Free Hike! Polegate to Berwick via 2 Hills & Long Man- Bank Holiday

Starting at Polegate, the hike ascends the Sussex part of South Downs before descending via the village of Jevington and Long Man to Wilmington and the birdwatchers’ paradise of Arlington Reservoir.

The Long Man of Wilmington is one of those ancient chalk figures that may not in fact be that ancient. Certainly if you get up close to it you will see that it is not a chalk-cut figure at all, but white stones, cemented together. These date from 1874, and before that, the figure was only visible in certain lights.

The earliest known drawing of the figure dates from 1766, but in that the Long Man is holding a rake and a scythe, not the long poles it now has. How much earlier than that the figure was created, no one knows.
Whoever did create the figure understood perspective – it is elongated so that it looks in proportion when viewed from below. It is also special in depicting a human at all – though there are several white horses dotted around the country, the only other human chalk cut figure in England is the Cerne Abbas giant near Dorchester.

Jevington In the 1780s this was a renowned area for smuggling organised by James Pettit, known as 'Jevington Jigg', the local innkeeper and leader of a local gang. His activities were well documented in reports and newspaper accounts at the time. He stored his contraband in the inn which is now the Eight Bells, the suggested lunch stop for this walk. In 1788 an attempt to arrest Jigg was made by a party of armed constables as he played cards inside the inn. He escaped by quickly donning women's clothes, dashing outside, and feigning hysterics. The constables were too slow to react and he made his escape by horse. He shortly returned, but this time was captured after being discovered hiding in the loft. After various adventures he was convicted of horse stealing in 1799 and sentenced to 14 years at Botany Bay.

Lunch: Bring packed lunch + drinks + be prepared for outdoor, on the hillside/ridge eating picnic style. Bring a ground mat if you wish.

Toughness: 7/10.
11.5 miles walking in 5.5 hours + 40 minutes for lunch

Pub at the end: The Berwick Inn

Train: just after 09.30 TBC

Please ensure you have the appropriate footwear and clothes - layers are best. Wind and waterproofs always welcome + hat + gloves.