[6] Of medieval historical interest, the village of Lomer, now only visible as a few small bumps in the ground,[7] was most likely abandoned during the plague in the 14th century.

Recent study has shown that it was most likely created in the sixteenth or seventeenth century AD possibly posing more questions than it answers regarding its meaning.

The closest is Newhaven Fort, a 5-mile diversion from the path, which is an attraction that houses many World War II artefacts and documents with examples of the huge cannons used in coastal defence.

[12] The South Downs Way celebrated 50 years since opening by fixing commemorative plaques to signposts along the way in all 66 parishes that the path runs through.

[13] The undulating path begins in Winchester Hampshire, and passes Cheesefoot Head, the towns of Petersfield and Arundel, the villages of Storrington and Steyning, Devil's Dyke viewpoint near Brighton, followed by Ditchling Beacon and miles of chalk downland across to Beachy Head, and ending in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

It is a non-stop 100 km endurance event along the South Downs Way to raise money for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

For much of its length the South Downs Way forms part of the route of the E9 European Coastal Path which runs for 3,125 miles (5,000 km) from Cabo de São Vicente in south-west Portugal to Narva-Jõesuu in north-east Estonia, near the border with Russia.

The route runs through Portugal, Spain and France before crossing the English Channel by ferry from the French port of Roscoff to Plymouth.

From Jevington the E9 route leaves the South Downs Way and follows the 1066 Country Walk and Saxon Shore Way to Dover, from where it returns to France.