HUNDREDS of visitors enjoyed this years Secrets of the Heath weekend on Petersfield heath.

Organised by the South Downs National Park Authority, the free annual festival revealed the history of heaths across the national park.

Also on show were the animals, reptiles and birds who call them home.

Although the weather for the opening day of the festival on Saturday was a bit miserable, the Sunday was sunny and over the weekend hundreds of visitors enjoyed the sights and stalls.

They had a chance to meet medieval knights, and watch Civil War re-enactors firing their muskets.

There was also a demonstration by Roman re-enactors from Butser Ancient Farm of a Roman catapult called an onager, named after a wild ass native to northern Iran.

In Roman days the onager would have shot boulders at city walls to breach them, but during the festival it fired cabbages, much to the delight of the young spectators.

As well as re-enactments, a medieval camp and rides on the heath pond in a reconstructed Bronze Age log boat, visitors could also meet the snakes and lizards who live on the heathlands.

Sussex and Belted Galloway heifers, who graze on Chapel Common near Liphook were also on show – their grazing protects the common from encroaching plants and saplings.

A falconry display by hawks and owls which hunt the heathlands saw the raptors swooping just above spectators’ heads, to snatch a ‘lure’ being whirled in the air by their handler.

Visitor Twain Brighton from Lindford and his wife and young family enjoyed the archery and being able to handle the grass snakes.

Twain said: “It was a great day, really enjoyable.”

And to help keep the crowds refreshed, Ballards Brewery from Nyewood was offering a range of ales from a tented ‘medieval’ bar.

A national park spokesman said: “Heaths are rare habitats, rich in wildlife and fantastic to explore. But they are under threat and would disappear without active management.

“The festival was a chance to see how people lived and worked the heath over thousands of years and how we can help to save our heaths.”