​​South Downs National Park Area Guide

The South Downs National Park is the youngest national park in the UK, becoming the country’s 15th national park when it was established in 2010. The park’s story can be traced back far beyond that, of course – this area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and historic remnants around the park include everything from the 5000-year-old Cissbury Ring to the World War II pillboxes and anti-tank obstacles that can still be seen along the south coast.

Despite being a newcomer to the gang, the South Downs has already become the most-visited UK national park, welcoming more than 18 million visitors annually. Partly that’s because of its proximity to London – good road and rail links (to places like Lewes, Hassocks and Haslemere) mean that it’s easy to get here from the capital for a day trip or overnight stay. The South Downs is also the most populous national park in the UK, with around 117,000 people living in this scenic area.

Fancy becoming one of those visitors? Pitchup’s guide will introduce you to the South Downs National Park and some of its activities, including articles showing you all the best places to go walking, mountain biking, or horse riding, and with plenty of ideas for family outings and accessible activities too.

Where is the South Downs National Park?

The South Downs National Park covers around 628 square miles (1,627 sq km) of land in the south-east of England, spreading across the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and Hampshire and running all the way down to the south coast.

There are several major towns in the South Downs National Park, including Lewes, Petworth, Petersfield and Midhurst, and a number of other towns and cities just outside its boundaries – Brighton, Winchester, Chichester, Guildford and Eastbourne are all nearby. Good rail and bus links between many of these settlements mean that the South Downs is a good choice of destination for those travelling by public transport.

The South Downs Way

One of the UK’s 16 National Trails, the South Downs Way runs for 100 miles through the national park’s undulating landscape. This is the only National Trail that’s completely contained within a national park, so it’s a very scenic trail, albeit one with a challenging amount of ascent and descent, and certainly one of the best hikes in the South Downs.

The South Downs Way was officially launched in 1972, although its bones are much older as it follows the route of an old drovers’ road. With Winchester and Eastbourne as its start/end points, the South Downs Way is best accessed by train, and some good accommodation options along the route mean that it’s possible to complete the trail as a hiking and camping adventure. You don’t have to do the whole lot, of course – the trail can be split into shorter sections for a rewarding day walk.

Things to do in the South Downs

With so much beautiful scenery to explore, you’ll definitely want to spend some time outdoors in the South Downs National Park – our guides cover all sorts of activities from leisurely walks to more adventurous pursuits like mountain biking. Making the most of the open air doesn’t have to involve lots of effort though – there are plenty of quieter activities around, such as visiting the park’s historic sights, or looking out for wildlife in a park that’s known for its variety of rare habitats such as chalk grassland and lowland heath.

And the adventures are not limited to daytimes here, either – the South Downs National Park was named as England’s second International Dark Sky Reserve in 2016; it’s now one of just 21 such places in the world, and therefore an excellent place to go stargazing. Naturally, this also means that outdoor stays are popular in the South Downs, too – the area’s fairly mild climate means that camping can be a great experience here, but there are also plenty of glamping options for those who like a bit more comfort.