Walk through history at Ditchling Beacon

A short, steep loop from the top of Ditchling Beacon: west on the South Downs Way through an Iron Age hillfort to the trig point and the first of three dew ponds, down the scarp into Ditchling Down past old lime quarries, along the foot past the remains of Burnthouse Farm, and back up the sunken Burnthouse Bostal to the ridge, past more dew ponds and burial mounds.

The ground

'Steep slopes and rough ground', the National Trust says, rated challenging and not for wheelchairs or pushchairs: a steep path down the scarp, steps into a field, and a long climb back up Burnthouse Bostal, a sunken track lined with coppiced ash.

Livestock

Sheep graze the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Ditchling Beacon reserve, where the walk starts and ends, and the Trust asks for dogs on leads while they are there.

Pubs and cafés on the way

• Kiosk at the car park (and an ice cream van in season)Ditchling Beaconstart

The line on the map

Down the scarp beside the Ditchling Bostall road, along the foot to the bostal that climbs to the dew pond, and back east on the South Downs Way; keeps the few steps out to the trig point.