WELCOME TO OUR Beautiful Britain - Devil's Dyke PROJECT
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Summary: A Look at Some of Britain's Beauty spots - Devil's Dyke in Sussex
Beautiful Britain – Devil’s Dyke
Located in Sussex in south east England, the Devil’s Dyke is a deep, ‘v’ shaped valley in the South Downs, approx 20minutes drive from Brighton. There are several legends surrounding the formation of the dyke. One such legend is that the valley was formed by the Devil’s fiery tail as he was chased away by guests when he came uninvited to a wedding at Reach. Another is that the devil gouged out the dyke to try and drown the parishioners of the Weald but was disturbed in his endeavours, leaving the deep valley behind.
The general area around Devil’s Dyke forms part of the South Downs Way, which runs from Winchester to Eastbourne. From the top, there are commanding views of the Weald in the north and towards the English Channel in the South.
Popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders, there are plenty of trails to explore and is a great place for hang-gliding and paragliding, kiting, and makes a great day out if you are spending time on the South Coast.
At the top of the Dyke, there is a car park with wc’s, a pub and a National Trust information trailer where you can buy postcards and maps to make the most of your time here. However, please note the trailer is generally open at the weekends only from April to September, with limited weekday opening.
The area has always been popular with tourists, no more so than in Edwardian times, when various attractions could be enjoyed by the visiting public. In 1887 a single track railway line was opened to carry passengers to the foot of the dyke. A Steep Grade Railway would then take them to the top to enjoy the views of the downs. Other attractions have included an ariel cableway across the dyke, fairground rides, bandstands and even a camera obscura. Although long gone, it is still possible to see some remains of these.
The railway line from Brighton is no longer in use, but visitors can hop on the No77 bus from Brighton to the Devil’s Dyke.
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