Foot of the Downs

As one of the UK’s national parks, the South Downs is touted as “one of Britain’s breathing spaces”. And for people living in London and the South East, it’s the easiest one to get to for a healthy lungful of officially-recognised fresh air. It’s also host to the South Downs Way, one of the most manageable and accessible national trails, perfect for hilltop walks with fantastic views of countryside and sea. It’s at the heart of the national park and a short walk off the trail that you’ll find Foot of the Downs, a glamping site with a trio of timbered cabins for self-catering stays on a family farm.

Whether you’re walking solo on the South Downs Way and need a place to rest for the night or want a family weekend in the countryside, this site on the edge of the village of Fulking works. It is home to a single shepherd’s hut, that sleeps two, and a pair of curved glamping pods which sleep up to four. Each of them is named after a bird whose presence in this Sussex landscape is encouraged by a focus on farming for biodiversity; lapwing, nightingale and skylark.

The accommodation here is fully self-contained with a kitchenette and an en-suite WC and shower room. Beds are made and a little welcome hamper means you’ll have what you need to make a cup of tea on arrival. Better still, especially if you’re walking here, you can pre-order barbecue and breakfast hampers, a fire pit and logs. And if you don’t fancy cooking? There’s a great pub, The Shepherd and Dog, a short walk down the road.

As the name of the place suggests, the view is of the rolling downs and the Sussex countryside they sit in. It’s pleasant enough from down here at the foot of the hills but use the local footpaths to get atop them and you’ll find yourself at one of the national park’s most legendary viewpoints; Devil’s Dyke. From this lofty position, you can watch paragliders take to the skies and see all the way to bustling Brighton and its beaches, just ten miles down the road.