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The Great Britain Guide

National parks · South East England

South Downs National Park

In or near Washington.

Free admission♿ Wheelchair: limited

South Downs National Park is a National park in South East England.

South Downs National Park — The original uploader was Escowles at English Wikipedia .

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.

Directions on Google Maps →

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
Lancing9.8 km

Sources

Featured in these 3 guides

Other places nearby

Nearby

All Saints Church, Buncton📷 5

Historic churches · South East England

All Saints Church, Buncton

All Saints Church, Buncton — church in Buncton, West Sussex, England, UK.

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Fields near Great Barn Farm - geograph.org.uk - 991210📷 5

Natural landmarks · South East England

Chanctonbury Ring Picnic Site

Chanctonbury Ring Picnic Site — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.

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The Stable Yard.. - geograph.org.uk - 3457930📷 5

Manor houses · South East England

Wiston House

Wiston House — a manor in england-south-east, United Kingdom.

Chanctonbury Ring📷 5

Mountains & hills · South East England

Chanctonbury Ring

Chanctonbury Ring — Named summit at 242 m.

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Chanctobury Ring rampart 3📷 5

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.

thegreatsussexway.org
Chanctonbury Ring view to Wiston house and church - geograph.org.uk - 2222372📷 5

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

Washington camping and caravan park - geograph.org.uk - 2217904📷 5

Caravan parks · South East England

Washington Caravan & Camping Park

Washington Caravan & Camping Park — a caravan park in england south east.

Flooded field near the footpath to Blakes Farm - geograph.org.uk - 6408114📷 5

Campsites · South East England

New Wharf Campsite

New Wharf Campsite — a campsite in england south east.

Ordnance Survey Bench mark - geograph.org.uk - 3207785📷 5

Caravan parks · South East England

Honeybridge Park

Honeybridge Park — a caravan park in england south east.

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Findon High Street - geograph.org.uk - 4329848📷 5

Hotels · South East England

Findon Manor

Findon Manor — a hotel in england south east.

Findon CC pavilion - geograph.org.uk - 2202560📷 5

Caravan parks · South East England

Wild Heart Hill Camp

Wild Heart Hill Camp — a caravan park in england south east.

Chair in The Square - geograph.org.uk - 7882628📷 7

Hotels · South East England

The White Horse

The White Horse — a hotel in england south east.

Places to eat & drink

Frankland Arms in Washington - geograph.org.uk - 8306728📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

The Frankland Arms Public House

The Frankland Arms Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.

The Star Inn, Steyning - geograph.org.uk - 4392093📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

The Star Public House

The Star Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.

Ashurst Village Hall - geograph.org.uk - 2978307📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

Fountain Inn

Fountain Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.

Track through vineyard - geograph.org.uk - 3602364📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

The Rising Sun Inn

The Rising Sun Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.

Post Box Coolham crossroads - geograph.org.uk - 3021172📷 7

Historic pubs · South East England

The Selsey Arms Public House

The Selsey Arms Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.

Inspecting The Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 6543500📷 7

Historic pubs · South East England

Red Lion Inn

Red Lion Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.

More national parks in this region

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National parks · South East England

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New Forest is a National park in southern England.

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Jane Austen's House at Chawton - geograph.org.uk - 1148451📷 5

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

Free🐕👶neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk

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.