Find family fun at horrible heathland history weekend
August 16, 2016
Secrets of the Heath, 3 & 4 September 11am-5pm Petersfield Heath
FREE
Discover the horrible histories of South Downs heathland on 3 and 4 September with the chance to join a Saxon shield battle, come face-to-face with a highway woman or fire a Roman catapult.
As well as re-enactments,a Medieval camp and rides in a reconstructed Bronze Age log boat, visitors to our free annual festival can meet the snakes and lizards who call our heathlands home as well as the cows and sheep that work to conserve them.
New for this year we have a stargazing party on the Saturday evening to celebrate the South Downs National Park’s new status as an International Dark Night Skies Reserve. Join in a bat walk and keep your ears open for the ‘churring’ of the rare nightjar.
Help the heath
Heaths are rare habitats, rich in wildlife and fantastic open space for families to explore. But they are under threat and would disappear completely without active management.
Secrets of the Heath is a chance for people find out how people have lived and worked the heath over thousands of years and how you can play your part today to save our heaths.