Just a couple of corrections! The Devil's Dyke is actually the steep, narrow valley you show towards the start of the video. The large flat area you look out over when appreciating the view is the Low Weald. You can see the hills of the High Weald to the northeast, but the more conspicuous hills you can see are the North Downs in Surrey. Don't worry about the North Downs too much. As any proud child of Sussex will tell you, the South Downs are far superior.
There was a railway to the Dyke which closed in 1933. There was also a cable car arrangement for tourists and a funicular railway that went straight down the scarp slope towards Fulking, to obviate the tiring ascent and scramble down. 150 years ago it was a huge attraction with facilities to match. Now the hotel is the only bit left.
The whole of the Southdowns needs our urgent protection stretching from near Winchester to Beachy Head near Eastbourne, these wonderful Chalk Uplands are irreplaceable. I remember my dear Wife telling me how her School Teacher took her and the class up onto the Downs above Plumpton in the early fifties to teach them about the Wild Flowers, and then we lived on their edge in dear old Lewes.
My early childhood was spent in the area, my grandfather driving us in his Ford Anglia to Ditchling Beacon, Devil's Dyke, Mt Caburn &c &c. in search of Anglo-Saxon flintstones, or whatever.
Great video, I live in Haywards Heath, I went to Brighton yesterday, I'll have to remember that bus route. I do feel very fortunate to live where I do, Sussex is stunning.
The walk west from Devils Dyke along the ridge to Truleigh Hill is amazing only a couple of miles and you can get tea and cake from the Youth Hostel there
The view across Morecambe Bay from the top of the Mount in Fleetwood, is certainly one of the finest views in England, which can change dramatically in just a few hours... as when the tide goes out there, it goes WAY out! Also. you can see the first 'mountains' of the Lake District across the water. Even at night it's a wonderful view, as there are many buoys and even Walney Lighthouse near Barrow-In-Furness. Other opinions are of course available, please post them here...
Between 1887 and 1934 you could have got to the Devil's Dyke by train on the Brighton and Dyke Railway, a rather short lived venture of which little remains. However, that isn't the strangest failed railway from Brighton. That "honour" belongs to the famous Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway aka the "Daddy Long Legs Railway" that actually ran in the sea from Brighton to Rottingdean, which ran from 1894 to 1900. That was an offshoot (and off-shore) venture of what is now the oldest operational electric railway in the world. That is the Volk's Electric Railway. I should add that I have cycled up to the Devil's Dyke several times, and it's possible both by road and off-road if you follow the South Down's Way,
What a lovely tour! By the thumbnail and the mysterious title, I was sure that this must be Blackmoor Vale in Dorset (I'm not so good with my east and west).
Bit of a departure, but loved the video. I’m perplexed by Ruskin’s claim about the view, after all his primary residence was Brantwood, overlooking Coniston Water and the Coniston Fells, no comparison in my opinion.
Nice video. Pity about the claim at 2.08. What about Cheddar Gorge? UK? Yes. Longer? Yes. Deeper? Yes. Wider? Probably (hard to measure). A dry valley? Yes (well, ever since the August 1968 flood). It even formed in the same way and at about the same time. However, while both are carved from limestones, the Carboniferous Limestone at Cheddar is over twice the age of the Chalk, and had a more active tectonic history (IOW it was folded), that render it more resistant to erosion. Hence the towering cliffs of bare rock. It also has caves! Anyone else agree with me?
Lovely video but at 2.06 you say you are looking at the longest deepest dry valley and you literally arent! That is the wrong view and wrong direction. That is not the valley but the dip / scarp slope that forms the South Downs and is mirrored by the North Downs. That long dry valley that you are referring to is 'Devils Dyke' and is at 1.15! Though many refer to the area as DD its actually a specific part of it.
I kept thinking that, too. "Alex, if it's the devil you seek, look behind you!" When we were orienteering up there from school, I remember telling a couple of classmates that it was an unfinished railway cutting from a rival London to Brighton line! They bought it as wel!l
@@AlexinGreatBritain I will still disagree as have friends that live there and lived there since I went to school with them in late 80’s who still call it Poi-nings. Can be another scone or scone.
Just a couple of corrections! The Devil's Dyke is actually the steep, narrow valley you show towards the start of the video.
The large flat area you look out over when appreciating the view is the Low Weald. You can see the hills of the High Weald to the northeast, but the more conspicuous hills you can see are the North Downs in Surrey.
Don't worry about the North Downs too much. As any proud child of Sussex will tell you, the South Downs are far superior.
Ah, fair enough! Like I say, geology isn't my strongest suit - I'll be the first to admit, though I do appreciate a good view when I see one!
@AlexinGreatBritain no worries, hope you enjoyed your visit and thanks for bringing eyeballs to the area 👍🏼
Truleigh!
There was a railway to the Dyke which closed in 1933. There was also a cable car arrangement for tourists and a funicular railway that went straight down the scarp slope towards Fulking, to obviate the tiring ascent and scramble down. 150 years ago it was a huge attraction with facilities to match. Now the hotel is the only bit left.
The whole of the Southdowns needs our urgent protection stretching from near Winchester to Beachy Head near Eastbourne, these wonderful Chalk Uplands are irreplaceable. I remember my dear Wife telling me how her School Teacher took her and the class up onto the Downs above Plumpton in the early fifties to teach them about the Wild Flowers, and then we lived on their edge in dear old Lewes.
It a great walk with some spectacular wild poppies in summer. Keeps you fit too. Oh, yes, a good place for chalkland butterflies in summer as well.
Well Alex, a most informative quirky topic. Thank you.
Thanks Dianne!
