Christmas in the South Downs

Spending Christmas in the South Downs is all about enjoying an extra special time of year either outdoors on a winter walk or inside tucked up by a log fire. From carol singing Morris men in locally owned pubs close to Lewes and Brighton to Christmas markets in villages like Pulborough, Ditchling and Storrington, this is a time of year that always crackles with good cheer.

Although exhibitions such as those at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in Singleton and the museum and heritage centre at Amberley do close over Christmas, practically all the national park’s woodlands and walking trails remain open. Many of the National Trust’s estates in the South Downs are also open at Christmas. You’ll find lots of things to do, including festive nature trails around parks and gardens, as well as opportunities for mulled wine, mince pies, and even a chance to meet ‘you know who’.

Staying in the South Downs for a Christmas holiday allows you to discover a distinctly different destination to what you’ll experience in the summer. Far fewer crowds – apart from those on Brighton promenade – provides a real locals’ perspective, and some of the views from locations like Black Down, the highest point on the Downs, and Kingley Vale, one of England’s first national nature reserves, are absolutely beautiful.

This time of year is also ideal for listening to some of the spooky tales associated with the South Downs, shared as you venture out into the cold winter’s night for stargazing expeditions with flasks of hot pumpkin soup. However, if you prefer to enjoy your ghost stories by the fire, you’ll find lots of small family-run B&Bs and characterful self-catering cottages in the South Downs to help you do just that.

If that’s whetted your appetite for festive fun and conjured up images of snowy Sussex slopes and horse-drawn sleigh rides in Hampshire, below are some more things to do in the South Downs at Christmas.

The South Downs National Park has just launched a ‘wild winter’ John Muir Award which encourages families to get out together and discover nature. It’s an excellent initiative that gives all ages an excuse to explore in the countryside and learn more about conservation and the natural world. All you need to do is sign up to the John Muir Award’s newsletters and find out what nature-based outdoor activities you can do either outdoors in the South Downs or in your own home. From sustainable Christmas craft tips to where to go on winter walks, spending time together as a family at Christmas has never been so rewarding.

This trail in Hampshire runs for over 100km from Haslemere to Petersfield and takes in some of the South Downs lesser-known heathlands, woods and riversides. A recently installed stone sculpture trail runs adjacent to the Serpent’s Trail and tells the story of Hampshire’s heathland heritage as recounted by local people, ancient maps and the words of Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The seven sculptures were created over six months by local volunteers and school children under the watchful tutelage of award-winning sculptor Graeme Mitcheson.

Staying locally and walking sections of the Serpent’s Trail at Christmastime might not mean that you get to meet any of the indigenous species of reptiles, lizards and insects, but you will experience the area’s heathlands when they’re at their quietest and most atmospheric.