i
Simon Burchell · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsGuide · England
South Downs walks by train from London
Chalk cliffs, hillforts and the deepest dry valley in Britain, all an hour from Victoria or London Bridge.
By the TRXO team · · 4 min read
- walks
- 7
- long
- 3.3–11.6 km
- biggest climb
- 260 m
- by public transport
- 5
- dog-friendly
- 7
The South Downs are the hills Londoners can see from the train to Brighton and mostly don't get off for. They should. The chalk ridge runs a hundred miles from Winchester to Eastbourne with a steep northern scarp, a long southern slope to the sea, and a view from the top that takes in the Weald on one side and the Channel on the other. Nothing on it is higher than 280 m, and nothing on it is dull.
Every walk here starts at a station or a bus stop a few minutes from one, and most are back in London for dinner. The chalk drains fast, so they're walkable in any season; the cliffs are at their best on a clear winter day when the light is low and the paragliders have gone home.
Where they are
-
Hassocks
Ditchling Beacon from Hassocks
- 11.6 km distance
- 260 m ascent
- 3–4 h time
- Moderate grade
- by public transport
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXOff the Brighton train at Hassocks, up the scarp to the highest point in East Sussex, along the South Downs Way and back past Jack and Jill, the two windmills above Clayton. Three hours of the Downs at their best, with a tea room in Ditchling if you want to come down that way. The climb is the steep bit; after that it's a ridge walk.
-
Eastbourne
Beachy Head from Eastbourne
- 9.8 km distance
- 200 m ascent
- 2.5–3.5 h time
- Moderate grade
- by public transport
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXThe highest chalk cliff in Britain, with a lighthouse at its foot, reached along the seafront from Eastbourne station and up the grassy slopes at the end of the promenade. Two and a half hours there and back, or carry on along the cliffs to the Seven Sisters and the bus back. Stay well back from the edge; the chalk goes without warning.
-
Birling Gap
The Seven Sisters from Birling Gap
- 5.4 km distance
- 150 m ascent
- 1.5–2 h time
- Moderate grade
- by public transport
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXThe white cliffs on every film poster, walked from Birling Gap over each of the seven in turn to the river mouth at Cuckmere Haven. Up and down, up and down, with the sea far below. The 12X bus from Eastbourne or Brighton stops at Birling Gap, and the National Trust café there does the tea.
-
Devil's Dyke
Devil's Dyke
- 3.3 km distance
- 130 m ascent
- 1–1.5 h time
- Easy grade
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXA dry valley cut so deep into the chalk that the story says the Devil dug it, with the view over the Weald that Constable called the grandest in the world. The loop walks the rim and drops into the bottom. The 77 bus goes from Brighton station straight to the pub at the top, which is a very civilised way to arrive at a hill.
-
Findon
Cissbury Ring from Findon
- 5 km distance
- 130 m ascent
- 1.5–2 h time
- Easy grade
- by public transport
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXThe biggest hillfort in Sussex, with flint mines inside its ramparts that are two thousand years older than the fort, and the sea from Brighton to the Isle of Wight below. Buses from Worthing to Findon, then an easy two hours round the ring. It's the quiet one on this list.
-
6
West Stoke
Kingley Vale
- 4.3 km distance
- 50 m ascent
- 1–1.5 h time
- Easy grade
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXThe oldest yew forest in Europe, in a fold of the Downs above Chichester, and four Bronze Age barrows on the ridge with the cathedral spire and the harbour below. The yews are dark, twisted and two thousand years old and the grove is like nowhere else in England. The bus from Chichester is infrequent; a taxi from the station is the honest answer.
-
Winchester
Winchester: the water meadows and St Catherine's Hill
- 7.7 km distance
- 100 m ascent
- 2–2.5 h time
- Moderate grade
- by public transport
- dogs welcome
Route, map and GPXThe western end of the Downs, from the cathedral city along the water meadows Keats walked when he wrote his ode to autumn, to a hillfort with a turf maze on top. Two hours from Winchester station and back, with the city for lunch. The gentlest walk here and the best in October.
Before you go
- The Seven Sisters and Beachy Head cliffs are unfenced and crumbling. Keep back from the edge and keep dogs on a lead; both have taken people.
- Trains: Hassocks, Eastbourne and Brighton from Victoria and London Bridge; Worthing and Chichester from Victoria; Winchester from Waterloo. Off-peak day returns are the cheap ones.
- The chalk is slippery when wet and the scarp paths get very muddy in winter. Boots or shoes with grip.
- There's no shade on the Downs. In summer carry water; in winter carry a windproof, because the ridge is always windier than the station.
Questions people ask
What's the best South Downs walk from a station?
Ditchling Beacon from Hassocks: a proper climb, a ridge, two windmills and three hours door to door from the platform.
How do I get to the Seven Sisters by public transport?
Train to Eastbourne or Brighton, then the 12X or 13X bus to Birling Gap or Exceat. Buses are hourly or better in summer.
Can I walk Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters in one day?
Yes: Eastbourne to Birling Gap over Beachy Head is about 8 km, and the Seven Sisters to Cuckmere Haven another 5. Bus back from Exceat. A full, brilliant day.
Are the South Downs walkable in winter?
Better than most hills. The chalk drains, the days are clear and the cliffs are empty. Just expect mud on the scarp and wind on the top.
Read next
-
GuideWalks near Manchester you can do by trainTen walks with a station at the start, from an hour on the city's canals to a Three Peaks mountain in the Dales. -
GuideThe best coastal walks in Northern IrelandNine walks on the finest coast in Ireland, from the Causeway cliffs to the dunes under the Mournes. - Trail NotesAll postsEvery guide, article and blog post by the TRXO team.