The South Downs Way
Spanning 100 miles across the south of England, the South Downs Way is a National Trail which follows old roads and droveways along the ridges of the South Downs and the chalk escarpment above it. The route is undulating with several sections of steep uphill and downhill and is very exposed in places. It is possible to walk, cycle or travel the route by horse as the entire route follows bridleway.
You can do the route in either direction but it is recommended to do the route from Winchester to Eastbourne and wind your way down towards the coast, with the stunning scenery of the Seven Sisters, Cuckmere Haven, Burling Gap and Beachy Head greeting you upon the final stretch of the walk. This is the direction we walked it in, starting in Winchester where we stocked up on blister plasters and painkillers (as we were already 100 miles into our walk, with 115 to go including the SDW!!).
The national trail covers fields and farms, forests and vast expanses of nothingness, concrete paths and chalk tracks, so is very varied in it’s scenery and footing. It was mostly dry underfoot as the footpaths followed concrete or chalk rather than grass for the majority of the walk. We saw lots of wildlife including deer, hares, foxes and butterflies and at night heard owl’s hooting nearby. It takes you through small villages and towns which have a host of nice pubs and cafe’s, and benches to eat your lunches on. The weather was very changeable when we did the route, with sunshine, rain and strong winds all rolled into one!
Start/end point: Winchester - Eastbourne
Average duration: Minimum 4 days walking (25 miles a day), 5-6 days probably more enjoyable
Distance: 160km (100 miles)
When to go: April to September
Difficulty: Moderate/Strenuous
Maps/Info: The entire South Downs Way trail is very well signposted but should you wish to buy or download a guide for the hike:
Book available to buy for £18:
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/the-south-downs-way
All Trails provides a great downloable map which will sync onto Google maps/Maps me/other formats as required:
https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/england/hampshire/south-downs-way-complete
Day 1: Winchester to The Sustainability Centre (18 miles)
We actually began our day a few miles outside of Winchester, so we’d done about 4 miles before we started the South Downs Way route on this day (hence the shorter distance!). The route leads you out of the city via some residential streets and then takes you up and over the M3 and onto footpaths.
A few miles in we passed the pretty hamlet of Chilcomb and then ascended Cheesefoot Head. There were some far reaching views and on a clearer day we may have been able to see the Isle of Wight from here.
The sun came out for our descent into the village of Exton where the Shoe Inn pub offered us a welcome rest and we enjoyed a great coffee. We also ate our lunch outside on a bench before continuing on our way, avoiding a section of route which was flooded by taking the cycle route for a mile or so and then rejoining the footpath.
We climbed up the Old Winchester Hill nature reserve after the village of Exton and as the clouds had cleared a bit we saw the sea for the first time, with views down to the Isle of Wight.
The route was fairly hard underfoot which was difficult for me as my blisters were so painful by this stage that I could barely put my shoes on! We plodded on and the day went fairly quickly, although the drizzle and misty weather as well as winds made a return for the end of the day and made it difficult to soldier on. It was downhill from the Old Winchester Hill before a short uphill climb towards the Sustainability Centre which has a café on site open in the day times and offers camping, yurts, and a hostel too. We decided last minute to stop here as there was a yellow weather warning coming in. We got the tent up just before it started absolutely pouring down!
Day 2: The Sustainability Centre to Amberley (29 miles)
Day two was a big day. We had stopped earlier than intended the night before and we knew we had to make up the miles, with accommodation booked for the night in Amberley, 29 miles away.
We started off earlier than usual, packing the very wet tent away and eating our breakfast in the dark, we left the campsite just after 6am. The route took us sharply uphill at Butser Hill - the highest part of the trail - and as we got closer to it the promised 45mph winds rolled in making it hard to put one foot in front of another at times.
A steep descent from Butser Hill brought us to the A3 which we crossed and then into Queen Elizabeth Country Park where there was a café and toilets in the visitors centre (sadly closed when we got there as we were so early!). We trudged up the very steep route through the QECP which was nice and soft underfoot after lots of concrete on previous days. We were sheltered from the strong winds here as the park is mostly forest and that was a relief to us both.
Following the route took us towards Harting Down, which consisted of some very steep ascents and descents and also some very exposed open plains of fields which we crossed as quickly as possible due to the strong winds returning. The weather was terrible on this section, with rain also hitting us in the face and obscuring our view. If the weather had cleared, the views down across the valleys would have been fantastic - we got glimpses here and there.
After this on the trail going east was Devil’s Jumps where we saw many large Bronze Age burial mounds. There was a viewing platform to see them better. Safe to say that we didn’t trouble the platform as it would’ve meant more steps!!
We marched on across hard chalk and concrete track (which really hurt our blistered feet!) to the Cadence Clubhouse café at Cocking, close to the A286 and 17 miles in. We had only stopped to eat our lunch and were very happy with our progress by midday.
After downing a coffee and lots of water (and paying £1 each for a banana!!), we carried on to do the next 5 miles as quickly as we could, as we knew there was another café on the route but it closed at 3pm. Those 5 miles took us through farms and fields, across hard track and gravel as well as loose stones underfoot which was very difficult. On arrival at the Cadence Clubhouse Upwaltham we discovered it was outdoor seating only but the rest did us good and we had some more food here as well as a coffee and I took some painkillers as I knew the last 7 miles were going to be difficult.
