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Blackcap
This stunning hilltop area has been a home to man for thousands of years. On top of the hill are burial mounds dating back to the Bronze and Saxon ages. It is reputed that Simon de Montfort marched his army along this way in 1264 to fight King Henry III's men in the Battle of Lewes. A group of large ash trees and a dew pond are believed to mark a medieval boundary.
Wildlife has also made its home here and Blackcap is a great place to come and see the plants and animals that populate the area. Flowers such as the musk orchid, yellow rockrose, marjoram and honeysuckle can all be seen here, along with countless other plant species all of which support a huge range of insect, bird and mammal life.
The woodland here is equally varied. Coppiced hazel fringes the paths and the diversity of trees in Aschombe Bottom means a dazzling display of autumnal colours. Look out for the attractive buckthorn tree with its yellow autumnal leaves and dark purple-black berries.
Facilities
- No car park - there is a small lay-by below on the B2116
Cuckmere Valley, Frog Firle Farm & Chyngton Farm
The name 'Cuckmere' is derived from 'quick mere' in reference to the fast tidal river flowing through the valley. The fertile plains around the river have provided good grazing land for many years and a Bronze Age barrow (burial mound) shows how long people have lived in this area.
Another historic point of interest is the Littlington White Horse. The first horse was created one night in 1836 by the son of the tenant farmer at Frog Firle Farm along with his brothers and cousin. Since its mysterious arrival on the downs, many stories have been told about what it represents. Restoration work first took place on the White Horse after the war in 1945 and the figure took on its present form in 1983 when the front leg was altered to combat erosion. The National Trust restored the figure in 1993 and 1998 by reinforcing the outline with timber revetment and by adding chalk. The White Horse underwent further restoration work in 2003.
Tile Barn Farm dates back to 1800, although the original was burnt down in an arson attack in 1834. There are also what are believed to be remains of a medieval farmstead at the bottom of one of the hills surrounding the valley.
Frog Firle farmhouse is now a youth hostel. The reason for the name 'Frog' is unknown but 'Firle' is the old Saxon word meaning oak-covered land.
Facilities at Chyngton Farm
- Car park at South Hill Barn
Facilities at Frog Firle Farm and Cradle Valley
- Access from High & Over car park
- Information board
Ditchling Beacon and Down
Ditchling Beacon is one of a chain of prominent beacon sites, which were made ready to fire as a warning in times of imminent invasion. Ditchling Down, a sheep-grazed scarp slope, boasts plenty of downland flowers in the summer.
Facilities
- Access from Ditchling Beacon car park
- Information board
- Bus from Brighton at weekends
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