The South Downs Way - A Walker's Guidebook
The South Downs Way
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£10.00
Section 1(a): Eastbourne to Alfriston
(Bridleway route inland via Jevington)Distance: 7½ miles (12km)
Maps: Harveys South Downs Way 1:40,000; OS Landranger 199 Eastbourne & Hastings 1:50,000; OS Explorer 123 South Downs Way, Newhaven to Eastbourne 1:25,000
Accommodation: Eastbourne, Jevington, Wilmington (+ 1 mile), Milton Street (+¾ mile), Alfriston
Refreshments: Eastbourne, Jevington, Alfriston
The bridleway alternative to the Seven Sisters route is a delightful stage among rolling downland which affords wide views and with plenty of interest throughout. In many respects it is as rewarding as the official footpath stage described above, albeit of a completely different nature, and is highly recommended. As with the Seven Sisters route it begins in a low-key way, with no hint of the delights to come, no suggestion that ahead lies a journey of countless scenic pleasures. But these steadily unfold within the first mile or so, for once on the route proper, the Way emerges onto the Downs near a golf course overlooking Eastbourne and the distant Pevensey Levels, and heads north before descending a clear track among gorse bushes and banks of wild flowers, into a narrow valley with Jevington neatly spaced within its confines. A tree-shaded climb leads onto the Downs again, and at Windover Hill the route journeys across the unseen head of England’s largest chalk figure, the Long Man of Wilmington. More expansive views entice across the Cuckmere’s gap towards Bostal Hill and Firle Beacon, and northward into the flat open spaces of the Weald. A winding chalk track snakes down to the Cuckmere’s valley, then the bridleway edges water-meadows before joining the footpath route for a crossing of the Cuckmere into Alfriston.
Intro 1: The bridleway begins in Paradise Drive, a short distance to the south-west of Eastbourne railway station. To reach the start from the station, walk south along Grove Road, and continue along Meads Road until reaching Carlisle Road which crosses it. Turn right and before long you’ll see Paradise Drive curving to the right. A short distance along this the South Downs Way cuts off on the left, on a rising track (Grid ref: 598982).
Intro 2: To reach the start of the South Downs Way from the promenade, facing Eastbourne pier turn right and soon passing Wish Tower (a stumpy martello tower) continue among neat lawns and flower beds, rising then to a large landscaped mound with seats. Bear right to King Edward’s Parade and cross over into Chesterfield Road, a residential street. At the far end bear right and continue along Milnthorpe Road, straight over St Johns Road and Meads Road just beyond that, and ahead on Gaudick Road. At the end of this go slightly left ahead into Paradise Drive. Just after Link Road breaks away, the SDW track can be seen cutting off to the left (Grid ref: 598982).
Intro 3: Horse riders may find it easier to un-box at Warren Hill car park, and begin there. The car park is found at the south-western end of town where Dukes Drive (B2103) rises towards its junction with A259 (Grid ref: 587979). A bridleway strikes away from the car park heading north-east, and very shortly joins the main South Downs Way bridlepath on Pashley Down a short distance before the Way crosses the A259 near the golf course.
Start: A noticeboard formerly stood here to announce the beginning of the South Downs Way, but waymarks (blue arrows bearing the white acorn symbol) indicate the route. The track rises easily alongside a narrow belt of woodland. Hidden among the trees a short distance up the slope is an underground reservoir, but this will only be seen if you look seriously for it. You soon gain views of the sea to the left and, passing scrub, come onto the summit of the hill where there is an obelisk trig point just left of the bridleway. Beyond this the way veers right and joins another grass track – the bridleway alternative from Warren Hill car park. With Eastbourne seen sprawling below to the right, follow a fenceline to the A259 road (Grid ref: 585985).
Accommodation: Eastbourne Youth Hostel is situated about a third of a mile downhill to the right, in a converted golf clubhouse (Phone 0870 770 5806).
Cross the road with care and take the broad track opposite, through a golf course. The track is easy to follow and it leads for a little over 2½ miles (4km) to Jevington. There are fine views almost all the way. At first these extend across the low-lying Pevensey Levels to the right, while to the left East Dean sprawls in its hollow, with Friston water tower projecting thumb-like above it. The way passes a dew pond, and ¾ mile later comes to cross-tracks at Bourne Hill (Grid ref: 577009). Just above to the right is a trig point, and on the mound which marks the crown of the hill there once stood a windmill. Note the stone marker which mentions Old Town Eastbourne and Jevington – it came from Barclays Bank whose Eastbourne building was bombed during the last war. The right-hand track here is the route of the Wealdway.
The Wealdway is a long-distance recreational route which travels 82 miles (132km) from the bank of the River Thames at Gravesend in Kent, to the clifftop at Beachy Head. On the way it crosses the North Downs, several High Weald ridges, Ashdown Forest, the expanse of the Weald and, finally, the South Downs. See The Wealdway & The Vanguard Way by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press).Ignoring alternatives to right and left continue ahead, now descending beside clumps of gorse on what becomes a delightful sunken track with a preview of Jevington snug in its valley below. The banks are lavish with flowers in springtime – cowslips, bugle, and wild raspberry canes straggling by the fence.
