#southdownsnationalpark — Public Fediverse posts

We have two great walks this Saturday including a summer version of a mountain fitness classic!
https://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk
#ramblersgb #hiking #walking #temple #southdownsnationalpark

Conservation Grazing On The South Downs
https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/equine-land-management/horse-health/conservation-grazing/

#SolarPunkSunday #LandManagement #Habitat #Conservation #Horses #Ecology #Ponies #ConservationGrazing #SouthDownsNationalPark #SouthDowns #NationalParks

South Downs National Park Workshop
Explore Through Your Senses: An Inclusive Art & Nature Workshop
The Pump Barn (next to Friston Forest & Seven Sisters Country Park)
05 August 2026
1pm to 4pm
Free
https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/event/explore-through-your-senses-an-inclusive-art-nature-workshop/

#SolarPunkSunday #SouthDowns #SouthDownsNationalPark #WorkShops #Nature #WildLife #BioDiversity #Habitat #NationalParks

McLean Quinlan wins approval to extend 19th-century South Downs pub

The scheme will restore and comprehensively refurbish the Woodcote pub, which is set in a 6.7ha woodland site…
#NewsBeep #News #Artsanddesign #Arts #ArtsAndDesign #Design #Entertainment #McLeanQuinlan #pub #SouthDownsNationalPark #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/680434/

https://www.europesays.com/britain/?p=14586 Sussex market town named one of top 10 places in Britain where people live longest #Britain #EastSussex #Lewes #LewesCastle #MarketTown #SouthDownsNationalPark #SussexTown #TheTelegraph

Celebrating the Dark Skies of the South Downs National Park
By South Downs National Park Authority
Feb 13 from 6pm to 9pm GMT
Memorial Hall, South Downs Centre.
Talks, plus "cake and refreshments and stargazing through telescopes (weather permitting)."
Free tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-the-dark-skies-of-the-south-downs-national-park-tickets-1980560703379?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

#SolarPunkSunday #Astronomy #SouthDownsNationalPark #DarkSkies #SouthDowns

South Downs National Park Authority Upcoming Events
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/south-downs-national-park-authority-9884472334

#SolarPunkSunday #SouthDowns #Nature #WildLife #BioDiversity #SouthDownsNationalPark #YouthAction #NatureBasedLearning #FreeEvents #UK

Beautiful day in #SouthDownsNationalPark
#Mushtodon #mushroomMonday

This Saturday we have a great walk along the South Downs National Park all welcome join us!
https://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk
#ramblersuk #hiking #walking #hassocks #lewes #southdownsnationalpark #jackandjill #lewescastle

New walking and cycling trail unveiled at site of Victorian railway station

A new cycling and walking trail has been unveiled at a former train station. The new section of…
#NewsBeep #News #Cycling #AU #Australia #nationalpark #SamMoore #SingletonStation #SouthDownsNationalPark #sports #theCenturion #WestDean
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/93969/

Started our morning walk up on that there hill in the distance and walked out along the ridge and back. After lunch we walked a flatter circular route from the river to Amberley village. Just as scenic. 14km in total. My feet hurt!
#hiking #SouthDownsNationalPark

Consultation on South Downs National Park: "The draft plan sets out seven collective priorities between 2026 and 2031 – nature recovery, climate action, clean water, young people, welcome and access, arts and heritage, and a thriving, greener place."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6912j4q99o
#Nature #Climate #Water #NationalParks #UK #Sussex #SouthDownsNationalPark #SouthDowns

This weekend we have three walks, the second of our Mountain Fitness Series, a High Weald walk plus on Sunday a Seaside Fitness walk.
https://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk
#walking #hiking #ramblersuk #hassocks #mountainfitness #southdownsnationalpark #balcombe #haywardsheath #highweald #seaford

Paper by me (+ Cooper & Rott) on Tick hazard in the South Downs National Park (UK) + how to control without reducing ecosystem health. Free-to-read in @PeerJ at: https://peerj.com/articles/17483

Funders: @britishdeersoc , @BritishEcolSoc

ABSTRACT:
Background. #SouthDowns National Park (SDNP) is UK’s most visited #NationalPark, and a focus of tick-borne #Lymedisease. UK's first presumed locally acquired cases of #TBE and #babesiosis were recorded in 2019–20. The #SouthDownsNationalPark aims to conserve wildlife and encourage recreation, so interventions are needed that reduce hazard without negatively affecting ecosystem health. To be successful these require knowledge of site hazards.

Methods. British Deer Society members submitted ticks removed from deer. Key potential intervention sites were selected and six 50 m2 transects drag-sampled per site (mostly twice yearly for 2 years). #Ticks were identified in-lab (sex, life stage, species), hazard measured as tick presence, density of ticks (all life stages, DOT), and density of nymphs (DON). Sites and habitat types were analysed for association with hazard. Distribution was mapped by combining our results with records from five other sources.

