DAMIAN BARR, AUTHOR AND TV PRESENTER
Where is it?
The South Downs near where I live in Brighton.
Why do you go there?
If I have been writing or reading all day, I want to get out of my head and crave what I call "big skies". It is not dramatic like parts of Scotland or in any way noble like a glen. It is a very managed landscape, but it is as close to wild as you get in the south-east of England.
I often go at sunset and I have found walking back in the dark is lovely. The South Downs are formed from chalk which the moon lights up and allows you to see the way.
How often do you go?
At least once a week. It is great even in terrible weather. You can see the weather scudding in and the South Downs act as a natural barrier. It is an ancient route. In that Robert MacFarlane way, you feel more connected to big skies and deep time.
How did you discover it?
When I moved to Brighton, I was more interested in going out, getting drunk and dancing. The South Downs were sadly neglected by me for a decade – I first went up there to clear a hangover.
What's your favourite memory?
One of the most magical things is, if you know where to look, you can find glow worms. They have a bright, Nokia green glow. You almost can't believe something so fragile and beautiful exists.
I have to resist the temptation to take one home and have it in a jar by my bed as a reading light which is a childish fantasy. I made a programme about glow worms for Radio 4.
READ MORE: Ghost stories and fiendish tales: Scotland's 10 spookiest spots
There is a monument called The Chattri, a memorial to Indian soldiers who fought in the First World War. You can see it from all across Brighton, this white pagoda out on the Downs. I always feel a bit emotional when I see it.
Who do you take?
My husband. The last couple of years we have spent Hogmanay up there.
What do you take?
For Hogmanay, a bag with snacks, Champagne and a bottle of whisky. We walk for a couple of miles to midnight and into the New Year. If you look around, all you see is fireworks. When you see the stars from up there it is like being inside a snowdome.
What do you leave behind?
It is a place to clear my head. Sometimes I take my kite to fly it up there.
Sum it up in a few words.
Big skies. Frothy. Gentle. Loved. Storied.
What spots are on your post-lockdown wish list?
Dunedin in New Zealand. It is very special to me. It was settled by Scots, so it feels familiar, but it is also an incredibly diverse, pacific place. Dunedin has a great indie music and literature scene. It feels revitalising and is embracing diversity and creativity as a way of building a city. That is exciting.
READ MORE: Ghost stories and fiendish tales: Scotland's 10 spookiest spots
I'm hoping Trump doesn't get back in, so I can go to America and feel safe. I would like to visit San Francisco again. One of my best friends has just moved there.
The Big Scottish Book Club hosted by Damian Barr returns to BBC Scotland, tomorrow, 10pm. Listen to Barr's Radio 4, From Our Home Correspondent, segment about glow worms on BBC Sounds
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