Highdown Hill is a large hill on the South Downs, lying just to the north of Worthing in West Sussex. On the summit are the remains of an ancient hill fort, as well as the tomb of a local miller, who used the sails of his windmill to signal to smugglers.
It is owned by the National Trust, but it’s free to park and visit, and there is a hotel at the top of the hill with a tea room and ice cream. It’s a beautiful spot, if you park at the top of the hill the walking is fairly level and there are some spectacular views across Worthing and the South Downs. On a clear day, you can even see as far as the Isle of Wight and Beachy Head.
Just beneath the hill in a former chalk pit are Highdown Gardens, which are also free to visit. The gardens are deemed a National Collection, and contain many rare plants and trees. Children won’t be interested in this of course, but they will love exploring the beautiful gardens. They are divided into different sections, with plenty of flat grassy areas for picnics or running about. Just be careful, the gardens are built on a slope and children can easily get carried away and run all the way to the bottom, leading to a long walk back up again. There are a couple of ponds with some enormous fish, and lots of hidden paths and rocky areas to discover.
We’ve spent several happy afternoons exploring the Highdown Hill and Highdown Gardens and I’d highly recommend a family visit!
For more information, you can visit this websiteThis review was written by Jennifer of Jennifer’s Little World.