Sussex

Newtimber Hill butterfly walk

Adonis blue male on Carline thistle, Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire — An Adonis blue butterfly | © National Trust Images/Matthew Oates

Discover some of the UK's rarest butterflies among flower-filled grasslands on this 3-mile circular walk. Wind your way along and down the crest of the South Downs where, during the summer, you might spot Adonis and chalkhill blues, dark green fritillaries and silver-spotted skippers. It's also a good place for orchids – including many frog orchids – along with red star thistles, round-headed rampions, drifts of devil's-bit scabious and autumn gentian.

Near to

Saddlescombe Farm and Newtimber Hill

Start point

Lay-by off Saddlescombe Road, grid ref: TQ268119

Trail information

View route

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3 (km: 4.8)

Duration3 hours to 4 hours

Dog friendly***

*Steep slopes and rough ground. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Unsuitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. For further details, please see Access section.
***Dogs on leads welcome. For further details, please see Facilities section.

Address
Poynings, West Sussex Downs, nearest post code BN45 7DE
Directions via Google Maps
By train
Brighton, 5 miles (8km) from Devil's Dyke, then take 77 bus.
On foot
Footpaths from Brighton (5 miles/8km), Fulking and Poynings (both 1 mile/1.6km) or South Downs Way.
By bus
Service 77 from Brighton (Brighton & Hove Buses), weekends and bank holidays, daily in high summer. Alight Devil's Dyke and walk down to Saddlescombe Farm.
Cycling
Cycle path from Hove off National Cycle Network Route 20, plus others including South Downs Way.
Sustrans
By road
Signposted 2 miles (3.2km) north of A27 Brighton ring road and 1 mile (1.6km) south of A281. Nearest postcode BN45 7DE. Parking lay-by opposite Saddlescombe Farm entrance.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads where signs indicate, as there's livestock grazing in the surrounding fields. There are no dog bins so please take dog litter home.
Toilet
Available at Devil's Dyke pub and the Wildflour Café at Saddlescombe Farm.
Café
Refreshments available seasonally at the Wildflour Café at Saddlescombe Farm (not National Trust), Step 6 of this walk.
Pub
Devil's Dyke pub in Poynings, near the start of the walk.
Total stages: 7
Total stages: 7
Start point
Lay-by off Saddlescombe Road, grid ref: TQ268119
Stage 1
From the lay-by on the east side of the road, climb up the bank to a stile. Head diagonally up the slope to the left, aiming to the left of a prominent clump of ash trees on the summit. Pick up the main cattle track that skirts below this clump and head above the field terraces down the slope, towards the far upper slope. You'll reach a corridor through woodland, by an old post.
A dark green fritillary | © National Trust Images/Wilbert McIlmoyle
Stage 2
Follow the main cattle track into the ash woodland and a large open glade. There you'll find a dark brick building base (a milking stand). After admiring the view, turn right and go uphill, through a narrow path across a belt of scrub, and out on to open short turf. Cross this turf, and aim straight ahead towards the old dew ponds.
Stage 3
Turn right down a vehicle track by the main dew pond. This runs through hawthorn scrub and onto open downland between two hills. Bear left and down along the scrub edge, turn near a lone ash tree on your right.
Stage 4
Head downhill, slightly left and past old field terraces before turning left. Go up along the lower slope of the south-facing combe, continue until you see a fence line in front of you and aim for the gate in the bottom-right corner of the fence.
A make chalkhill blue butterfly | © National Trust Images/Matthew Oates
Stage 5
After the gate, walk along cattle tracks running along the lower slopes. Avoid the slope bottom track as that runs through rather flowerless and butterfly-free terrain. Eventually come down to the track, to leave the slope by a field gate.
Stage 6
After the gate, turn right onto the farm lane, go through another gate and follow the track through the farm. You can visit the old donkey wheel and some of the old farm buildings. The tea shack is in the furthest of the small farmyards, just off the main track.
Stage 7
Carry on along the lane, continuing straight on and going through a field gate back on to the down. Aim to the left and down the slope of the old chalk quarry, before aiming right up the slope, keeping the ash tree belt on your left. Follow a cattle track along the lower downland slope back to the stile by the lay-by.
End point
Lay-by off Saddlescombe Road, grid ref: TQ268119
Trail map
Newtimber Hill butterfly walk map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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