My early childhood was spent in the area, my grandfather driving us in his Ford Anglia to Ditchling Beacon, Devil's Dyke, Mt Caburn &c &c. in search of Anglo-Saxon flintstones, or whatever.
Great video, I live in Haywards Heath, I went to Brighton yesterday, I'll have to remember that bus route. I do feel very fortunate to live where I do, Sussex is stunning.
It is indeed, and thanks!
I live in Lincoln these days but I grew up in Haywards Heath back in the 1970's, loved the place and the countryside as a boy.
The walk west from Devils Dyke along the ridge to Truleigh Hill is amazing only a couple of miles and you can get tea and cake from the Youth Hostel there
Used to go there in the 80s, the sky was full of hang gliders then, looked great fun, no doubt closed down by the fun police
Nope, plenty of aeronauts use it when conditions are right. The narrator even pointed some out. Don't be so grouchy.
The view across Morecambe Bay from the top of the Mount in Fleetwood, is certainly one of the finest views in England, which can change dramatically in just a few hours... as when the tide goes out there, it goes WAY out! Also. you can see the first 'mountains' of the Lake District across the water. Even at night it's a wonderful view, as there are many buoys and even Walney Lighthouse near Barrow-In-Furness. Other opinions are of course available, please post them here...
Loved this video. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Greetings from malta ❤ there's nothing like english country, great video
Thank you!
Very nice Alex, thank you!
No problem, thanks for stopping by!
Great video....👍👍
Thank you!
@@AlexinGreatBritain no worries buddy, I’ve not long found your channel so I’m going through the videos, and I like what I see 👍🏻👍🏻
Nice one. i love it😀
Thank you!
Between 1887 and 1934 you could have got to the Devil's Dyke by train on the Brighton and Dyke Railway, a rather short lived venture of which little remains.
However, that isn't the strangest failed railway from Brighton. That "honour" belongs to the famous Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway aka the "Daddy Long Legs Railway" that actually ran in the sea from Brighton to Rottingdean, which ran from 1894 to 1900. That was an offshoot (and off-shore) venture of what is now the oldest operational electric railway in the world. That is the Volk's Electric Railway.
I should add that I have cycled up to the Devil's Dyke several times, and it's possible both by road and off-road if you follow the South Down's Way,
What a lovely tour! By the thumbnail and the mysterious title, I was sure that this must be Blackmoor Vale in Dorset (I'm not so good with my east and west).
Me too! I had visited the stour area a few weeks ago and I also at first assumed it to be blackmoor vale.
Thanks, and that may be an idea for a future video!
Bit of a departure, but loved the video. I’m perplexed by Ruskin’s claim about the view, after all his primary residence was Brantwood, overlooking Coniston Water and the Coniston Fells, no comparison in my opinion.
John Ruskin lived there for a while. The claim about the view was by John Constable.
Just looking on Google Maps and the feature is really prominent. Sometimes areal images flatten landscapes.
There is also a pub/restaurant at Devils Dyke although last time I was there they took an hour to serve our food.
It was probably very busy then.
Lol
@highdownmartin it was busyish but they had sent half the staff home as they didn't think it was going to be. Probably fine normally.
Seven Sisters.
Good place to go on fireworks night 😊
My BACK garden!
Hi Bonny. And a lovely back garden it is too!
There are many places in England to get great views and in places far less crowded than this. Ditto Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
An ideal place for a reservoir to stop hose pipe bans.
South Downs are made of porous chalk...
Nice video. Pity about the claim at 2.08.
What about Cheddar Gorge? UK? Yes. Longer? Yes. Deeper? Yes. Wider? Probably (hard to measure). A dry valley? Yes (well, ever since the August 1968 flood).
It even formed in the same way and at about the same time. However, while both are carved from limestones, the Carboniferous Limestone at Cheddar is over twice the age of the Chalk, and had a more active tectonic history (IOW it was folded), that render it more resistant to erosion. Hence the towering cliffs of bare rock. It also has caves!
Anyone else agree with me?
There's been a lot of ragwort this year - still, not very many cinnabar larvae, though.
Lovely video but at 2.06 you say you are looking at the longest deepest dry valley and you literally arent! That is the wrong view and wrong direction. That is not the valley but the dip / scarp slope that forms the South Downs and is mirrored by the North Downs. That long dry valley that you are referring to is 'Devils Dyke' and is at 1.15! Though many refer to the area as DD its actually a specific part of it.
I kept thinking that, too. "Alex, if it's the devil you seek, look behind you!"
When we were orienteering up there from school, I remember telling a couple of classmates that it was an unfinished railway cutting from a rival London to Brighton line! They bought it as wel!l
Thanks. Someone else brought this to my attention as well. I stand corrected!
Bournemouth?
I went up there but it was really foggy so I couldn't see the view :(
Oof, that is bad luck!
Fulking Ale!
Great video of one of my favourite spots. Pity that the pub at the top of the hill is so characterless.
Love this. We can for a moment forget about our renegade governments wanting to destroy all we hold dear.
Great vid just a shame of the pronunciation of Poynings as it is more p-oi-nings
Sussexlive seem to think otherwise: www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/25-sussex-villages-towns-nobody-4545699
@@AlexinGreatBritain I will still disagree as have friends that live there and lived there since I went to school with them in late 80’s who still call it Poi-nings. Can be another scone or scone.
@@mattsplitsacsmith That's entirely fair. I'm certainly not claiming Sussexlive to be gospel on the matter!
Why do people keep saying “signage” , instead of sign or signs?
Why say sign or signs when you can say signage?
and god didn't fill it back in? religion is so stupid.