Long Man of Wilmington

East Sussex days out offer everything from sedate relaxation to high-octane thrill-seeking, from the historic to the modern and from the pleasingly sedentary to the adventurously active. The county has just about everything, it would seem, and it also has something that’s pretty unusual. The Long Man of Wilmington is described simply as a hill figure that looks like it’s been carved into the chalk, but there’s far more to it than that.

Around 72 metres in height, it’s a spectacular sight for walkers and ramblers from across the region. Created from painted white blocks and lime mortar in the 1870s but based on indentations that could conceivably go back many centuries, its origins remain pleasingly unclear. Could it be prehistoric? Was it made by the Romans? Or perhaps it dates back to the Middle Ages? As yet, nobody knows for sure. Even the figure itself generates a great deal of uncertainty. It may be a fertility symbol, an ancient warrior, a religious icon, or it may simply have been an extravagant folly.

Whatever it may or may not have been, it’s located in an area that’s just perfect for long walks with the family. Located just six miles or so from Eastbourne and within easy reach of the main A22 road, the Long Man of Wilmington is on the picturesque Windover Hill. The views from here are spectacular, so be sure to bring a camera with you. And to say hello to the Old Man, of course.