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The huge dry valley of the Devil's Dyke curves through the chalk of the South Downs
© National Trust / Franci Lane
Devil's Dyke
North of Brighton, on the South Downs, West Sussex
Prehistory  Iconic views or viewpoints  Hills or mountains  Woodland  1995 
An historic beauty spot on the South Downs Way, named after the huge dry valley that carves its way through ridges of rolling chalk grassland.
 
  • Stunning views north to the Weald and south to the English Channel
  • Great for bike rides, walking and flying a kite
  • From hill forts to funfairs, mysterious lumps and bumps reveal an unexpected past
  • Rare and colourful wildlife like butterflies and orchids
  • An easy car-free day out from Brighton

What's new this year
Wild about wildlife? Hungry for history? Discover what Devil's Dyke has to offer with the new family Discovery Packs.
 
 
Devil's Dyke valley
Wild flowers cover the Devil's Dyke valley in spring
Legend has it that the Devil dug the valley to drown the parishioners of the Weald. Scientists, on the other hand, believe the largest "dry" valley in Britain was formed in the last ice age. TQ260108
Remains of the aerial cable car
Britain's first cable car was built here in 1894. It was a great attraction for Victorian day-trippers from London. The concrete foundations are all that survives of the ride that took passengers across the 300m wide valley. TQ263108
 Britain's first cable car crossed the valley at Devil's Dyke in the late Victorian era
Remains of the funicular railway
The Devil's Dyke steep grade railway from a postcard of 1898
Nearly one million people visted Devil's Dyke in 1897. Many rode on this novel attraction down to the village of Poynings below. Today the brick plinth of the boarding platform and the track lines are all that remain. TQ259112
Ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort
Over 2000 years ago Devil's Dyke might have been home to a small farming community but its past is still shrouded in mystery. The ramparts or walls of the hillfort can be seen as you walk around the hill. TQ262114
Fulking escarpment
The Fulking Escarpment on the Devil's Dyke estate
Look west from Devil's Dyke and you will see classic South Downs landscape, where the gentle rolling hills descend dramatically on to plain below. TQ245108

Contact details
Saddlescombe Farm
Saddlescombe Road
Brighton
West Sussex BN45 7DE

01273 857712 (Estate Office)

Email: devilsdyke@nationaltrust.org.uk


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