A well loved view of the Sussex South Downs will be featured as Royal Mail release its first national postage stamps of 2021 to celebrate the country’s national parks.
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The best new trails, biggest pump tracks and freshest rebuilds for the year ahead - global pandemic permitting of course!
The best new trails, biggest pump tracks and freshest rebuilds for the year ahead – global pandemic permitting of course! Forest of Dean, Dyfi Bike Park, Edenbrook Country Park, BikePark Wales and King Alfred’s Way.
1. Verderer’s Trail, Forest Of Dean
This year, 2021, the Verderer’s Trail at the Forest of Dean celebrates its 10 year anniversary. It’s the trail that changed the face of FoD’s Cannop Cycle Centre, shifting the demographic of the riders who visited by drawing in new, family and trail-riding crowds alongside the ranks of gravity addicts. How many riders does the 11km blue trail see? A year before it was built, 906 laps were completed on all the trails at Cannop in the month of August. But by August 2012 the trail counters showed 8,174 laps. And last year 65,000 sets of wheels rolled on the trails.
Stunning Photos From South Downs National Park
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And, thanks to the park authority’s annual photography competition, we get quite a peek!
This year’s competition encouraged shutterbugs to submit their work under the theme “My Tranquil Haven”.
The judging panel was made up of award-winning photographers Finn Hopson, Carlotta Luke and Rachael Talibart, alongside Nick Heasman, Countryside Policy Manager for the South Downs National Park Authority, and SDNPA member Doug Jones.
They were looking for entries that captured a moment of peace and serenity in a turbulent year.
The winner
Photograph by Tim Kahane.
Tim Kahane took top spot and the £250 prize with this photo, taken at Chanctonbury Ring.
BBC News
Published
image copyrightBen Blowes
image captionBen Blowes has had lots of support from the public in his bid to raise money for children s brain tumour charity Tom s Trust
A man who completed the London Marathon with a tumble dryer on his back has raised more than £138,000 by running 31 marathons in a month.
Ben Blowes, 48, of Gazeley, Suffolk, took on the 812.2 mile (1,307km) feat to raise money for children s brain tumour charity Tom s Trust.
Each marathon was dedicated to a child who had been helped by the charity.
He said: I m very relieved to finish. It s been a long month. We ve raised lots.
Updated
Thursday, 24th December 2020, 11:10 am
Helen Trott and Matt Grant will be setting off at 8am tomorrow for a walk that will take them over the South Downs Way, journeying from Arundel to Upper Beeding.
Helen, 26, said it was an easy decision to make, forgoing a relaxing day at home for lacing up her walking boots and stepping out to support the hospice and honour the doctors and nurses who will be working on Christmas Day.
She explained: “This year has been hard for a lot of people and I know charities have suffered with cancelled events and shops being closed, so I wanted to do something big to raise money for St Barnabas House, who have been there for close friends and family during devastating times, including my nan and my best friend’s mum.