While ascending Ditchling beacon on the south downs I noticed the outline of Wolstonbury hill on the border in West Sussex.  I knew then I would return to walk to its summit and take some landscape photographs from there.

From Ditchling to Wolstonbury Hill

I had photographed the silhouette of Wolstonbury hill before with the sun setting behind it when I first explored the hills of the south downs around Ditchling beacon.

It was a sunny morning and the beginning of September and Autumn for my walk to Wolstonbury hill.   I ascended the escarpment of the south downs along the footpath known as Burnhouse Bostall.

Initially handholding my DLSR I switched to my tripod to capture the low morning lighting bringing out the texture of the south downs escarpment with distance views of the low weald of Sussex beyond.  Visibility was good with some morning mist still clinging on.

Clayton Windmills Busy

Already there were dog walkers, joggers and cyclists around this part of the South downs way and I was wishing I had arrived earlier.

I passed Clayton windmills and descended the hill here down into Clayton.  The car park here was very busy.  I crossed the busy A271 pass the Jack and Jill pub named after the two windmills and began my ascent up to the summit of Wolstonbury hill from Wellcombe Bottom.

I followed the footpath round, I was looking forward to the views from the top of Wolstonbury Hill and the landscape photographs I could take from there.

Great views of West Sussex

I was conscious I had missed the best of the morning light but do enjoy walking in the sunshine especially late summer, early autumn. This hike was more a scouting outing having never been to Wolstonbury hill before.

From the summit I was not disappointed with the views west of the South Downs and the west Sussex countryside below.   A couple of obliging white fluffy clouds helped make the blue sky more interesting.  The wide angle lens makes the distance hills seem further away than they actually were.

Surely Wolstonbury hill would be a great spot to return for a sunset and the golden hour.  The only eyesore on the landscape was the chalk pit and quarry down in the right hand corner that could not be excluded.   The south downs hills in the distance are Devils Dyke and furthest away Chanctonbury ring that I had visited before.

I tried a few telephoto landscape shots in order to crop out the quarry which compresses and magnifies everything including the haze.  Sitting on top of Wolstonbury hill was very very relaxing in the warm early autumn sunshine.


Studying OS maps online the footpaths over round Hill, through Poynings and over New Timber to Devils Dyke and Edburton Hill beyond looked interesting and a prospective future walk. But for the today the best of the light was over and so I made my way to the Jack and Jill pub below for a well earned pint of Ale.