The CountryPark is 50!
STEPHANIE DONALDSON, Editor of ‘Over the Glens’, the newsletter of the Friends of Hastings Country Park Reserve
The clue is in the name – Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve (HCPNR) – for this wonderful 835-acre open space on our doorstep is far, far more than a local park. Of course, it is a great place to go for a walk and enjoy the stunning sea views, but it is also a nationally significant reservoir of biodiversity and consequently a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. Situated where the High Weald Ridge meets the sea, its unusual geology of sandstone and clay lies between the chalk of the North and South Downs and the alluvial plains of Rye and Pevensey Bay.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Country Park. Regular visitors may have noticed the plaque which marked its official opening has recently had a spruce-up and was unveiled in its new, improved condition by the Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. In 2006, in recognition of the Country Park’s importance in nature conservation, it was re-designated Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.
Diverse landscapes
As much as anything, the diversity of the landscape makes it an interesting place to visit. The wide open spaces of the acid heath grassland are a repository of plants such as heath bedstraw, heather and bell-heather. It is also a great place to let off steam for younger members of the family who have yet to develop an interest in plant life. Paths, including accessible ones, wind through the adjacent Firehills, where the vibrant yellow gorse flowers contrast vividly with the blue of the sea, and scent the air with coconut (just don’t be tempted to put your nose too close!) In the past, gorse was less dominant and areas of the clifftop bloomed purple with heather; however, conservation work is currently being carried out to reduce the gorse and re-establish the heather.
The three glens – Warren, Fairlight and Ecclesbourne – could not be more different. Steep-sided narrow valleys, known as gills, cut through ancient woodland, their humid and frost-free conditions supporting an entirely different range of plants, including golden saxifrage, yellow archangel, bluebells, rare mosses, lichens, liverworts and ferns. In prehistory, plant-eating iguanodons roamed the area, and with a bit of imagination, it is quite easy to imagine them grazing the treetops.
The glens were a favourite destination for Victorian visitors – the Dripping Well in Fairlight Glen being a favourite spot. Visitors included those in the grip of pteridomania – a passion for fern-collecting – that meant large numbers descended on the glens, dug up the plants using special trowels and bore them home to display in Wardian cases – an early version of a terrarium. There is no knowing how many rare ferns were plundered on these expeditions, never to be seen again. Fortunately, we know better now and in common with all our wild places, the Reserve is a place where visitors should take nothing but photographs and leave nothing behind but footprints.
The Coastal Path
Energetic visitors can follow the Coastal Path from the East Hill or the Coastguards Cottages. It descends and ascends through the Glens and along the clifftops, a challenging but rewarding walk (or run) with glorious views out to sea and winding paths that pass through the ancient woodland. Keen birdwatchers should bring their binoculars, especially in spring and autumn when this coastline is an important passing point for thousands of migrating birds that can include chiffchaff, goldcrest, wheatears and smaller numbers of rarities such as ring ouzels. Seabirds on passage to and from their breeding grounds pass along the base of the cliffs, notably the dark-bellied Brent geese in flocks of thousands. Resident peregrines, black redstarts and fulmars nest on the cliffs.
You might not think the Reserve’s well-worn, sometimes uneven sandy paths are desirable habitats, but this is perfect for populations of ground-nesting solitary bees that rejoice in some wonderful names, including the pantaloon bee and the hairy-footed flower bee. Three nationally scarce insects, bush crickets, minotaur beetle and the glowworm can also be found here.
Visiting the Reserve
Of course, you may already be a regular visitor to the Reserve or even a Friend, but it is surprising how many residents of Hastings have hardly ever visited and a surprising number know very little about it. Transport is sometimes an issue, but there is a bus service that passes by and there is plenty of parking, provided you have mastered the Ringo app!
In 2021 the innovative Bale House visitor centre opened. The straw-bale building, run by Groundworks South-East for Hastings Council, has proved to be a much-appreciated resource and information centre for visitors. The Friends of HCPNR – an interested group of local people who promote, protect and enhance the Reserve – have played an active part in providing additional resources, like a reference library and some children’s furniture. Their current project is installing habitat planters where visitors can see examples of the different plants that grow in the varying conditions within the Reserve and assisting in establishing wildflower meadows around the Bale House. They have also produced a series of information leaflets on habitats and wildlife that are available at the Bale House and they run a popular series of talks and guided walks throughout the year.
The best way to ensure that this unique biodiversity hotspot continues to flourish in the future is for as many people as possible to engage with it. Whether it’s through activities with Conservation Volunteers or Friends, family walks, watching wildlife, or simply finding moments of peace in a busy life, the Reserve can offer them all.
For information on becoming a Friend of Hastings Country Park visit friendsofhastingscountrypark.org
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