Get out, become fitter, socialise more and put the past year behind us.

 Would you enjoy discipline in your life to get outdoors more, (without any obligations or cost), simultaneously improving your physical strength, mental and general wellbeing?

Is there a desire to socialise more and meet new friends, whilst learning about and conserving wildlife, the plants and insects in Sussex: plus at the same time supporting the National Trust (NT) to increase biodiversity on the South Downs?

For strength and fitness, the NT can provide weights to exercise muscles you didn’t know you had.

For example, above, Katherine, a regular volunteer with "The Friends of Wolstonbury" wields a "tree popper" to rip unwanted hawthorn scrub from the hill.  Click the video to view and set to full screen.  Without such sterling effort the hill would revert to scrub and forest and our rare chalk grasslands would be diminished.

On Friday, 9 July 2021 the "Friends of Wolstonbury" directed by National Trust Ranger, Mike were spread across the hill to remove encroaching scrub, predominately hawthorn.

Whilst old friends chatted, Brian below and Katherine were hard at work filling builders bags with scrub.

Others, me included, marvelled at the wildflowers: Lady's and Hedge Bedstraw (foreground below) were spectacular along the bridleway on the ridge.

Lady's Bedstraw above and below.

Hedge Bedstraw

Dyer's Greenweed dots the hill with golden clumps.

Hundreds of Meadow Brown butterflies were flitting around on this hot and humid day.

What a joy it was to eat a picnic lunch in bright sunshine with like-minded friends overlooking a showery High Weald.

A lot more activities and pictures of the natural history of this magnificent hill can be seen at https://sussexrambler.blogspot.com/search?q=wolstonbury

And you will be most welcome to join us on our next work day:  Please see http://www.wolstonbury.com/dates.htm