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 For anyone not wanting to tackle National Trust 'owned' Harting Down, then we can do almost as well just next door to it, over Treyford Down instead !
If we drive to Treyford, and take the last turning off Bugshill Lane before we reach the tiny village itself, there is a no-thru road / driveway, dog-legging on the left that is publicly accessible, and leads up a steep section of hill towards the few houses at the top. But shortly after the road turns into more of a chalk track there is a wide turn-around area, which usually has a few cars parked in it while people go for walks up the hill, the gates to all the fields are wide open or not there, and it has never been a problem to fly here the few times I have done it previously. DO NOT drive further up the track than this first turning area - the track becomes narrower and narrower and rougher and rougher until it is no longer passable by car shortly after that.
Whilst filming, I try and keep attention focused on the hills / downs to the right and left, and not so much back at the houses, which are about 700 yards back from location marker. Be prepared for occasional farm / house traffic to drive (sometimes they are curious and stop to ask what you're up to, but don't mind when you tell them) through on the track, but if you fly from just to the side of that it's usually fine. You shouldn't have to go into the cornefields on either side of the road, but they are usually ungated so you 'can', and you do get a better / less obstructed view of the hilltop if you use the right side one.
Be careful of winds here - they do tend to howl along the downs, and sometimes rush upwards along the ridge, so if you need to descend in these conditions, move back over the cornfield to do it. You will need altitude ceiling of <700 ft to get 400 ft above the top of Treyford Down.
If you fly east toward the main Treyford Hill, but then back from its ridge and on 500 ft or so, you will find the interesting Devils Jumps Burial mounds, although you need to stay very high above them to maintain VLOS and not get blocked by the hill.
Land owner permission requirements unknown.
View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.
Co-ordinates: 50.95549, -0.831204 • what3words: ///over.myself.headings
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