South Downs National Park

The South Downs National Park is England's newest national park, designated on 31 March 2010.^[1] The park stretches from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east through  Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, including much of Lewes District. The South Downs Way spans the entire length of the park and is the only National Trail that lies wholly within a national park.

The South Downs National Park has it all – rolling hills, glorious heathland, river valleys, ancient woodland, thriving villages and market towns, and the iconic white cliffs of the Heritage Coast. Covering over 1600 square kilometres of England’s most valued lowland landscapes in the busiest part of the UK, it has been shaped by the activities of its farmers and foresters, its large estates and communities, its charities and local businesses. It includes inspirational landscapes, internationally important wildlife, cultural heritage and lively market towns and villages.

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is responsible for keeping the South Downs a special place. The SDNPA is also the planning authority for the National Park.

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Dark Night Skies

In May 2016 the South Downs National Park became the world’s newest International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR).

We think our star-studded skies overhead are as valuable as our beautiful rolling landscapes and, with properly dark skies in the South East of England under threat, this is a statement that the skies of the South Downs are worth protecting.

What does International Dark Sky Reserve status mean?

• The South Downs National Park is the second IDSR in England and one of only 16 in the world. With 2.2 million people living within 10km of the National Park our reserve is one of the most accessible in the world.
• There are approximately 2,700 streetlights in the National Park. Local lighting authorities are gradually replacing these over time to comply with Dark Sky standards.
• More than 25,000 individual measurements were taken to map the night skies quality across the South Downs. 66 per cent of the National Park has Bronze Level Skies.

In the future the South Downs National Park Authority will use its role as a planning authority to protect the dark skies above the National Park as well as the landscape on the ground.

Both Lewes and Seaford Information Centres are members of the SDNP Dark Skies Welcome scheme