Clayton to Offham Escarpment facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | East Sussex West Sussex |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 422.5 hectares (1,044 acres) |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Clayton to Offham Escarpment is a 422.5-hectare (1,044-acre) linear biological Site of Special Scientific Interest which runs from Clayton in West Sussex to Lewes in East Sussex. An area of 24 hectares (59 acres) is Ditchling Beacon nature reserve, which is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Much of this site is steeply sloping chalk grassland, which has many flowering plants such as glaucous sedge, autumn gentian, marjoram, squinancywort and several species of orchid. There are also areas of woodland and scrub and the site has a rich community of breeding birds.
Images for kids
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Clayton to Offham escarpment from west to east, the bostal bases and the brow top
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Clayton Down, looking east towards Clayton Holt with Ditching Beacon beyond
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Keymer Down, former chalk pits
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Disused chalk pits, on scarp slope north of Ditchling Beacon
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Streat Hill viewed from the escarpment near Ditchling Cross. The track leading down the hill is Plumpton Bostal.
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Plumpton Hill, The Coombe, South Downs
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Path into Coombe Plantation
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Offham Down, East Sussex, looking north towards Offham village and Hamsey
