The South Downs Society enjoy an active social calendar with regular visits, lectures and full walking programmes, from short strolls to longer brisk walks. All our events are friendly, informal and many of our walks include a Downland pub lunch.
Read on to find out what our many members have been up to over the past few months.
Mountain Warehouse has offered 10% discounts to SDS members on their comprehensive range of outdoor clothing and equipment. Oswald Bailey Ltd.has also set up a 10% discount scheme for SDS members Read more »
Many moons ago I had the good fortune to be introduced to the South Downs Society and my first walk was the four-day Easter Walk from Buriton to Eastbourne and I was hooked on long distance during a wonderful four days. This led me to my first 100 from Winchester to Eastbourne run by The Long Distance Walking Association and, sixteen years later, after entering a 100 miler each year, I joined the Lakeland 100.
So on Saturday 1 June 455 walkers, plus their supporters, arrived at St. Anne's School, Windermere laughing and chattering in the sunshine, with photographs being taken. A casual observer would never guess they about to climb a total of 11,000 ft, walk through bogs, miss certainly one night's sleep, maybe miss two - and all for pleasure!
Read more »
A few statistics from the Lakeland 100:
| Number of starters: | Finishers: |
| Total: 450 | 260 |
| Ladies: 69 | 50 |
| Men: 386 | 210 |
Twenty-six Downsmen completed the last stage of the mammoth celebration of the A272 (‘Ode to a Road’) near Winchester on 21 August. The thirteen circular walks around the road, devised by Ann Lindfield, were interrupted by Foot & Mouth Disease and the final walk was more than a year and a half after the first one at Buxted in January 2001.
On one walk, members were accompanied by the author of ‘Ode to a Road’, Pieter Boogaart, this event being televised and shown recently on Carlton TV. Thanks to Annie for all her hard work in organising the series. Brenda Mann
The Society's pocket sized book 'Along the South Downs Way' covers the route in 12 sections with maps in both directions and includes an accommodation guide. If you would like to order a copy, send us a message from the contact us page.
