What follows is my landscape photography review of all the photo walks I have taken during September 2025. These included many dawn shoots along the east Sussex coast and on the south downs.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review September 2025Category Archives: South Downs
South Downs Landscape Photography
Walking and Hiking on the South Downs
Litlington White Horse & High and Over – Sussex Chalk Figure and Valley Views
Introduction
Above the village of Litlington stands a striking chalk figure carved into the hillside – the Litlington White Horse. From here the landscape opens into the Cuckmere Valley, a place of sky, river, and history. High and Over, the nearby viewpoint, is one of the best places to take it all in, with sweeping views over the South Downs to the sea.
A closer look at the White Horse and valley – watch the full video here:
Find it here on Google Maps or explore my own collection of All Map Locations.
History of the White Horse
The Litlington White Horse is a chalk hill figure first cut in 1924 by local villagers. It replaced an earlier horse that had faded into the grass and scrub. While it may not be as ancient as the Uffington figure in Oxfordshire,
it has become a much-loved landmark of East Sussex. Chalk figures like this are a reminder of human imprint on the Downs – visible for miles, yet fragile without upkeep.
High and Over
The headland above Litlington is known as High and Over – a name that perfectly fits its lofty position. This spot offers one of the best viewpoints in the South Downs National Park.
On a clear day, you can see the Cuckmere meanders winding their way to the sea at Cuckmere Haven, with Seaford Head and the Seven Sisters cliffs beyond.
Cuckmere Valley and River
The Cuckmere is unique as the only Sussex river to cut directly through the chalk South Downs to the sea in a natural valley. Its meandering curves near Exceat are famous among walkers, photographers, and artists. These sweeping bends are classic river features – oxbow shapes that one day may form oxbow lakes when cut off from the main channel. The valley itself remains a beautiful, largely unspoilt landscape.
Lullington and Surroundings
To the east lies Lullington, a hamlet claimed to have the smallest church in England. Walking down Church Lane here, with sunlight spilling across the fields, gives a timeless sense of rural Sussex. Goats grazing the chalk slopes and paragliders drifting above complete the scene – an ever-changing picture of people and nature.
Practical Info
- Location: Litlington White Horse, near Alfriston, East Sussex.
- Access: Car park at High and Over; footpaths lead to the horse and along the valley.
- Best Time to Visit: Clear days for views; late afternoon light gives drama to the valley.
- Nearby:
- Alfriston Clergy House – the first National Trust property.
- Cuckmere Haven – the river mouth with views of the Seven Sisters.
- Lullington Church – one of England’s smallest places of worship.
Friston Airfield Memorial – A South Downs WWII Tribute
Introduction
On the quiet slopes above Friston, East Sussex, a memorial stands to mark the site of a once-bustling wartime airfield. During the Second World War, this patch of the South Downs became an emergency landing ground and fighter base, where RAF and Allied pilots flew coastal patrols, engaged enemy aircraft, and escorted bombers back across the Channel. Today, the airfield is gone, but the memorial ensures that the men who served here are not forgotten.
Here’s a short reel from the site:
A simple stone memorial looks out across the Downs, inviting visitors to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made in these skies.
History
Friston Airfield was established during WWII as a strategic base for Fighter Command. Its location on the South Downs, just inland from the coast, made it ideal for intercepting enemy aircraft and providing protection for convoys and returning bombers.
The grass strip runway and temporary facilities saw intense activity during the height of the war. Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF operated here, later joined by squadrons from other Allied nations, including Poland and Canada.
The airfield also served as an emergency landing ground for damaged aircraft limping back across the Channel — not all of which made it safely. The memorial honours both those who flew from Friston and those who fell nearby.
Visiting the Memorial
Today, there is little sign of the wartime airfield itself — the South Downs landscape has reclaimed the site. What remains is a peaceful spot, with wide skies and rolling fields that once echoed to the sound of Merlin engines.
The memorial stone stands at the roadside near the village of Friston. From here, the views stretch across the Downs and out towards the Channel, a reminder of the very skies where the air war once raged.
Practical Info
- Location: Near Friston, East Sussex, just off the A259 between Eastbourne and Seaford.
- Access: The memorial is roadside and easily accessible by car. Parking is limited.
- Best Time to Visit: Clear days give the best views across the Downs and out to sea.
- Nearby:
- Cuckmere Haven – iconic valley and meanders meeting the sea.
- Beachy Head – dramatic cliffs with their own wartime history.
- Wilmington Long Man – ancient chalk figure on the Downs.
- Butts Brow Ruth-less Memorial – commemorates an American aircraft that crashed while attempting to reach Friston Airfield.
Reflection
Friston Airfield has vanished from the landscape, but the memorial keeps its memory alive. For those who stop here, it’s a chance to picture the roar of engines, the tension of combat, and the bravery of young pilots who defended these skies.
Exmoor Ponies on Wilmington Hill – South Downs Views to Firle Beacon
Introduction
High on Wilmington Hill at the end of August, the weather turned blustery and dramatic. A rainbow briefly appeared before storm clouds rolled over the Downs. Against this backdrop, a herd of Exmoor ponies grazed the slopes, with Firle Beacon soft in the distance. These hardy ponies are more than just a beautiful sight — they play a vital role in conserving the chalk grassland of the South Downs.
