Ordnance Survey – Great Britain's national mapping agency

Walkers ramble for inclusion of area in South Downs National Park

23 July 2008

Walkers came together last weekend on a ramble to show their support for the inclusion of the Western Weald in the South Downs National Park.

This Saturday walkers met at Petersfield Town Square to walk with the Chief Executive of the Ramblers' Association, Tom Franklin, for an 8.5-mile stroll that had been organised by the Hampshire branch of the organisation.

Walk leader Owen Plunkett said: ‘This is the 36th in a series of South Downs Walks held to profile those areas that we believe should be included within the future South Downs National Park’.

He explained that ramblers passed through Petersfield and parts of the countryside that lies north of the town, which the organisation wishes to be included in the South Downs National Park.

‘The South Downs Campaign, Natural England, Hampshire County Council and others all made very strong cases for inclusion of the Western Weald at the recent public inquiry in Worthing,’ he added.

Walkers also passed the war poet Edward Thomas' memorial stone on the stroll.

According to the Ramblers Association, Britain is a ‘great place to go walking’ as it offers an ‘immense variety of landscapes and environments’ – which are all relatively near one another – to explore.

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