Get ready for Love Your Countryside month! 

CPRE Sussex column written for The Argus

At CPRE Sussex we know your favourite countryside isn’t always the most well-known landmark or famous beauty spot. Sometimes it is the place where you walk your dog. Sometimes it is a familiar landscape that tells you you’re nearly home. 

These are the everyday landscapes where community and countryside meet. That is why we are inviting you to celebrate the countryside you love right here in Sussex. As part of CPRE’s centenary year, September is officially Love Your Countryside month. 

Countryside Day is back 

In Sussex, the highlight of the month will be the return of the Countryside Day on Sunday, 6 September. This year, our annual celebration of the countryside has moved to the stunning Seven Sisters Country Park. Entry is free and we have a great programme of events lined up for countryside lovers of all ages. Highlights include: 

• Nature-themed crafts. 

• Interactive sessions focused on protecting the Sussex countryside. 

• A special talk and film screening to celebrate the national charity’s 100th birthday. 

• Guided walks. 

Walks are £2 for CPRE Sussex members, £4 for non-members. Book your walk place or let us know you are coming to the event here. 

We are also looking for volunteers to help on the day. If you could help with setting up, the raffle, or supporting walks and talks please email info@cpresussex.org.uk 

Pevensey Levels Walk 

On 13 September local expert Dr Geoffrey Mead will lead a Pevensey Levels Walk. This is an opportunity to explore Pevensey’s past on a guided walk through the castle grounds and marshes, returning riverside to this former ‘limb’ of the Cinque Ports. 

The walk will take around three-and-a-half hours. Dogs are welcome but they must be kept on a lead. Tickets start from £2.50 for CPRE Sussex members. 

Find out more and book your place here. 

Love Your Countryside 

Throughout Love Your Countryside month the national CPRE charity will be sharing a series of content designed to educate and inspire: 

• Week 1: Explore, with author Alastair Humphreys. Get outside and find adventure in everyday places. 

• Week 2: Notice, with writer Sally Coulthard. Slow down and see the countryside differently. 

• Week 3: Be Inspired. Get recommendations on books, podcasts and programmes that have inspired people from across the CPRE network. 

• Week 4: Discover. Get a unique guide to hidden gems shared by CPRE branches across the country. 

It is free to take part in Love Your Countryside. The first 1,000 people to sign up will receive a Love Your Countryside badge. 

Find out more and sign up for the email updates here. 

On the Edge 

There is also still time to contribute to the On the Edge map. There have already been so many fantastic stories told about the countryside here in Sussex. Together, these stories show how much the countryside around our towns and villages matters – and why it deserves to be valued, protected and regenerated. 

View the map and submit your story here. 

Find out more 

Everything we are doing throughout Love Your Countryside month reflects a simple belief: when people value the countryside, they’re more likely to care about its future. 

Find out more about how you can support our work here. 

Read more about Love Your Countryside in our latest Argus column here.