Sun 7th December: Not-Trespassing Walk in South Downs

[Mark]

Forwarded message originally sent out by: David Bangs
To: South Downs Campaign
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 2:58 PM
Subject: Not-Trespassing Walk Sunday 7th December



There will be a 'Not-Trespassing Walk' on the Lancing Downs this coming
Sunday 7th December.

The purpose of the walk is to use and enjoy a statutory Access Land site
which the landowner has so far refused to make accessible to the public,
as the law requires should be done. The site is the dramatic and
delightful 1.5 mile sub-scarp slope just north and north west of Lancing
Ring. The whole of the agreed walk route will take place on public rights
of way and statutory Access Land. The press will be invited.

The full stretch of the Access Land part of the walk will involve the
crossing of 5 barbed wire fences. We will have carpet squares to drape
across the wire so that we save ourselves from snagging, and also save the
fences from damage caused by climbing.

The walk is not suitable for push chairs or for folk with mobility
difficulties. Dogs will have to be kept strictly on leads. Cattle and
sheep may be grazing on site.

Bring a hot drink and a bite to eat.

We will assemble at Lancing Ring Car Park at the top of Mill Road, North
Lancing, at 11.15am. (Map ref: TQ 182 062). We will be returning to the
car park by 3.00pm at the latest. Brighton walkers will be assembling at
Brighton Station at 10.00 am SHARP for the train journey to Lancing. From
there there will be transport to Lancing Ring.

This is the first of an ongoing series of not-trespass walks which we hope
to continue until we have secured the full accessibility of the whole
Access Land assemblage on the South Downs.

It is now FOUR YEARS since the formal designation of the suite of Access
Land Sites in the South East Region, yet our own estimate, based on field
walking and the monitoring of SDJC rangers, is that at least 23 sites on
the Downs between Arundel and Eastbourne have not yet been made publicly
accessible. This sites include one which is farmed by a Conservative
Councillor on Horsham District Council and one owned by an ex-member of
the Sussex Downs Conservation Board. The list includes large sites
adjacent to the South Downs Way, SSSI's, and very dramatic and iconic
landscape features,

Happy Christmas

Dave Bangs