Exciting Rewilding Project at Knepp

Exciting rewilding project at Knepp  – just a 15 minute drive from Steyning!

Knepp is England’s first major rewilding project. Taking inspiration from a Dutch site called Oostvardersplassen,  in 2001 Knepp’s owners Charlie and Isabella stopped farming the land in any conventional sense, with the aim of establishing an ecosystem where nature has as much freedom as possible.  Rare species  E.g. Nightingales and Purple Emperor butterflies, now breed here and numbers of common species have increased substantially.

The estate is probably best known for introducing storks to the estate. They have bred successfully and you can see them in their nests during the spring.

As you walk though the estate you may see red and fallow deer, Exmoor ponies, Longhorn cattle and Tamworth pigs, all of which all roam freely in large herds throughout the grounds.

Public Footpaths

There are 16 miles of well marked footpaths at Knepp within the rewilding project.

If you go up one of the five tree platforms, you’ll enjoy panoramic views and a close-up of life in the canopy.

Knepp Cafe Area

Treat yourself to a drink and a snack here!

Rewilding at the Knepp Estate Safari Trips

Safaris are led by an ecologist and are either on foot or in an open sided jeep. The walks take 2 to 3 hours.

Your ‘safari’ will take you to the current ‘hot spots’ of natural interest. You are likely to come across some of their large herbivores!  Birds are also present in huge numbers all year round.

You may be able to check trail cameras for their more secretive residents like foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, weasels and stoats or stop for a species count at some of their wildlife ‘refugia’s to discover numbers of slow-worms, grass-snakes, toads, field-mice and voles.

Find out more about the Knepp Estate

Read about other things to see and do in Sussex