Medley Bottom |
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| Description: | Medley Bottom is described in The Butterflies of Sussex as one of the National Park's hidden gems. In truth, it's not so much hidden, as difficult to access, and with some steep slopes to negotiate. The majority of downland butterfly species can be found, although, rather surprisingly, Wall and Silver- spotted Skipper have yet to colonise this coombe. Apart from the butterflies, the chalk turf wildflowers are awesome! |
| Species: | Target species include Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Green Hairstreak, Brown rgus, Adonis Blue, and Chalk Hill Blue. |
| Best time to visit: | All-season-long but mid-May for the spring skippers and mid-July until mid-August for the high-summer target species. |
| Additional notes: | Medley Bottom is particularly good for seeing large numbers of Adonis Blue. In early autumn, Clouded Yellow have been seen egg-laying on both Birdsfoot Trefoil and Horseshoe Vetch. Sometime very soon (if it hasn't already happened) this species will begin to successfully over-winter in this warm, sheltered valley. The wildflowers at Medley Bottom are a wonderful spectacle. |
| Getting there: | The valley of Medley Bottom has to be accessed from the southern end and there are two parking options. The first is to park at Canada Barn at TQ038111. This is an unofficial parking area with visitors parking on the grass verge, but there is only room for around six cars. The second option is the free car park at Amberley village at TQ032129 and then hike to the South Downs Way. Between Highdown and Amberley Mount take the footpath that heads SSE (just to the east of Downs Farm) and that takes you to the southern end of Medley Bottom. On the OS map it is not named, as such, but referred to as "Field System". |
| Grid ref.: | TQ044116 |
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| Map: |
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| ID: | 20 |