Results. A total of 87 Ixodes ricinus (all but one adults, 82% F) were removed from 14 deer (10 Dama dama; three Capreolus capreolus; one not recorded; tick burden, 1–35) at 12 locations (commonly woodland). Five key potential intervention sites were identified and drag-sampled 2015–16, collecting 623 ticks (238 on-transects): 53.8% nymphs, 42.5% larvae, 3.7% adults (13 M, 10 F). Ticks were present on-transects at all sites: I. ricinus at three (The Mens (TM); Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP); Cowdray Estate (CE)), Haemaphysalis punctata at two (Seven Sisters Country Park (SSCP); Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve (DBNR)). TM had the highest DOT at 30/300 m2 (DON = 30/300 m2), followed by QECP 22/300 m2 (12/300 m2), CE 8/300 m2 (6/300 m2), and SSCP 1/300 m2 (1/300 m2). For I. ricinus, nymphs predominated in spring, larvae in the second half of summer and early autumn. The overall ranking of site hazard held for DON and DOT from both seasonal sampling periods. DBNR was sampled 2016 only (one adult H. punctata collected). Woodland had significantly greater hazard than downland, but ticks were present at all downland sites. I. ricinus has been identified in 33/37 of SDNPs 10 km2 grid squares, Ixodes hexagonus 10/37, H. punctata 7/37, Dermacentor reticulatus 1/37.

Conclusions. Mapping shows tick hazard broadly distributed across SDNP. I. ricinus was most common, but H. punctata’s seeming range expansion is concerning. Recommendations: management of small heavily visited high hazard plots (QECP); post-visit precaution signage (all sites); repellent impregnated clothing for deerstalkers; flock trials to control H. punctata (SSCP, DBNR). Further research at TM may contribute to knowledge on ecological dynamics underlying infection density and predator re-introduction/protection as public health interventions. #EcologicalResearch on H. punctata would aid control. SDNP Authority is ideally placed to link and champion policies to reduce hazard, whilst avoiding or reducing conflict between public health and ecosystem health.

#OneHealth #PlanetaryHealth #TickAware #DiseaseEcology #ConservationBiology #Acarology #MedicalEntomology #parasites #parasitology #lymedisease

This weekend we have two walks from Hassocks plus one in Camber Sands. #autumnvibes #walking #hiking #ramblersgb #southdownsnationalpark #cambersands

This Saturday is our annual Seven Sisters Challenge starting at Eastbourne chose from 14,17 and 24 mile versions. Always a great end to the summer.
For an alternative we also have a walk to Camber Sands.
#walking #hiking #ramblersuk #southdownsnationalpark #kent

Some views from our epic Two Valley walk led by Stuart B, join us next weekend for our annual Seven Sisters Challenge. Photos by @hikinginfaith
#kentdowns #southdownsnationalpark #sevensisterscountrypark #ramblersuk #walking #hiking

Views from our, very hot, Hassocks walk on Saturday. Three windmills, two pubs and very big hill. We’ve more coming up next week.
#hiking #walking #ramblersuk #southdownsnationalpark #windmills

This Saturday we have a brace of walks in Kent, both finishing in Tunbridge Wells plus a devilishly good walk from Hassocks on Sunday.
https://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk/
#ramblersuk #walking #hiking #tunbrigdewells #hassocks #southdownsnationalpark #kent

We have two walks this Saturday, a visit to the Wild Flower Café near Hassocks, plus an introductory canal walk in Oxford. https://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk/ #ramblers #walking #hiking #hassocks #oxford #southdownsnationalpark #cake

Greater horseshoe bat: Derelict building restored for rare breeding colony

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-64498904

#Bats #GreaterHorseshoeBat #BatLife #BatsOfMastodon #RareSpecies #Breeding #TheWildlifeTrusts #VincentWildlifeTrust #SouthDownsNationalPark #WestSussex #UK #Restoration

Another (wonderfully zen!) behind the scenes of this West Sussex map by Kathryn Holeman. In upcoming Issue 05 Sarah Morris, The Tudor Travel Guide, takes us to Tudor West Sussex.

https://bit.ly/3IR9dYL

#tudorplaces #tudorplacesmag #tudorplacesmagazine #visitsussex #westsussex #tudorsussex #southdownsnationalpark #arundelcastle #cowdrayhouse #wealdanddownland #tudorengland #watercolourart #digitalart #historyart

Happy #Azirafeast ! #Lego Ineffables are having a picnic in the #SouthDownsNationalPark #BeachyHead #GoodOmens #CrowleyandAziraphale
🥂🍰🧁🍷🥞🍧☕️