Natural England - Visiting the South East

Visiting the South East

The South East region has diverse, special and inspirational landscapes - to live, work in and visit!

There are a number of National Nature Reserves within the region.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) contain some of our most stunning and cherished countryside and are equivalent to national parks in terms of their landscape quality and land use planning status.

Ten AONBs fall wholly or practically within the South East region, covering 32% of the land and are accessible to a resident population of 18 million people.

Chichester Harbour

A low lying natural harbour comprising of large open waters and intimate tidal creeks, fertile arable farmland, shingle beaches, dunes, salt marsh and intertidal mud flats which are havens for wildfowl and waders. More details ...

Chilterns

833 square km - Stretching from Oxfordshire, through Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Characterised by a dramatic chalk escarpment, rolling chalk downlands, secluded dry valleys, chalk streams pierced by beech and blue bell woods, picturesque villages and historic buildings. More details ...

High Weald

1460 square km - A medieval landscape characterised by rolling hills, small irregular fields, abundant woods, hedges, traditional scattered farmsteads, sunken lanes, flower rich meadows, hop gardens, oast houses, ancient woodland, heathland and remnants of the wealden and iron industry. More details ...

Isle of Wight

Characterised by a famous chalk coastline, creeks, salt marsh, mud flats, sandy bays, wooded chines, chalk downland, heathlands and hay meadows. Famous attractions include the Needles, Osborne House, Tennyson Downs. More details ...

Kent Downs

878 square km - Characterised by a chalk escarpment up to 250m high, a greensand ridge, secluded dry valleys, quiet & ancient lanes, historic hedgerows, traditional orchards, chestnut coppice, ancient woodland and farmed land, chalk pasture, isolated farmsteads and oast houses. More details ...

North Wessex Downs

1,730 square km - Characterised by continuous tracts of chalk downland, open sweeps of arable land, beech knolls, narrow chalk river valleys, intimate secluded woodlands of Chute and Savernake Forest, heathland and herb rich downland turf. More details ...

Surrey Hills

The chalk and greensand ridge gives rise to a mosaic of woodland, scrub, hills, valleys, chalk grassland, heathland open downland with combes, spring lines, chalk pits, quarries, ancient sunken lanes, traditional livestock farming, picturesque villages and market towns. North Downs Way national trail, Devil's Punchbowl, Leith Hill and Box Hill provide stunning views. More details ...

South Downs National Park

On 12th November 2009 Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs signed an order confirming the designation of the South Downs National Park. More details ...

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