BikeDowns - Additional Links

As my links page getting quite long, so have made a new page with 'Things of Interest'.

Link below to site which has wealth of information about the route, places of interest, events, etc

Link below is to a map that I have created on Google 'my maps' showing location of 'places'. They are approximate due lack of detail of map, so consult OS map for better placing. Hope helpful any how. NB: June 19: noticed that quality of Google maps improved greatly. My 'blue line' now shows as a bit out in places, but purpose of this map is to locate 'things of interest' rather than definitive route of SDW, so please excuse (otherwise another few hours tweaking line!).

Cheesefoot Head: In April 1944, the vast natural amphitheatre at Cheesefoot Head was the scene of a big US Army boxing tournament.

Thousands of American and British troops filled the steeply sloping banks to see Joe Louis, the heavyweight champion of the world.

Cheesefoot Head was also used by General Eisenhower to address the American troops prior to D-Day. Location: on the A272 close to Winchester.

Old Winchester Hill: Bronze Age burial mounds - known as barrows - were erected on the crest of the hill between 4500 and 3500 years ago; see http://www.megalithic.co.uk

Uppark House: Late 17th century, fine views across to Solent, Isle of Wight, large fire in 1989, but restored with original techniques etc; HG Wells mother was house keeper, and rumored that Nelson's wife danced on the tables.

Murray Downland Trust: info about nature reserves, Heyshott Down, Beacon Hill

Devils jump: All along the South Downs Way it is worth watching out for the numerous Bronze Age barrows or Tumuli, visible as rounded mounds, and marked on the OS maps.

Some of the best examples can be seen at the Devil's Jumps and Heyshott Down. (See map below) These are 3000 yrs old.

Memorial to WW2 German pilot: (See map). By the side of the path is a memorial to Hauptmann Joseph Oestermann 1915 - 1940. Oestermann was flying a Ju88 bomber on AlderTag (Eagle Day - ) on 13th August 1940. He was shot down by Pilot Officer Mayers of 601 Sq flying a Hurricane fighter from nearby Tangmere airfield.

The Battle started a month earlier, on 10^th July, with raids on Channel convoys and ports.

The significance of Adlertag was it was the start of the Luftwaffe's intended final onslaught for the utter destruction of the RAF's coastal airfields and forward landing grounds.

Does any one know who Mark was? or about him? (on left of path near Devils Jumps).

Didling church: A beautiful very small 13^th Century shepherds church; very peaceful. worth detour, but down longish steep hill, and then back up again!

Chalk balls: about 3/4 mile west of A286 crossing (just south of at Cocking) (see 'water taps' page, then just off to left of map of 'Cocking' water tap.): large 2m diameter chalk ball. They are sculptures by Andy Goldsworth!

Old, and not so old, 'finger posts': there are several old 'finger posts'. b) between Harting & Beacon Hill; a) two between Cocking and A.285;

Toby's stone: situated on Bignor Hill. (marked on OS map); It is in the form of a mounting block. James Wentworth TOBY, who was master of the Cowdray Hunt. It had been vandalised so now a new one has been laid.

Amberley Museum, James Bond film: Some of 'A view to a kill' was filmed here. See also Museum website for other exhibits in the quarry museum.

Chanctonbury Ring is another site with a long history. It was used intermittently from the Neolithic until the Roman occupation. It was during the Roman period that two temples, thought to be dedicated to a boar cult, were built within the old Iron Age fort. The first of the famous beech trees were planted in 1760.

Cyclist's Guide to the South Downs Way