The new South Downs National Park
Created in 2011, the South Downs National Park covers an area of 1,600 square km offering a landscape as diverse as it is breath-taking along a clear 100 mile (160km) trail. National Park status means that the natural special qualities that make the South Downs a place to be treasured and enjoyed can now be preserved for future generations.
Recognised as an area of outstanding beauty, the South Downs is also home to a multitude of vibrant working communities steeped in history and traditional English culture, from the ancient cathedral city of Winchester in the west to the busy market town of Lewes in the east.
There is much to see and do - walking, cycling or horse riding across the Downs, climbing Beacon Hill or Ditchling Beacon, exploring wildlife in the wetlands, visible prehistory, fine pubs, pretty villages and Glyndebourne opera.
The South Downs Way National Trail
This east section covers East and West Sussex and offers a real opportunity to experience some of our finest ridge walks, from the castle at Arundel through to gleaming chalk cliffs and estuaries to the east. Along the trail you'll see grassy ridges, ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows and local birds and mammals.
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