Discover: An Enchanting Walk Through Kingley Vale
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Date posted: 27/05/2025
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Time to read: 5 mins
From the bustle of Portsmouth to the quiet majesty of Kingley Vale, a walk amongst ancient yews and chalk grassland reveals the mystery and stillness of one of the South Downs’ most soul-stirring places.
Jeff Travis, South Downs National Park’s Media and PR Officer, reflects on his recent visit.
Kingley Vale
I’ve visited National Parks and protected landscapes all over the country – and still have many more special places to discover. I’m always amazed how a beautiful, expansive view, wherever it is, never fails to capture my imagination and intrigue.
But if there’s one place I’ve been that underlines just how special National Parks are, and why they are needed more than ever, it has to be Kingley Vale.
It’s only 30 minutes or so from the bustling city of Portsmouth, a place I’ve called home for twenty years. Kingley Vale is like walking onto a movie set of The Lord of the Rings. Far from a human fabrication, though, this is the natural world at its best – and a microcosm of everything so wonderful about the South Downs National Park.
I recently had the pleasure of yet another trip to this stunning National Nature Reserve. It’s one of those places where the intensity of your amazement grows as the journey goes on.
It’s a very pleasant walk from the car park to the reserve itself – quintessential English countryside and a mixed farm landscape very typical of the South Downs.
An Enchanting Ancient Forest
As you step into the reserve itself, the magic happens. Narrow bushy paths open up into a gnarly and primordial-looking forest – almost like an amphitheatre of twisted trunks and branches at every turn. It’s actually one of the finest yew ancient forests in Europe and includes a grove of trees some two-millennia old – thought to be among the oldest living things in Britain.
You’re surrounded by trees that have stood there since the Romans invaded England’s southern shores. It’s a sanctuary of peace and stillness.
On this particular visit I’m with three hard-working (probably quite sleep-deprived) schoolteacher friends, who really do need the dose of tranquillity on this particular day. I quietly savour hearing their “wows” and “ooos” as we walk through the forest and can feel them relaxing into the beauty of nature.
They’ve never been here before and I can sense their wonderment. My little dog Alfie (on a lead of course) seems to be enjoying the trip as much as us humans.
Chalk Grassland Valley
Beyond the forest is a stunning chalk grassland valley with butterflies galore, including the beautiful chalkhill blue, holly blue and brimstone.
Like all South Downs chalk grassland, it’s an oasis for biodiversity – you can find up to 40 species of wildflower and over 20 species of butterfly in one square metre. Look up and red kites and buzzards are often hovering, and there’s even a dew pond full of amphibians.
Yet there’s more. Either take the steps to the top of the hill, or walk through another yew forest, and you’re rewarded with a view fit for a king. Vistas towards the English Channel, Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower and Chichester’s Cathedral spire are on the horizon.
Historic Echoes
The glorious icing on the cake at Kingley Vale is the cultural heritage. I’m as much a fan of history as I am nature and this is where Kingley Vale is the gift that keeps on giving.
Bronze Age burial mounds stand commandingly on the hill. Stories tell of the Kings’ Graves or Devil’s Humps as the tombs of Viking leaders buried in 894, with the yews marking the battlefield site, stained red with the blood of dead warriors.
Legend has it that the woods are haunted by these vikings, while one story suggests that the gnarled trees transform into human forms at moonlight.
It’s all so very intriguing and I ponder all these stories of old as I sip my cup of tea while admiring the views.
As the sun begins to descend, I make my way down the steps to depart Kingley Vale and I know I’ll be back. It’s just that special and truly embodies everything a National Park should be.
Each of us in my party is uplifted and breathing a little more slowly than when we arrived. Nature is oh so good for the soul.
Kingley Vale is managed by a small, dedicated team from Natural England. It’s a sensitive site and so important that all visitors leave no trace. By respecting its fragility and doing simple things like keeping dogs on leads and not dropping litter, this ancient site can be enjoyed by many future generations.
Jeff Travis
Jeff is the Media and Public Relations Officer for the South Downs National Park. With a background in zoology, Jeff worked in journalism and corporate PR for many years, before rediscovering his love of nature to work for a National Park. An avid tea drinker from his days on the newsbeat, Jeff enjoys a strong brew from a teacup wherever he goes in the National Park.
Main image: Kingley Vale © Charlie Hellewell
It’s not every day you get to see one of our National Parks in biscuit form on @britishbakeoff!
Last night, The Great British Bake Off contestant @itsdoctoryan created a beautiful biscuit mosaic inspired by the Broads National Park, perfectly capturing the view at St Benet’s Mill, Thurne.
And it wasn’t just a feast for the eyes as the mosaic was made using treacle and ginger, honey and lemon, cocoa and malted milk, and pistachio biscuits.
Two great things combined: a beautiful National Park view and delicious biscuits. What could be better than that? 💚
Photo: Channel 4
#GBBO #BakeOff #NorfolkBroads @broadsnationalpark
You’ve likely heard of one - but what does it actually do?
