Hoping to get out for a walk in the South Downs this weekend? You’ll find plenty of inspiration in our Walking Hub.
Take a look here: www.southdowns.gov.uk/get-active/s... 🥾
📸: Michael Steven Harris
A lovely photo of hazel catkins tree taken by our ranger, Kirsty 🌳
Did you know those dangling catkins are actually the male flowers?
If you take a closer look, you’ll see the small vase-shaped red buds - these are the female flowers, ready to receive pollen from another tree.
📸: Kirsty Ferris
The People's Choice voting for this year's Astrophotography Competition is now open! 💫
Follow the link below to choose your favourite from 25 shortlisted entries.
🔗 www.southdowns.gov.uk/astrophotogr...
📸: Joshua Roveschi
We're looking for casual Car Parking Assistants to join the team at Seven Sisters Country Park 👋
If you enjoy working outside in all weathers, in a fast‑paced environment communicating with others and managing different logistics, then this role may be for you.
🔗More info: webrecru.it/27GKLX
Hi Jeanette. Thanks for the feedback - that page wasn’t displaying correctly. The issue should be fixed now, please try this link: www.southdowns.gov.uk/volunteering...
Will a cloud inversion ever not look magical?
These occur when the air near the ground is cooler than the air above it.
📍Devil's Dyke
📸May Cheung
Looking for a way to make a real difference? 🌳
We're looking for volunteers to assist with the recording of ancient, veteran and notable trees across the central area of the South Downs National Park.
🔗Find out more: www.southdowns.gov.uk/volunteering/opportunities/
📸: Nick Heasman
Did you attend any of our Dark Skies Festival events this year? 🌌
If so, we’d love to hear your thoughts in our anonymous survey. Your feedback is essential for helping us plan and improve future events.
🔗Complete the survey here: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/DVG88R/
📸: Nick Herrod
To celebrate #InternationalWomensDay, we asked women across the South Downs National Park Authority what makes working here so important to them🌳
🔗 Read the article here: www.southdowns.gov.uk/celebrating-...
📸: SDNPA
If you're out in the National Park with your dogs, please keep in mind there are plenty of new born grazers in fields.
Keep dogs on a short lead and leave those gates as you found them.
📸: Jamie Fielding
Introducing the winner of our People’s Choice vote for our annual photo competition!
Drumroll please… 🥁
'Feeling Sheepish' has taken the top spot - congratulations to Ian Cairns! Thank you to everyone who voted 🐏
Daffodils: proof that spring is just around the corner 💛
These sunshine-hued blooms symbolise new beginnings, friendship, and the joy of a clean slate.
📸: Christopher Hall
New vacancy: Farming Officers (x2)🌾
If you have a strong working knowledge of farming, land management, and agri-environment schemes, and can plan, organise and deliver projects, this role may be for you!
🔗Find out more and apply: webrecru.it/1INwJR
Annual photo competition: Youth category (10 & under) winners! 📸
A huge congratulations to our winners:
👉 Winner: Small Cooper Butterfly by Jaxon Head
👉 Highly commended: Sheep's View by Arthur Knipe
Well done everyone, amazing work! 🤩
The South Downs National Park is home to some incredibly rare habitats and wildlife - but even here, nature is under pressure and needs our help.
'Nature Recovery' is a priority in our latest Partnership Management Plan. Learn more: buff.ly/EAWDee1 👋
📸 John Dominick
That early morning soundtrack is returning 🎶
Though the full dawn chorus won’t peak until mid‑March, great tits are already chiming in alongside thrushes and robins, weaving the first threads of spring.
Do you hear it yet?
📸: Annette Radford
March has arrived! Here's what to look out for this month:
• Sand martin arrivals
• Blackthorn, cherry plum and ramsons (wild garlic)
• Early butterflies and moths: brimstones, small tortoiseshells, peacocks
• Frog and toad spawn
...and (if we're lucky) some sunshine 🤭
📸: Chris Hall
The Dartford Warbler.
A rusty breast, long tail, and scratchy call from gorse bushes give this small grey heathland bird away, and it’s a species you can spot at any time of year.
📸: Eleanor Page
Just a couple of reminders if you're heading out with your furry friends:
🐑 Please keep dogs on a lead near livestock and wildlife.
💩 Bag and bin your poo, any public bin will do.
Thanks for doing your bit to protect wildlife, livestock and this special place 💚
📸: Siôn McGeever
New vacancy: Strategy Lead - Rural Economy 👋
We're looking for a Strategy Lead to be responsible for the delivery of our work on the rural economy, supporting land management based rural businesses to flourish.
🔗 Find out more and apply: webrecru.it/1U4QJW
When the sun sets at 5:36 this evening, we will have gained 2 hours and 43 minutes of daylight since 1 January.
We're here for the longer days! 😊
📸: Sam Moore
📍Cissbury Ring
This Site of Special Scientific Interest, just north of Worthing, is the largest hill fort in Sussex and has a history dating back over 5,000 years.
📸: Jamie Fielding Photography
As we bid farewell to an incredible week and a half of shared experiences under the stars, we want to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us across our Dark Skies Festival events 💫
📸: Marco Wong
Huge well done to Mandy Turner, who took the top spot in the mobile phone category of our 2025/26 Astrophotography Competition!
“Moon Halo”, captures the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere, creating a ring effect.
Amazing work, Mandy! 🤩
Winning the 'Dark Skyscapes' category in the 2026/26 Astrophotography Competition was Lorcan Taylor-Hood!
“A Window to our Galaxy” captures The Milky Way filling up the window and stretching up and over an old ruin near Eastbourne.
Congratulations, Lorcan! 💫
Congratulations to Carl Gough, who was awarded runner-up in the 'Dark Skyscapes' category of our 2025/26 Astrophotography Competition.
The image “Eclipsed” stunningly depicts a partial lunar eclipse next to Arundel Castle.
Fantastic work, Carl👏
Winning the 'Deep Space' category in the 2025/26 Astrophotography Competition was Jellyfish Nebula, by Nigel Stanbury, showing the remains of a supernova located 5,000 light years away.
Congratulations Nigel - a stellar shot! 🤩
Congratulations to Tom Elphick, who took the runner-up spot in our 'Deep Space' category is the 2025/26 Astrophotography Competition!
“Winter’s View Orion” was captured under the deep, ink-black skies of Ditchling Beacon.
Well done, Tom! ✨
Winning the “Life at Night” category in our 2025/26 Astrophotography Competition was Richard Murray’s shot, “Snail Trail to the Stars”, capturing a snail beneath The Plough asterism.
Congratulations, Richard - you really snailed it! 🐌
EVENT UPDATE - Amberley event on 18 Feb postponed ⚠️
Due to a Met Office yellow weather warning, the Dark Skies Explorer Event at Amberley Museum is moved to Friday, 20 February. Tickets remain valid, and activities will still run from 6:30pm-9pm.
📸: Chris Nesbit
