A walk to the dewpond - continued.

The Lancing Ring local nature reserve is accessible from several approach routes, one that I sometimes take is via a strip of woodland that skirts the eastern side of McIntyres' Field.
The start of this route is close to the buildings of a Sport and Leisure centre, built on the site of the Lancing Manor, former home of the Carr-Lloyd family who were major local land owners of the 19th and early 20th century.
Much of the wood is recent growth of Sycamore but at the beginning of the walk are two large Sweet Chestnut trees that have a girth of at least ten feet.
The path takes you through the wood as it gently climbs the hill. To the left is McIntyres' field, to the right is an open arable field which at present is straw stubble, the wheat or Barley crop having been harvested and the hay baled and collected.
At several points on the path there are ways out onto the conservation meadow where there are wide mown pathways on all sides through the wild flowers and grasses and at diagonals through the middle. The area has become popular with local dog walkers being an easy walk around the field perimeter and a short distance from the car park. The more adventurous can exit the field through the narrow path at the top left corner and proceed on to Lancing Ring via a track dating to Neolithic times or via the chalkpit.
The steep sides of the chalkpit are now overgrown with Bramble, Hawthorn, Ivy and Buddleia. The floor is partly open grass, much of which is Brachypodium pinnatum the coarse invasive Tor Grass.
A few areas are short cropped by Rabbits and niches are found for plants such as Round-headed Rampion and Squinancywort.
The grass is not all bad news, although it does swamp the growth of herbs that favour shorter grass, it provides habitat for Burnet Moths, Marbled White butterflies and the recent colonisation by the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi.
In the days before artificial chemicals local growers would acquire the chalk which would be ground into powder for the flower and vegetable gardens from the chalkpit. It would have been loaded onto wagons pulled possibly by oxen but more likely by heavy horses and taken down the steep Mill Road.
Before entering the chalkpit from the east side, one passes a mound which sits about three feet high and about twenty feet across.
This is the site of Lancing Windmill, the second of two mills that stood in the area. The first was a few yards along the slope and gradually became obscured by trees and was rebuilt on a new site . The Mill served Lancing millers until it was abandoned and demolished in about 1905.

.........To be continued

...Upon entering the Chalkpit via the small kissing gate the ground falls away into a bowl shape in an area the occupies approximately 6 - 8 acres. The sides have become wooded with growth of Hawthorn, Elder, Privet and Buddleia. Most of the Hawthorn is festooned in shrouds of Ivy.
A well worn path crosses the uneven floor and takes the walker past the foot of the steepest part of the exposed chalk. Surrounded by colonising Buddleia, the white chalk has been kept exposed by activities of the local youth who delight in scaling and sliding down the steep slope.
Beyond the overhanging branches the path brings you out to the top of Mill Road at the point where it enters the Lancing Ring car park.
Walk up into the car park and through a path between tall Nettles and into another wooded area.
Shortly this brings you out into the open at the edge of what is known as the Butterfly Meadow.
This area is host at the appropriate season to almost the full range of Lancing rings' butterflies including, Wall, Meadow Brown, Hedge Brown, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Small Copper to name a few.
Take one of the paths across the meadow to a point where a path intersects and leads roughly northwards in the direction of the Dewpond.. The path will take you past thickets of Gorse and Bramble, through grassy patches where many flowering herbs such as Germander Speedwell, Common Ragwort, Red Bartsia, Thistles and Plantains flourish.
You will hear the song of many birds in the scrub and woodland or a Skylark aloft, you may catch sight of a Yellowhammer or a Green Woodpecker.
A few minutes walk and you arrive at the fenced dewpond. In early summer the water will fill the clay lined depression, Yellow Flag will wave a light breeze. A Swallow might swoop low over the water and scoop a drink as it passes. A Chaser dragonfly might buzz past your head as it patrols the territory. One of several species that breed in the pond. Look into the still water for a few minutes and maybe a Common Newt will rise to the surface, take a breath and dive back to the depths.
This then is one view of the Local Nature Reserve. There are many more species that would require a long list. There are many other routes to explore the different facets.
This has been an exercise to give a flavour of what is on offer.