National parks · South East England
South Downs National Park
In or near Washington.
South Downs National Park is a National park in South East England.

Photo by The original uploader was Escowles at English Wikipedia . (Wikimedia Commons, CC SA 1.0) licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 4 h–8 h
- Best time of year
- Spring – autumn (Apr–Oct)
- Nearest railway station
- Lancing · 9.8 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit South Downs National Park, the nearest railway station is Lancing, located 9.8 km away. Entry to the park is free, but wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for navigation is BN44 3DD.
About
South Downs National Park is a national park in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 1627 km². Designated in 2010. According to Wikipedia: "The South Downs National Park is England's newest national park, designated on 31 March 2010.". It is one of fifteen designated national parks across England, Scotland, and Wales, protected for its landscape and recreation value.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
South Downs National Park is a protected area known for its natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and rich history. Visitors can engage in various outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, and exploring vineyards, breweries, and distilleries within the park.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
The South Downs National Park is England's newest national park, designated on 31 March 2010. The park, covering an area of 1,627 square kilometres (628 sq mi) in southern England, stretches for 140 kilometres (87 mi) from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east, through the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex. The national park covers the chalk hills of the South Downs (which on the English Channel coast form the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head) and a substantial part of a separate physiographic region, the western Weald, with its heavily wooded sandstone and clay hills and vales. The South Downs Way spans the entire length of the park and is the only National Trail that lies wholly within a national park.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The idea of a South Downs National Park originated in the 1920s, when public concern was mounting about increasing threats to the beauty of the downland environment, particularly the impact of indiscriminate speculative housing development on the eastern Sussex Downs (Peacehaven was an example of this). In 1929, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, led by campaigners including the geographer Vaughan Cornish, submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister urging the case for national parks, including a national park on part of the South Downs. When however, towards the end of World War II, John Dower was asked to report on how a system of national parks in England and Wales might…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.9110, -0.3670
- County
- West Sussex
- District
- Horsham
- Parish
- Wiston
- Postcode
- BN44 3DD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Arundel and South Downs
- Established
- 2010
- Nearest railway station
- Lancing — 9.8 km
- Official site
- www.southdowns.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q3695606 (CC0)
- wikipedia: South Downs National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Devils Dyke.jpg (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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Other places nearby

All Saints Church, Buncton
Historic churches · 0.5 km

Chanctonbury Ring Picnic Site
Natural landmarks · 1.2 km

Wiston House
Manor houses · 1.4 km

Chanctonbury Ring
Mountains & hills · 1.9 km

Chanctonbury Ring
Vineyards · 1.9 km

Pair of hlaews 150m south east of Chanctonbury Ring hillfort
Vineyards · 1.9 km

Chanctonbury Hill
Mountains & hills · 1.9 km

Water Tower And Sun Room At Wappingthorn To The North East Of The House And To The North West Of The Farm Buildings
Memorials & monuments · 2.0 km

Wappingthorn Tower
Follies · 2.0 km

A24 Ashington Bypass
Memorials & monuments · 2.5 km

Washington Caravan & Camping Park
Caravan parks · 2.6 km

The Frankland Arms Public House
Historic pubs · 2.8 km
Nearby
📷 5Historic churches · South East England
All Saints Church, Buncton
All Saints Church, Buncton — church in Buncton, West Sussex, England, UK.
Natural landmarks · South East England
Chanctonbury Ring Picnic Site
Chanctonbury Ring Picnic Site — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Manor houses · South East England
Wiston House
Wiston House — a manor in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Mountains & hills · South East England
Chanctonbury Ring
Chanctonbury Ring — Named summit at 242 m.
Vineyards · South East England
Chanctonbury Ring
Chanctonbury Ring — a UK vineyard in england south east, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
Vineyards · South East England
Pair of hlaews 150m south east of Chanctonbury Ring hillfort
Pair of hlaews 150m south east of Chanctonbury Ring hillfort — a UK vineyard in england south east, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
Where to eat & stay near South Downs National Park
Places to stay
Caravan parks · South East England
Washington Caravan & Camping Park
Washington Caravan & Camping Park — a caravan park in england south east.
Campsites · South East England
New Wharf Campsite
New Wharf Campsite — a campsite in england south east.
Caravan parks · South East England
Honeybridge Park
Honeybridge Park — a caravan park in england south east.
Caravan parks · South East England
Wild Heart Hill Camp
Wild Heart Hill Camp — a caravan park in england south east.
Places to eat & drink
Historic pubs · South East England
The Frankland Arms Public House
The Frankland Arms Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Star Public House
The Star Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Rising Sun Inn
The Rising Sun Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Selsey Arms Public House
The Selsey Arms Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
More national parks in this region
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New Forest
New Forest is a National park in southern England.
National parks · South East England
Chawton
Chawton is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. The village lies within the South Downs National Park and is famous as the home of Jane Austen for the last
Frequently asked questions
- Where is South Downs National Park?
- South Downs National Park is in West Sussex, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BN44 3DD), in the parish of Wiston.
- What is South Downs National Park?
- South Downs National Park is a National park in South East England.
- How do I get to South Downs National Park?
- The nearest railway station is Lancing, about 9.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode BN44 3DD.
- When was South Downs National Park built?
- Built or established in 2010.
- Who owns South Downs National Park?
- South Downs National Park is owned by | website = {{URL|https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/}}.
- Is South Downs National Park free to visit?
- Yes, South Downs National Park is free to enter.
- How do I get to South Downs National Park?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode BN44 3DD. It sits within the Arundel and South Downs parliamentary constituency.