Southern England
Richards Mountain Pages
The obvious place to start for hills in Southern England, has to be the South Downs. Where they meet the coast
they form a roller-coaster walk with stunning views. The standard postcard shot below was taken from the point
where the Cuckmere river meanders into the sea.
The Isle Of Wight also offers great walking. Personally I like to do a loop of the Western end taking in Alum Bay
and the Needles. You'll find this walk on the walks page. Back on the mainland, the
Isle Of Purbeck has a nice line of hills that act as a barricade. The one weak point is guarded by the impressive
ruins of Corfe Castle. By walking the hills, you get a superb view for free, which is totally unmatched by the
views to be gained for by paying to go in.
The other great walking area in this region, is the New Forest. Its such a photogenic place that its got its
own page:
For a taster try this walk:
New Forest walk - it takes in the scenery around Ober Water in my painting
shown below left, as well as a little of each of the environments found within the forest.
Geology
This part of England is made of layers of chalk, sandstone and various clays
that run in bands across the Isle Of
Wight, and in a big loop wrapped around the Weald of Kent and Sussex. The central Weald is sandstone, whilst around
it the scarp (steep) slope of the chalky North and South downs face inwards. Across their tops, the dip (gentle)
slope runs down to beds of clay.
On the Isle Of Wight the Northern clays are protected by a ridge of chalk hills that form the spine of the
island, ending abruptly at the needles. On a clear day, a continuation of this chalk band can be seen across the water
at Old Harry - a chalk pinnacle at the end of the Purbeck Hills. The Southern shores of the island harbour a basin of
clay renowned for its fossils (particularly the dinosaurs).
The new forest rests on an outcrop of sandstone that stands proud of the surrounding area.
Settlements
There are way to many towns and villages to mention here. Some of the most charming are:
- Rye - a hilltop town by the sea, packed with historic houses and cobbled streets, but throbbing with tourists.
- Tenterden - a sleepy Wealden town with quaint shops.
- Wye - a farming village with an agricultural college set amongst the North Downs.
- Eastbourne - a faded seaside town set at the end of the South Downs (and the South Downs Way).
- Ditchling - a small village at the foot of a scarp slope that looks like a green wall. It puts fear in the hearts
of those on the annual London to Brighton cycle ride.
- Arundel - just below the South Downs, this village has seven outdoor equipment shops!. It also has a large castle
(in one piece).
- Yarmouth - ferry port on the Isle Of Wight, but the village is packed with charming buildings (as seen on TV).
- Brockenhurst - central village of the New Forest, best visited in the winter, when you can find the place without
the huge numbers of tourists that swamp it.
- Winchester - cathedral city, which is the home to the Round Table
Transport
Railway lines fan out from London to just about every nook and cranny of this region. The Isle of Wight has a superb
bus service to make up for the exorbitant cost of getting a car over the water to it.
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