A luxurious fold of downland spread in gentle curves on all sides. Pausing to take it all in I recognised the shape of Combe Hill to the north where I had crossed one glorious late-spring afternoon a couple of years ago when walking the Wealdway. I remembered it well: the peace, the views, the sunshine. Now I had the peace of a spring morning, more fine views and sunshine too. Ahead, Jevington sank into a crease of hills. Behind it a sloping meadow on the Downs had recently been rolled in stripes, as though a welcome carpet had been laid out for my arrival. In one such meadow horses were grazing. In another the lazy drift of sheep shuffled patterns of white on green. Happiness, I thought, is something we’re seldom aware of until it has passed. But wandering down the track towards Jevington with the sun on my neck, I knew there was nowhere else I’d rather be, and nothing I’d rather be doing than setting off on a hundred-mile walk across those Downs. Ambling down the track to Jevington, I was happy. And knew it.
On reaching Jevington[4] (accommodation, refreshments) turn right along the road and about 50 yards later bear left on the approach to the church. Continue beyond the Saxon church of St Andrew along a narrowing enclosed bridleway where a signpost indicates Alfriston 3 miles. Soon the way rises among horse chestnut, elm, ash and elder, crosses another track and shortly joins a more prominent path which continues up the slope – beside which wild garlic and bluebells mass in springtime. At Holt Brow emerge from trees to a crossing path. Turn right and within a few yards go through a bridle gate. Maintain direction along the edge of a field, and through a second gate come to a large open grassland.Jevington is a quiet, back-country downland village that was once a smugglers’ haunt. The flint-walled church of St Andrew has an impressive Saxon tower 1000 years old, in which there is a bell said to have been brought ashore from a shipwreck. The remainder of the building dates from the 13th century, but there are Roman bricks in its construction. The Hungry Monk restaurant opposite the lane leading to the church is where the Banoffee Pie was invented in 1972!
There is a sudden awareness of space as you emerge onto the bare crest of the Downs. There are far views to the sea, but much closer downland folds into the green coomb of Deep Dean. The ruined walls of Hill Barn give rise to speculation as to their origin.
Several low waymark posts guide the route across this downland plateau before a clear chalk path leads along the top edge of Deep Dean to another gate (Grid ref: 544034). Passing through, veer left. The lip of the escarpment is now to your right, and should you venture to it you notice Wilmington[5] far below, Arlington Reservoir beyond that and the immense levels of the Weald spreading to a distant blue line of Ashdown Forest. Although you will not see it from this point, you are virtually standing on the head of the Long Man of Wilmington. The Cuckmere River snakes out of the Weald, and to the west you gaze across the broad valley it has cut through the Downs, to the rise of Bostal Hill and Firle Beacon where the South Downs Way passes on Section 2.
Wilmington is famous for The Long Man, said to be England’s largest chalk figure, which stands 226 feet (69m) long and, with a stave in each hand, overlooks the ruins of a Benedictine priory founded in 1100. No-one knows quite how old the Long Man is although it has been suggested that he dates from the Bronze Age, about 4000 years ago. Both he and the priory ruins are now in the care of the Sussex Archaeological Trust. The parish church next door to the priory has a weatherboarded bell-tower topped with a shingle spire, and is as old as the priory, while an enormous yew tree in the churchyard is thought to be 1600 years old. The pendulous branches are supported by wooden props and chains.Now heading south-west the grassy trail passes along the left-hand side of various earthworks on Windover Hill (two or three burial barrows and ditches, and mounds that indicate refuse pits from Stone Age flint mines.) Beyond the summit of Windover Hill the route winds to the right and then left, descending a sunken track, formerly a coach road, round the head of another dry valley (Ewe Dean).
Accommodation: If you plan to find accommodation in Wilmington, take the right-hand option when the track forks. At crosstracks turn right on a path which cuts along the flank of hillside to the foot of the Long Man. Now bear left on an enclosed path which leads to a narrow lane. Bear right into Wilmington.
The track takes you past an underground reservoir and eventually spills onto a country lane. Cross straight over and continue down a narrow sunken track among blackthorn and a line of elms, until coming to a road junction.
Accommodation: For accommodation in Milton Street, turn right here.
Cross slightly left ahead and enter a meadow, then turn left and remaining parallel with the road keep along the edge of the meadow with Alfriston church seen ahead, the Cuckmere off to the right hidden below a grass embankment. At the end of the meadow go through a gate and turn right along a metalled path. As you come to a white-railed footbridge you join the footpath route from the Seven Sisters. On the Alfriston side of the bridge the bridleway bears right in front of cottages, then left between flint walls to reach the Market Cross in the High Street (accommodation, refreshments) (Grid ref: 520032). Now head to the left along the street as far as the The Star Inn. For information about Alfriston, please refer to the end of Section 1, Footpath Route.
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