Black Down
The highest point in the South Downs National Park
Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit
We’ve opened more than 130 gardens and parks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland through advanced booking. Tickets are released on Friday for the following week. More than 200 coast and countryside car parks are open across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.
Black Down in July
Purple emperor
This magnificent butterfly flies high in the woodland canopy feeding on aphid honeydew and tree sap. The males can sometimes be seen at ground level where they probe for salts from road surfaces or from animal dung.
Nightjar
The easiest way to find the nocturnal and well-camouflaged nightjar is to listen out for its distinctive 'churring' call at dusk. The nightjar is most easily spotted at dusk when the males can be seen displaying to females.
Marbled white
The striking black-and-white checks of the marbled white are unmistakeable. The adults can often be seen feeding on purple flowers, such as common knapweed and wild marjoram.
Whitethroat
They winter in Africa, leaving our shores in early October and heading as far as South Africa. Males whitethroats build nests out of twigs and roots and the females then decide which to take.
Snakes in the grass
The green and yellow grass snake is our longest snake and can be found across many habitats. During the summer they can be spotted basking in the sun near water.
Woodlark
The secretive woodlark can be hard to spot. It nests on the ground on our southern heathlands and uses scattered trees and woodland edges for lookout posts
