P

eople have been travelling this chalky ridge for over 8,000 years, making the 100 mile-long route from Winchester to Eastbourne rather historic – not to mention scenic.

As you stroll along, you’ll see signs of previous life dating back to the Neolithic age, in the form of dips in the land left by old flint mines. Meanwhile, dotted along other sections there are remains of Iron Age hillforts, Bronze Age Tumuli (they’re those rounded mounds you can see) and the remnants of Roman roads that crossed the Downs here and there.

There are fascinating museums, too, with Roman villas, historic castles and old houses all open to the public. But it’s not all about ancient history: Amberley Wild Brooks, for example, is an important wildlife area which conservationists saved from being destroyed by the Ministry of Agriculture in the 1970s. We’re so glad they succeeded.