Pictures from Sensing the Land, a sensory walkshop and deep time travel, on the Sussex South Downs

The South Downs in Sussex have been inhabited for thousands of years. For the vast majority of that time, our ancestors lived in close contact with nature and with the land around them. 

photo: Sandra Keating

Our Sussex ancestors knew where the good water was, where to gather the best food, and the best wood for their fires.

They knew the trees, and the birds that lived in them. They knew how to find their way using the landscape, the sun and the wind.

They knew where was safe to walk…  and where to avoid.

For thousands of years, this was our neighbourhood... our supermarket... our office… it was our home.

photo: Sandra Keating

For a huge part of human history we had a much closer - a much more intimate - relationship with the land. We were part of it.

Now more than 80% of us in the UK live in towns and cities, we’ve lost our connection and it's affecting our wellbeing and our happiness, and it’s also affecting how much we care about the land.

On Sensing the Land wilderness guide Alistair Duncan took us on a journey around Wolstonbury Hill on the South Downs, to get to know this land where we live a little bit better. He showed us ways to make a closer connection with it, and with ourselves.

And he took us on a deep time travel journey, watching as millions of years of history unfolded before our eyes.

Because if we get to know the land better, if we make a relationship with it, we'll feel better and we'll care about it much more.

I felt so good afterwards."

Frances

all photos: Sandra Keating