Here’s a short reel from the day:
Exmoor ponies on the South Downs are here for a reason — conservation grazing keeps the slopes open for wildflowers, butterflies, and other wildlife.
📍 View Wilmington Hill on Google Maps
🗺️ See all my Sussex locations here
History & Landscape
Wilmington Hill rises steeply above the Sussex Weald, offering world-class views across the patchwork fields of the Downs. Just below lies one of the region’s most iconic landmarks — the Long Man of Wilmington, a mysterious chalk figure cut into the hillside.
The ponies here are Exmoors, one of Britain’s oldest native breeds. Their hardy build and steady grazing make them ideal for managing rough chalk grassland, preventing scrub from overwhelming the delicate ecosystem. This form of conservation grazing helps to preserve habitats for species such as the Grayling butterfly, which depends on open, sunny slopes.
Photography Notes
The light on this day was constantly shifting — clouds racing in the wind, the land below glowing one moment and darkening the next.
Photographing the ponies against this backdrop created a natural contrast: the immediacy of a living subject set against the timeless South Downs landscape.
Practical Info
- Location: Wilmington Hill, near the village of Wilmington, East Sussex
- Access: Footpaths lead up from Wilmington village and nearby car parks; the climb is steep in places but rewarded with wide views
- Best Time to Visit: Late summer and early autumn for dramatic skies and active grazing; spring for wildflowers
- Nearby:
- Long Man of Wilmington – iconic chalk figure just below the hill
- Firle Beacon – another South Downs high point with wide views
- Alfriston – historic village in the Cuckmere Valley
Closing Thoughts
The Exmoor ponies add something special to Wilmington Hill — a reminder that the South Downs are not just scenery but a living landscape, shaped by centuries of grazing, farming, and human imagination. With the Long Man at their feet and Firle Beacon on the horizon, this is Sussex at its most evocative.
August 2025 Landscape Photography Review
What follows is a collection of my best photos taken during August 2025. Including trips to Ashdown forest on the high weald and walks over the south downs all within the boundaries of east Sussex.
Continue reading August 2025 Landscape Photography Review
The Butts Brow Liberator Memorial – Ruth-Less 1944
Introduction
On a winter’s day in February 1944, a United States Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator named Ruth-Less tried to limp back across the Downs after a raid on V-1 rocket sites in northern France. It never made it. The bomber struck the ridge at Butts Brow above Eastbourne, killing all ten men on board. Today, a simple plaque set into the hillside remembers their sacrifice.
Here’s a short reel capturing the memorial and the view across the Downs:
A small stone, a wide landscape, and a story that travelled across the Atlantic.
👉 View Butts Brow on Google Maps
👉 See all my mapped locations here
The Crash of Ruth-Less
On 2 February 1944, B-24D Liberator 41-24282, code BAR-Y, of the 44th Bomb Group, was returning from a mission over northern France. The aircraft had been badly damaged by enemy fire and was flying through heavy cloud and severe icing.
The crew tried to reach the emergency landing strip at Friston, just beyond Eastbourne. But in low visibility the bomber clipped the ridge at Butts Brow and broke apart. Eight men died instantly; the remaining two succumbed to their injuries later that day at Princess Alice Hospital.
The crew are remembered by name on the plaque: Edward J. Ackerman, James H. Bales, James O. Bolin, George M. Dewald, Aubrey J. Maloy, Harold W. Schwab, Ralph E. Strait, James L. Wilson, Orville L. Wulff, and Chester W. Yurick.
Ruth-Less had already survived the famous 1943 Ploiești raid on Romania’s oil fields — one of the toughest missions of the war. That it was lost here, within sight of safety, gives the stone on Butts Brow an added poignancy.
The memorial plaque was unveiled in 1995 through the efforts of local historian Kevin Watson.
Practical Info
Location: Butts Brow, Willingdon, Eastbourne, East Sussex (plaque lies south of the main car park on the ridge).
Access: Public footpaths across the Downs; easiest from the Butts Brow car park.
Best time to visit: Clear days for far-reaching views, or quiet winter afternoons for atmosphere.
Nearby:
- Beachy Head – The cliff-top lighthouse and another wartime crash site
- Friston Airfield Memorial – The landing ground the crew never reached
- Eastbourne Redoubt – The seafront fort that guarded the coast
- Wilmington Hill – great views east across the east Sussex countryside
Reflection
It’s easy to walk past a small plaque in the grass. But standing here, looking across the same horizon those ten men never crossed, the scale of the sacrifice becomes real. Butts Brow holds not just a view, but a memory.
The Lost Village of Exceat – South Downs History
Introduction
High on Exceat Hill above the Cuckmere Valley stands a simple memorial stone. It marks the site of a village long vanished, where only wind and grass remain. From here the views sweep south over the winding river, Cuckmere Haven, and the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters. At golden hour it feels timeless – a reminder of both beauty and loss.
