One of six best places in England

They were used in the last war as iconic images for what we thought best in England and worth fighting for. Peaceful paintings of shepherds guiding their flocks of sheep across the green and pleasant land were images that helped cement resolve into many an airman's, sailor's, soldier's mind.

However lovely is Exmoor, Dartmoor, the Dales and hills of the north, those places are often wet and less sunny than our own South Downs parts of which have the drier continental climate in East Sussex.

I was wondering this week which bit of the park was my favourite. Now that we've got that vast lump of land in the weald right the way into Hampshire to Winchester and the Rother valley, the choice is difficult. Nothing like a challenge to focus the mind so I thought I'd tell you about the top half dozen over the coming weeks, each with its own picture, and keep the top place number one on my list until the end. I wonder if you will agree with any.

So here is one of the six best places in England, (sorry, South Downs) and it qualifies for at least three very good reasons. First of all it has the characteristic steep slope which we love to see but find hard though rewarding to climb.

Second, it has one of the best areas of wild flowers you will see in the park.

Third and probably most important to many people, the view is magnificent.

It is Treyford cum Didling Down east of South Harting. This view is near the footpath that runs from Treyford south-easterly up onto the South Downs Way and the Devils Jumps, an area managed by The Murray Downland Trust.

The grazed turf has large numbers of wild orchids and in my photograph you can perhaps see the early purples which are out now, also cowslips. A possible total of 200 species along the hill, with up to 30 in a square metre.

There will be 20 species of butterflies here throughout the season but the hill does face north which makes it cool. Lovely hawthorn blossom on which the yellowhammer sings, and the kestrel and buzzard soar along the slope.

As for the view - what more could a person want on a clear day than to be looking towards Black Down across all that lovely weald around Midhurst.