Sunday 14th June

  Picked up a Sainsbury’s bag with left over picnic in and a couple of other bits

- saw Marbled butterflies (about 6), plus a tiny violet/blue butterfly and some brown ones (Heath maybe) - not v good on butterflies!
- lots of lovely wildflowers- wild thyme, spotted and pyramid orchids, rock rose, dog roses, knapweed, trefoil, agrimony and lady’s bedstraw (I think).
- there was someone on the plum pudding sitting having a quiet time and didn’t want to disturb so didn’t check the fire situation.

- 4 off-road type vehicles came up the track on my way down - maybe they were something to do with the Hampshire Wildlife people?

Pippa  pp.  Jim & Mary Wheldon

Wednesday 3rd June

Had a lovely walk with the "grand dog"! Heard a cuckoo. Red Kite hunting. Plenty of Common Spotted orchids in the triangle between gates 2, 3 & 4. No Pyramidal Orchids showing yet. I'll attach photos of orchid's I've taken over the years on the down No. 1 Greater Butterfly Orchid. 2. Frog Orchid. 3. Common Spotted Orchid. 4. Bee Orchid - no photo of Bird Nest Orchid.

Pippa

 

Sunday 31 May 2026

 All seemed fine. No dog walkers, gates ok, no litter. Evidence of a recent small contained fire on top Plum Pudding. Bet the Downs are drinking up tonight's long overdue rain!

Sam

Sunday 24th May

Saturday and Sunday walks around the downs all was good - quite a few people, not much litter and all as you would expect.

Pippa Evans pp.    David & Gaynor Simpson

Saturday 16th May

Spent most of my time clearing new growth from the trees and shrubs along the main paths around the downs. I cleared the area into the Millennium Stones at the bottom of the main path and also some of the low branches hanging over the path. It seems that the tree by the stones may be gradually falling into the path (or maybe that’s just me)!

Pippa   pp. Adrian Crossley

Saturday 25 April

A beautiful morning on the down, no issues found to fences , gates etc. No bonfires although signs of old fires here and there.

Number of couples and individuals walking with dogs both on and off the lead , all well behaved.

Even heard a Nightingale!

Dave and Carys Whitehouse

Gate 11 Closed

Hi all,

Apologies for not having seen your question earlier. Gate has been shut off as there is an alternative gate alongside and is not part of the official footpath network. Unfortunately, as it needed replacing, it made more sense to remove it, with the suitable alternative option very close by. Hope this makes sense! 

Lots of other gate upgrades planned for the summer, and hopefully some new oak signage across the reserve within the year! 🙂