To bring the story to life, I also made a short film about Exceat. It tells the tale of the village, its church, and how it vanished from the map.
The stone on Exceat Hill is all that remains, but walking here you can still imagine the village that once overlooked the Cuckmere.
Location
Exceat Hill lies within the South Downs National Park, East Sussex, just above the meandering Cuckmere River.
The memorial stone sits along the walking routes that connect with the popular paths to Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters cliffs. From this vantage point the entire valley opens up, making it one of the most evocative places in Sussex.
Explore on Google Maps: Exceat Hill – Memorial Stone
See all my map locations: Sussex Photography – Map Collection
History
Exceat is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. In medieval times it was a small settlement with a flint church at its heart and access to the sea via the river mouth at Cuckmere Haven. The fourteenth century brought disaster: famine, plague, and French coastal raids left the community shattered. By 1460 only two parishioners remained. The parish was absorbed into West Dean, the church crumbled, and the village was lost to time.
In 1913 an excavation uncovered the footprint of the church, and the memorial stone was set up to mark the site. Today it is all that survives.
My Visit
I came up here with the camera at golden hour. First to photograph the stone itself in the warm light of evening, then to turn my lens downriver to capture the Cuckmere as it curled through the valley toward the sea.
The light was soft, the cirrus clouds drifting, and the whole valley glowed. These are the moments that remind me why I love still photography as much as making reels – freezing a view that feels both ancient and alive.
Reflections
Standing by the memorial, it’s hard not to think of how fragile life once was. An entire community erased by forces beyond its control. And yet, looking out at the valley, it’s also a place of renewal – fields, river, and sky carrying on long after the village disappeared. Sharing these stories through photos and film feels important: the more people value these landscapes, the more likely they will be preserved.
Practical Info
- Location: Exceat Hill, near Cuckmere Haven, South Downs National Park, East Sussex
- Access: Footpaths from the Seven Sisters Country Park visitor centre and car park
- Best time to visit: Golden hour for photography; clear days for sweeping views
- Nearby: Seven Sisters cliffs, Cuckmere Haven beach, the village of Alfriston
June Landscape Photography Review 2025
Light, Colour, and the Fight to Remember
June came in hot this year — sunshine from the first week, long golden evenings, and bold flashes of colour across the Sussex hills. The countryside felt alive and defiant, with poppy fields in full bloom and coastal ruins standing proud under summer skies. This month I focused on moments of stillness and motion — wind-blown wildflowers, early dawn reflections, and the shifting light over landscapes I’ve walked many times before. From Bodiam at first light to sunset above Kingston Ridge, June brought some of my favourite scenes of the year so far — and reminded me why these places matter.
Continue reading June Landscape Photography Review 2025
February 2025 Landscape Photography Review
February 2025 was an exciting month of exploration and creative growth as I ventured through East Sussex, capturing stunning landscapes and experimenting with new techniques. From the serene morning light at Cliff End Beach to the foggy woodlands of Prinkle Wood, the month offered a mix of photographic opportunities that truly showcased the beauty of the season.
Alongside my photography, I also embraced videography with my new Samsung S24 Ultra, adding a fresh layer of creativity to my work. This review highlights my latest outdoor adventures, with a focus on capturing the natural world through both the lens and the camera.
Continue reading February 2025 Landscape Photography Review
January 2025 Landscape Photography Review
January 2025 began with some fantastic winter landscape photography across the South Downs, capturing the beauty of East Sussex in the crisp winter light. From chasing sunsets behind Belle Tout Lighthouse to photographing snow-covered views from Firle Beacon, the month was filled with stunning scenes. After mid-January, I took a short break from photography, but the early part of the month provided plenty of memorable moments. I’ll be back in February 2025 with more landscape photography adventures to share.
Continue reading January 2025 Landscape Photography Review
Landscape Photography Review 2024
Introduction for the Year in Review – 2024
2024 has been a year full of challenges, surprises, and unforgettable moments behind the lens. From stormy seascapes and misty woodlands to vivid sunsets and vibrant wildflower fields, every month brought its own unique story and photographic opportunities. Whether it was embracing the unpredictable weather of the South Downs, exploring new locations in Thailand, or capturing the fleeting magic of fog and light, each scene was a reminder of why I love landscape photography.
This review brings together my favorite shots and stories from the year, offering a glimpse into the diverse beauty of the natural world and the joy of capturing it. As I reflect on the experiences and lessons learned, I’m reminded that photography is not just about the images, but the journeys and emotions behind them. Let’s take a look back at 2024, one frame at a time.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review 2024
Landscape Photography Review December 2024
December was a month of diverse landscapes, captivating light, and the quiet beauty of winter’s embrace. My photography journeys captured a variety of scenes. These included the iconic chalk cliffs of Beachy Head and the mist-shrouded woodlands of the High Weald. I explored serene seascapes, historic landmarks, and enchanting rural scenes. Each location presented its unique charm. This charm was showcased through dramatic weather patterns. It was also highlighted by tranquil long exposures. The timeless character of abandoned buildings added to the charm. The interplay of light, weather, and composition was a constant theme, shaping my creative process and resulting in memorable captures.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review December 2024