26-January 1:Experience Christmas past in the fascinatingcollection of reconstructed historic buildings atthe Weald & Downland Open Air Museum(www.wealddown.co.uk) at Singleton, nearChichester.

l Brighton Festival (www.brightonfestival.org):England’s largest international arts festival, spreadover three weeks in May, includes theatre, music,dance, literary debates, outdoor entertainmentand family events in more than 20 venues, plus acutting edge fringe festival.

l Glyndebourne (www.glyndebourne.com):Unique and quintessentially English, the operahouse nestling in the foot of the Downs nearLewes hosts its world famous festival from May toAugust.

l South of England Show (www.seas.org.uk): June7-9, 2012. This flagship event showcases the verybest of the local countryside, with prize winninglivestock, equestrian events, regional food anddrink, arena displays and much more.

l Goodwood Festival of Speed(www.goodwood.co.uk): Dubbed the world’slargest motoring garden party, this weekend eventat the end of June is an exhilarating celebration ofmotorsport history.

l Winchester Festival(www.winchesterfestival.co.uk): With over 30events in 10 days every July, the festival serves upa feast of local, national and international talent.

l Arundel Festival (www.arundelfestival.co.uk):Held in August, the 10-day long celebration of arts,music and drama retains a community feelalongside large scale events staged at the castleand around the town.

l Chichester Festival Theatre (www.cft.org.uk):Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, thetheatre has an international reputation for itsvaried programme, encompassing classic drama,musicals, comedies and innovative newproductions.

“The SouthDowns isrich inliterary andartisticculture”

n Arundel Castle

n The South Downsfrom Goodwood

n Detail fromAmberley Castle

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Moving west, seaside towns such as cosmopolitanBrighton, Littlehampton, nestling in the mouth of theRiver Arun, and family-friendly Bognor Regis, home toone of Billy Butlin’s first holiday camps which opened inthe 1960s and is now one of the remodelled resorts(www.butlins.com), make good bases to explore theSouth Downs.

Another gateway town I’d recommend is the elegantcathedral city of Chichester in West Sussex, situated atthe halfway point on the national park’s southern side.Take a leisurely one-hour stroll around the Roman wallsbefore visiting the cathedral, with its 15th-century belfry,England’s only remaining detached bell tower.

cultureThe South Downs is rich in literary and artistic culture;for instance Charles Kingsley was a regular visitor toHampshire’s Itchen Abbas, the village and river inspir-ing the setting of his novel, The Water Babies.

Energetic types can head for the hills along sectionsof, or indeed the whole of, the South Downs Way, theonly National Trail lying wholly within a national park.The 100-mile trail, a haven for walkers, cyclists and horse

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artistic and literary linksl This year marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense and Sensibility

and Jane Austen’s House Museum (www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk) in Chawton, Hampshire, is the17th century home where she wrote the majority of her books.

l Writers, painters and intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury Group flocked toCharleston (www.charleston.org.uk), the farmhouse at Firle, East Sussex,with interiors painted by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell.

l Bateman’s (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) is the beautiful 17th century JacobeanHouse at Burwash, East Sussex, where Rudyard Kipling wrote children’s classicssuch as Puck of Pook’s Hill and Rewards and Fairies.

l Monk’s House (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) in the village of Rodmell, nearLewes, was the countryside retreat where Virginia Woolf completed worksincluding To the Lighthouse, The Waves and Mrs Dalloway.

l Artists have been attracted to Ditchling for over a century and the East Sussexvillage is credited with the revival of calligraphy and hand weaving at thebeginning of the 20th century.

l Petworth House (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) and Goodwood House(www.goodwood.co.uk), both in West Sussex, contain exceptional collectionsof paintings and sculpture, including works by JMW Turner.

on your doorstep n south downs

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riders alike, runs through and around villages and towns,so food and a bed for the night are never too far away.

I particularly like the ancient Hampshire market townof Petersfield, where the tradition continues with weeklymarkets every Wednesday and Saturday and an excellentfarmers’ market on the first Sunday of each month.

From Petersfield, discover a unique feature of thelocal landscape – the steep-sided hanging woods, alsocalled hangers. The town is part of Hangers Way, a 21-mile countryside path from Alton to Queen ElizabethCountry Park. The latter is home to Butser Hill, 890ftabove sea level and the South Downs’ highest point.

Walkers can continue 22 miles along the South DownsWay to Winchester, ancient capital of England, whiletransport users take the low road along the A3 and A272.

Each part of the South Downs has its own beauty. I know the places that I love; take time out to find

your personal high spot.

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Born and bred in Eastbourne, Jeannine Williamson cuther journalistic teeth on regional newspapers beforespreading her wings and going freelance 12 years ago. Shecontributes to a range of national newspapers, magazinesand websites.

south down facts

getting thereServices by Southern Railway(www.southernrailway.com) go fromLondon to East and West Sussex andHampshire. By car, the M25 leads to themain eastern access roads, the A27 and A22, and the M3 for Winchester.

getting aroundFrom £10 a day, the Downlander Ticket(www.southernrailway.com), is valid for Southern trains and somebus services. The Breeze up the Downs (www.brighton-hove.gov.uk)bus network links Brighton with popular places in the park.

accommodationThe National Trails website (www.nationaltrail.co.uk) lists a widerange of accommodation such as camp sites, self-catering, pubs, hotels,dog-friendly accommodation and lodging with bike storage.The Angel Hotel, Midhurst: www.theangelmidhurst.co.uk Findon Manor Hotel, Findon: www.findonmanor.com Russell Hotel, Bognor Regis: www.visionhotels.co.uk

The Star, Alfriston: www.thestaralfriston.co.uk Deans Place Country Hotel, Alfriston:

www.deansplacehotel.co.uk George Bell House Hotel, Chichester:www.chichestercathedral.org.uk Hotel du Vin, Winchester:www.hotelduvin.com Amberley Castle, Arundel:

www.amberleycastle.co.uk

more informationSouth Downs National Park Authority: www.southdowns.gov.ukTourism South East: www.visitsoutheastengland.com

n Winchester, ancientcapital of England

n Bloomsbury Group artistsDuncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and

Quentin Bell, lived at Charleston.

n Bateman’s

n Amberley Castle

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George Bell House is a beautifully restored eight bedroom housesituated in the historic precincts of Chichester Cathedral.

George Bell House has 4 large double / twin rooms, 3 standarddouble rooms and a single room (adapted for disabled access).

All bedrooms are en-suite.

Breakfast is available in the dining room of the house which looksout over the private, walled garden.

A stay at George Bell House offers the convenience of a citycentre location within the tranquil setting of the Cathedral Close.

An ideal location from which to explore the historic city ofChichester with its beautiful Cathedral, galleries and shops.

www.chichestercathedral.org.ukEmail: bookings@chichestercathedral.org.uk

Telephone: 01243 813586

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