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South Downs National Park

@southdownsnp.bsky.social

The official National Park Authority BlueSkySocial account, proudly delivering for Nature, Climate and People. https://linktr.ee/SouthDowns

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South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 2d ago

Not tricks here, just plenty of glowing treats 🌟 We spent Halloween exploring Ebernoe Wildlands after dark, hosting two night walks with biofluorescence expert David Atthowe. It was a great night of discovering a hidden side of nature that's all around us but rarely seen. 📸: SDNPA

South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 4d ago

November! Halfway through the ’ber months. Look out for: • Owls (especially listen for tawny owls) • Starling murmurations at dusk • Autumn colour in the trees • Fungi, including colourful waxcaps Take a moment to notice November 🍂 📸: Sam Moore

A leaf-strewn woodland path winds under a golden autumn canopy, crossing a small wooden footbridge.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 5d ago

Spooky goings-on have long been associated with Racton Ruin, including tales of bricks thrown from the tower and a “ghost tractor” that vanishes as it approaches. Racton Monument is privately owned, so if you dare to visit, please stick to the public bridleway. 📸: Nathan Hill

Full orange moon rising behind layered clouds over a silhouetted ruined tower and trees, casting an eerie amber glow across the night sky.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 7d ago

Heathlands hold more than just wildlife… they hold whispers of the past. At Longmoor, some say you can still hear the ghostly tramp of Roman soldiers marching along the old road through the heath. Dare to listen this Halloween? 📸: Ron De'Ath

A solitary pine stands on a misty heath at sunrise, silhouetted against a purple and orange sky with heather and low shrubs carpeting the foreground.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · last wk.

The Grey Lady is Cowdray Ruins' most famous ghost. Said to haunt the remains of the Tudor house destroyed by fire in 1793, she's been spotted so often that her regular route has earned its own name: the Lady's Walk. Have you ever seen her? 📸: Carrie Davidson

Medieval castle silhouetted against a golden sunrise as a muddy path with puddles reflecting the sky leads through mist toward the ruined towers framed by trees.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 2w ago

💤 Now the clocks have gone back, take a little inspiration from nature and enjoy the slower pace of autumn. Hazel dormice are true masters of rest, spending nearly three-quarters of the year asleep in one form or another! 📸: Neil Hulme

Tiny brown mouse curled asleep in a snug nest of dried grass and bark, its pink nose, whiskers, folded ear and tiny tucked paws visible.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 2w ago

At this time of year, the wildlife on heathlands may be a little quieter, but an early morning or late afternoon in the mists offers plenty of spooky encounters. You might spot spiderwebs coating the heath, highlighted by the morning dew, and bats flitting about at sunset. 📸: Ron De'Ath

Misty golden morning light illuminating dewy spiderwebs strung across heathland shrubs beneath two gnarled tree trunks.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 2w ago

Due to extreme weather conditions, the South Downs Centre will be closed to walk in visitors on Friday 23 October. We'll reopen as normal on Monday 26 October. Our services remain available by phone (01730 814810) and email at info@southdowns.gov.uk. Thank you for your understanding 🍂

The South Downs Centre Visitor Centre with orange directional signs at a cobbled forecourt, a gnarled tree over the entrance and parked cars under a clear blue sky.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 2w ago

If you (or someone you know) is between 16 and 25 and: - Wants to learn more about our beautiful heathlands - Would enjoy getting hands‑on with a practical task - Is keen to meet people working in the conservation sector …then this is for you. [1/2]

Young person clearing a young pine from heathland, holding large loppers while walking across heathland under an overcast sky.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 3w ago

Fly agaric. Stunning to look at but poisonous. It can be spotted on lowland heath around birch and pine, where it is thought to have a mycorrhizal relationship - sharing nutrients between tree roots and the fungi itself. 📸: Olivia French

Bright red fly agaric mushroom with white wart-like spots standing on a thick white stem amid green moss, scattered autumn leaves, and twigs.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 3w ago

Who or what lies beneath Kingley Vale? A special place of Bronze Age burial mounds and Iron Age camps, tales of hauntings in the dark and silent grove of ancient yews will come as no surprise to those who know this spot. 📸: Chris Doyle [1/3]

Ancient gnarled tree with a bulbous trunk and dozens of twisting, ropey branches fanning into a dense canopy that looms over a shaded forest clearing.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 4w ago

The Magpie Inkcap mushroom turns itself into a black, ink-like liquid. This process helps spread its spores and can leave behind what looks like a puddle of dark liquid in the woods. These striking mushrooms are toxic, so look, but don't touch. 📸: Kathleen Bignell

Slender tall ink cap mushroom with a shaggy black-and-white patterned cap standing amid brown leaf litter on a mossy forest floor, framed by blurred sunlit trees.
South Downs National Park@southdownsnp.bsky.social · 4w ago

Centurion Way Update 👋 We are pleased to confirm that the next section of Centurion Way through Wellhanger Copse is now open. This section provides a link to the Drovers bus stop on the A286 via a permissive path. 📍Singleton Station, Centurion Way 📸Sam Moore [1/3]

Disused rural train platform marked by a green station sign reading "SINGLETON", with an empty bench, overgrown edges and a quiet country path running alongside.