OK - so as we were spending New Year with some friends in Chichester it seemed a good opportunity to shoot past them and go and see the Long Man first. I find these hill figures fascinating. So little is known about them, their age is a matter of hot debate and why were they considered so important?
He's about 72 mt tall and doesn't stand out that well at the moment. It didn't help that when we arrived the winter sun was low in the sky despite it being only just after lunch. I had to wait until it dipped below the hill in order to take any distant pictures of him and the colour has suffered as a result.
To me he looks very much like he has opened a door into the hillside to pass out into this world or of course to invite us in!
He's been fenced off to stop him being walked on but the enclosure is huge and you really can't get anything like close unless you climb over the barbed wire which wouldn't be hard. Given though that you really can't see him from close up I chose to be "good".
I wanted to see the view from the top and it's a good pull up. The chalk is sculpted into some interesting features so it's an interesting climb visually when you stop to catch your breath.
He certainly has a lovely view to enjoy as he stands there on the hillside.
Somehow though I think he is far older
And of course the obligatory pub without which no trip is complete. The Giants Rest proudly displays a couple of certificates proclaiming it the "most druid friendly pub in Sussex". I wouldn't presume to argue ( nice food too!)