Our 15 Parks wouldn’t be able to function without the authorities working behind the scenes to keep them running.
And each authority relies on people. People within the community, volunteers, staff and members. People that run businesses, or partner as organisations. People that are skilled and knowledgeable in a variety of areas from wildlife to accessibility.
Our National Parks are full of people and action, and it’s the Authorities that bring them all together.
💚
#NationalParksUK #NationalParkAuthorities
The Yorkshire Dales has one of the highest concentrations of caves and caverns of any of our 15 National Parks - a whole landscape hiding beneath the ground.
Our National Parks don’t just protect and preserve the landscapes we see every day. They also help care for historic and unique places discovered by our ancestors, like Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill, both of which were shrouded in myth and legend until they were explored by Victorians in the 1800s.
There’s so much more to our National Parks than meets the eye and sometimes, quite literally beneath the surface 👀
#YorkshireDales #GapingGill #Ingleborough
A week on from National Parks UK’s Big Volunteer Weekend, we’re still celebrating the people who make a difference across our National Parks.
Last weekend, hundreds of people came together across all 15 National Parks to give their time, share their skills and support our landscapes.
But volunteering in our National Parks doesn’t happen just one weekend a year. All year round, volunteers play an incredible variety of roles – from leading guided walks and supporting education, to conservation, planting and caring for our landscapes.
Every volunteer makes a valuable contribution to protecting our natural and cultural heritage. We simply couldn’t do what we do without you. 💚
So, to all our volunteers: thank you for your time, energy, enthusiasm and everything you bring to our National Parks.
If you know someone who volunteers in a National Park, help us spread the thanks by sharing this post. 🌿
#Volunteers #NationalParks #NationalParksUK
Mae’r Bele yn un o famaliaid prinnaf Cymru, ond mae eu niferoedd yn tyfu yn raddol. Mae hynny’n newyddion da i’n coetiroedd ac i’r Parciau Cenedlaethol, sy’n darparu rhai o’r cynefinoedd pwysicaf ar gyfer bywyd gwyllt ledled Cymru a Phrydain.
Ym Mannau Brycheiniog, mae’r prosiect adfer wedi gosod blychau nythu yn y coed, ac mae gwaith monitro wedi nodi presenoldeb y Bele, gan gynnwys grwpiau teuluol. Mae’r ffilm arbennig hon yn dangos un ohonynt ar waith. 🐾
Mae’n atgof hyfryd o’r hyn sy’n bosibl pan ddaw coetiroedd iach a gwaith cadwraeth arbenigol at ei gilydd i roi’r gofod sydd ei angen ar rywogaethau prin i wella.
Pine Martens are one of Wales’ rarest mammals, but they’re slowly making a comeback. That’s good news for our woodlands, and for National Parks, which provide some of the most important habitats for wildlife across Wales and Britain.
In Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), the recovery project has installed treetop den boxes, with monitoring identifying pine martens, including family groups. This special footage shows one in action. 🐾
It’s a lovely reminder of what can happen when healthy woodlands and specialist conservation work come together to give rare species the space they need to recover.
#BreconBeacons #BannauBrycheiniog #PineMartins #Wales
It’s the Autumn Equinox 🍂
Our National Parks are always changing in time with the rhythm of nature, but this becomes particularly noticeable when autumn arrives.
Deer begin to rut, spiders’ cobwebs glisten in the fresh light, fungi become more prominent, and leaves begin to change colour.
What changes have you noticed so far? 🧡
#Autumn #AutumnEquinox #NationalParks
“You look after the National Park not for yourself, but for people who are coming, the ones who are following you.”
These are the words of Ron Wood, who has been volunteering for the Lake District National Park for over 60 years. His story reflects the vital role volunteering plays across our National Parks: keeping them thriving, communities invested, and people connected to and caring for our landscapes.
Over the decades, Ron’s incredible journey has seen him remain steadfast in his commitment through droughts, hand, foot and mouth disease, and the ever-changing rhythms of nature. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: his dedication to looking after the environment for those who come after him.
You can read Ron`s full story by clicking the link in our bio or learn more about volunteering at nationalparks.uk/volunteering 🔗
📸Photos by @lakedistrictnpa
#LakeDistrict #Volunteering #NationalParks
A quiet autumn transformation is beginning to take place. 🍁
Bracken gradually fades to burnt oranges. Mist sweeps across the horizon. Grasses brown and trees begin their annual shaking of leaves.
Our National Parks are never still. They are constantly changing and transforming with the seasons - a living rhythm of growth, decay, colour and renewal.
These four photographs perfectly capture our Parks on the cusp of autumn 📸
1. Dartmoor @ryanbrowningphotography
2. Lake District @jonny.gios
3. New Forest @acornsandscapes
4. Northumberland @calbrownphoto
#Autumn #NationalParksUK
