Devil's Dyke is a v-shaped chalkland dry valley that’s home to wildflowers and many species of butterflies. Unique and picturesque, it's a popular destination for hiking or relaxing in nature.

The name comes from a legend: the devil, furious for the conversion of the Kingdom of Sussex to Christianity, dug a dyke through the South Downs to allow the water from the sea to flow through and drown the villages of the Sussex Weald.

The site was a hillfort in the Iron Age. You can still see some earthworks and burrows in the surrounding area. Apparently it was a very popular destination in Victorian times, with a funfair and even a railway line from Brighton!

It gets busy on the weekend but it's a paradise if you manage to hike here on a weekday.

Steve, Sasha and Poppy

June 5, 2021

Lovely v iews, but (unlike me) choose a clear day!

mark hewitt

June 14, 2023

great views plenty of walks around this area

Details

Informations

Elevation 190 m

Weather

Today

Monday 10 November

13°C

11°C

100 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 28.0 km/h

Most visited during

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Poynings, Mid Sussex, West Sussex, South East England, England, United Kingdom

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Wolstonbury Hill

Bridleway Through South Downs Farmland

View of the Sussex Countryside

View from West Hill

Keymer Post Viewpoint

Devil's Dyke Road

Dew Pond With Lone Tree

Devil's Dyke Trig Point

Devil's Dyke Road

Edburton Road

Stanmer Park Woodland Footpath

Devil's Dyke

1. Devil's Dyke loop — South Downs National Park

2. Devil's Dyke, Edburton & Polynings loop — South Downs National Park

3. Fulking loop from Devil's Dyke — South Downs National Park

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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