Night Owl

Night Owl

Join Rural Strides for a beautiful summer's evening walk on the Downs that combines wildlife, the night sky and mindfulness.

By Rural Strides

Date and time

Sun, 5 May 2024 19:30 - 22:00 GMT+1

Location

Cocking Hill Car Park

Cocking Hill Midhurst GU29 0HT United Kingdom

About this event

Join Rural Strides for a beautiful summer's evening walk that combines wildlife, the night sky and mindfulness. The dusk chorus will be in full swing as we head up onto the Downs and into Charlton forest. As a place rarely visited by humans after sunset, we might also spy other wildlife (deer & birds of prey) in the gloaming. Routing around past the tumuli on top of Heyshott Down, there is then an opportunity to sit and enjoy an unobscured view of the night sky, before walking back down the hill in mindful silence.

This walk is an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone into the woods and onto the South Downs after darkness. It will be a sensory experience too, with our ears, noses and skin filling the information gathering gap normally carried out by our eyes.

The route is short and mostly easy underfoot, and while our eyes will become accustomed to the dark, please bring a torch for added safety.

No dogs please on this walk.

4.5 miles

One climb at the start then mostly flat

Organised by

Rural Strides

Rural Strides offers private, scheduled and free community guided walks around the Western Weald.

The Western Weald & Downlands, centred on Petersfield, Hampshire, is just one hour from London, yet few know of its beauty & diversity of landscape. Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, where dramatic chalk scarp meets patchwork weald, heavily wooded sandstone ridges and colourful open heaths, this area is the ideal location for a walking adventure. Whether you are a walker or wanderer, I warrant that a week(end) in the Western Weald will be worthwhile.

I am an avid walker & lover of the outdoors, so much so, I set up and organise the Petersfield Walking Festival. I also sit on the town’s Active Travel panel; lead walks for Friends of the South Downs; write about walking for various publications; support local conservation & access initiatives; & provide walking-related consultancy. Recognising that qualifications are as important as experience, I am a qualified lowland walk leader, navigator & outdoor first aider (ITC Level 3) as well as member of the Mountain Training Association & British Mountaineering Council. I hope this gives you confidence to know that I won't be leading you up someone’s garden path!

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