Leaving there at around 3pm, we decided to take the 7 miles as slow as we needed to as we had booked a hotel room for that night. The first couple of miles went well, we saw a lovely butterfly (a peacock) and some other wildlife and the sun was back out in full force. Combined with the winds, we were definitely getting pink cheeks!
A lot of this section was wooded and mainly downhill, but at this point the downhill was as painful as the uphill. The first few miles passed easily, but then we got to about 4 miles out of Amberley and really started to struggle. We both lost the plot mentally. I sat on the floor and cried, as I knew just how painful those 4 miles were going to be, and I felt exhausted.
After a 5 minute sit down, we both had a gel to give us some energy and got to work again. We came to an open expanse which had a great view down across the Arun Valley - we could see the village of Amberley, now to get there. Downwards we climbed, stumbled, shuffled. Onwards we walked, and the village didn’t seem to get any closer. Until eventually we came to the bridge to cross the river and we knew our accommodation was just over a mile away. That mile was slow, probably our slowest of the day. We had rejoined pavement which was sheer agony underfoot. But we knew we’d make it now.
On arrival we were greeted by a lovely member of staff whom informed us that our family had phoned ahead and put £50 on a tab for dinner for us. I would’ve cried there and then if I had any tears left.
Day 3: Amberley to Housedean Farm Campsite (28 miles)
A difficult day as we knew we had a lot of miles to cover again, but we started out clean, dry, and well rested, which really helped. The first three miles were all on concrete again and very steeply uphill which we struggled with, but after that we found our stride and the first ten miles were done at a slow but steady pace.
The route was very open and exposed again, and we passed through fields of sheep and lambs, cows, and pigs being farmed. The sun came out and the winds finally disappeared. There were wild flowers and the path was gently undulating, with views down over the sea and across towards Brighton.
I rolled my ankle on a rock around mile ten when we were descending a rocky path, and I continued on trying to ignore the new pain in my ankle for a couple of miles, where I realised that at the pace I was walking we wouldn’t make it the 28 miles needed that day. We were at mile 13, and there was a food truck in the layby. We had a coffee and I called my mum to pick me up, I needed to rest my foot, and I told Tom to continue without me to finish the day.
Tom continued on across Washington and up towards the Goring Estate, crossing this and rounding the hills above Steyning which were open and exposed. Later in the day, the heavens opened and he got absolutely soaked through, with even the things inside compression sacks inside his backpack getting wet.
This section of the trail that he did alone follows the chalk hills above Brighton and is supposed to have great views - not that he could see any! The trail passes Devil’s Dyke, the largest chalk valley in the country and then Saddlescombe Farm which is a National Trust property and has a café on site where he got a coffee and ate his lunch. After this break, he walked passed the Dew Ponds and the trail ascended to Ditchling Beacon at 248m high - the highest point of the Sussex Downs. Still getting rained on he made his way as quickly as possible to Housedean Farm Campsite.
Day 4: Housedean Farm Campsite to Eastbourne (27 miles)
The final day of the South Downs Way, and the penultimate day of our hike. A strong fog or mist had settled over the route and would engulf our entire day, leaving us struggling to see much of the view.
Leaving the campsite the route takes you around the edge of the town of Lewes before descending towards the village of Southease and a café/hostel at Itford Farm. The next 5 miles or so were very open and exposed, with no cover from trees or hedgerows, meaning that in strong winds or rain you may find it a bit of a slog, but in good weather the views are supposed to be incredible. With the fog that had settled, you can imagine the view on offer for day 4 of the hike! You pass through Firle Beacon before the path takes you to the village of Alfriston.
River Cuckmere
Alfriston is a great place for a stop as there are several cafe’s, pubs and benches here as well as shops to restock on supplies. The route splits in two here and re-joins at Eastbourne. The section via the Seven Sisters is footpath only (sorry horse riders!) and is the section we chose.
The route now follows the River Cuckmere south rather than just crossing it as with the other rivers on the path. At Cuckmere there is a pub and a visitors centre with a café. The Seven Sisters Country Park takes you to the coast and then over an extremely undulating section over the cliffs. The steep climbs and descents are worth the effort for the views - even in the fog the route was beautiful. The cliffs are unprotected and can be undercut in places so it’s best not to get too close to the edge.
The best views we got of the cliffs
At Birling Gap there is a National Trust property as well as a cafe and shop for supplies and this section of the trail was very busy with day-trippers from Eastbourne and school trips. East of Birling Gap the path takes you past Belle Tout lighthouse which was moved back from the cliff edge on rollers a few years ago due to concerns of rock fall damaging it.
The foggy view down into Eastbourne
The views here can be fantastic, and you may see Beachy Head Lighthouse before you start the climb to the top of Beachy Head which is Britain’s highest chalk cliff. Only 1.5 miles from Eastbourne now! From here, it’s downhill all the way into the pretty seaside town. Don’t miss the signs at the end of the path showing you the distance you’ve walked!
End of the trail!!
We carried on from here, walking another 1.5 miles to the pier and our accommodation for the night which was nearby, and the next day continued on to Hastings along the coast.