Special Event | A night walk in the South Downs
£25
[ Special Event )
This walk will take place in the South Downs near South Harting.
Experience the tranquility of the landscape at night on a unique walk in the dark with artist Allan Grainger.
Allan’s series of photographs, Downland Gloaming, capture the otherworldly quality of twilight upon the surface of Wilmington dew pond, and on the skeletal trees at Chanctonbury Ring. He took them during a series of night walks in the South Downs and now you can join him on one of these walks to experience what it is like to be in the countryside at night, away from human habitation.
Join a group of 30 to quietly focus on your immediate surroundings and recreate the tranquil and meditative feelings that Allan experienced when creating his work. The walk will be experienced in silence and without any artificial lighting, so that you can experience the sounds, the smells and the sights that the night has to offer. Along the way you will stop and Allan will share how night walks have influenced his work and give you the opportunity to ask questions and share your experiences of the walk with the group.
We ask that you bring a torch with you, but that you only use it if you feel uncomfortable or if there is a rutted pathway. For most of the walk your night vision will replace the torch. A torch creates a pool of artificial light that envelops you and cuts you off from the night experience.
It is a 4 mile circular walk and will start and finish at the car park near Two Beech Gate. There will be an opportunity after the walk to meet at the White Hart Inn for a drink and a chat.
Please note
This event takes place at night, without torches, in the elements and requires concentration and stamina. The terrain may be rough, hilly and wet. We are not liable for any accidents or injuries. If participants do feel uncomfortable at any point they may use their torches.
Key information
Meeting point
The walk will start at the car park near Two Beech Gate on the B2141, just south of South Harting. Meet at the car park at 6pm.
Walk length
It will be a circular walk of approximately 4 miles.
Walk duration
The walk should take about two and half hours at a moderate pace.
Difficulty
There will be some hilly terrain of moderate difficulty. Walking boots and appropriate clothing are essential.
What to bring?
A good pair of walking boots, warm waterproof clothing and a torch.
Artist bio - Allan Grainger
My fifty-year journey in photography involved me working in advertising and editorial photography and running my studio in Clerkenwell, London. I worked with major charities such the Royal British Legion and Scope and on government public information campaigns that involved meeting ministers in Whitehall. I also worked on advertising campaigns for most of the major banks such as Barclays, National Westminster, The Halifax and the Spanish bank Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria. My editorial commissions involved meeting and photographing people in the media such as Anita Roddick and June Whitfield. Location commissions involved travelling throughout Europe, America and South Africa.
My journey began anew in 2018. I live minutes away from the South Downs and I have been walking on them for over twenty years, so I know the landscape quite well to create work that reflects how I feel about the Downs. The ongoing works, Downland Gloaming and Downland Impressions, are the result of my deep affection for this beautiful landscape.
