Ashdown Forest is an area of natural beauty in West Sussex, England.

It is also one of the very few remaining areas of extensive lowland heath left in Europe. This rare and threatened landscape is being lost internationally at an alarming rate. In England for example, only about 20% of the heathland to be found in 1800 still exists today and East Sussex has lost about half its heathland over the last 200 years. Indeed, Ashdown Forest is virtually all that is left. Around 2600 hectares of common land still remains, of which over 1500 hectares is heathland. This comprises about 3% of what remains in Britain.  (info from https://friendsofashdownforest.co.uk/)

I have been lucky enough to visit it regularly since I was a little girl, with my parents, with my own family and son, with friends in every season throughout the year and I am so grateful for this beautiful wild landscape on my doorstep.  Ashdown Forest is also relatively close to London (60 KM) where this year’s flags were designed and printed by a group of international students.

This year I was lucky enough to gather friends to give thanks to the forest – grateful to walk freely in the peaceful, dappled light without sight of any other people listening to the sounds of the wind in the trees and birdsong in conversation that moments like this will be available for our future generations as they can no longer be taken for granted.

Later this year 2023 parking fees will be introduced to all the forest car parks and whilst I absolutely understand the need to generate fees for its future protection a part of me can’t help but be sad that it’s one more place that will no longer be free to enjoy.