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Walks in the South Downs National Park

40 circular day walks including Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters

Guidebook with 40 circular walks throughout the South Downs National Park, exploring the beautiful chalk hills between Eastbourne and Winchester. The walks range from under 5 miles to 11 miles, including Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters, Ditchling Beacon and hundreds of prehistoric sites. Accessible all year, but wild flowers best in spring.

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Quick facts

  • Location: South Downs National Park, between Eastbourne and Winchester, South East England
  • Number of routes: 40 circular day walks
  • Distance: 8–18km (5–11 miles) per walk
  • Duration: Half to full day per walk
  • Areas covered: Beachy Head, Seven Sisters, Ditchling Beacon, Cissbury Ring, Alfriston, Glynde, Amberley, Arundel, Harting Down, Old Winchester Hill
  • Route type: Circular countryside and escarpment walks, including coastal cliffs, chalk downland, river valleys, ancient tracks, and historic villages
  • Difficulty: Suitable for most walkers; from easy rambles to more challenging routes
  • Terrain: Chalk hills, open grassland, wooded ridges, river valleys, prehistoric sites, picturesque villages
  • Navigation: 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map extracts for each walk
  • Best season: Walks available year-round; spring for wildflowers, autumn for colours, winter for clear views
  • Highlights: Beachy Head, Seven Sisters, Ditchling Beacon, Iron Age hillforts, historic villages, panoramic viewpoints, wildlife-rich grassland
  • Equipment: Walking boots, layered clothing, map, and weather protection recommended
  • Refreshments & facilities: Information on local pubs, cafés, accommodation, public transport, and parking included for each walk

Detailed overview

Experience the wide skies and rolling chalk hills of the South Downs, where smooth green ridges stretch from the dramatic cliffs of Beachy Head to the tranquil valleys near Winchester. Wander through wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands, past Iron Age hillforts, picturesque villages with thatched cottages, and sweeping headlands with breathtaking sea views. With open grassland, historic estates, and the sound of skylarks overhead, the South Downs National Park offers some of the most rewarding walking in southern England.

Ideal for walkers of all abilities, this collection features 40 circular day walks ranging from 8 to 18km (5–11 miles), each designed to be completed in a half or full day. Routes begin and end at accessible locations, many served by public transport, making it easy to set out from Brighton, Worthing, Chichester, or Winchester. Whether you’re seeking an easy ramble along chalk tracks or a more challenging outing over high ridges, these walks reveal the best of the Downs, its wildlife, history, and ever-changing views.

Explore the highlights of the South Downs on foot, from the iconic white cliffs of Beachy Head and the undulating Seven Sisters to the windswept summit of Ditchling Beacon, the mysterious Long Man of Wilmington, and the tranquil Itchen Valley near Winchester.
Enjoy year-round walking in the South Downs through flower-rich meadows and wooded slopes, from vivid spring wildflowers and golden autumn woods to the clear, far-reaching views of crisp winter days.
Choose from 40 circular routes, each with a 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map extract, route summary, start and finish points, estimated walking time, and practical information on public transport, car parking, local pubs, and accommodation in classic Downland villages and towns.
Discover local history and points of interest, with walks linking ancient churches, prehistoric sites, and charming villages such as Alfriston, Glynde, Amberley, and Cheriton, as well as historic estates like Firle and Goodwood.
These South Downs walks range from gentle countryside rambles to more challenging climbs on the high ridges and escarpments, offering safe, accessible options for newcomers and rewarding adventures for experienced hikers.
Enjoy the celebrated landscapes of the South Downs National Park, with easy access from major transport hubs and walker-friendly towns, and experience the region’s authentic wildness, rural heritage, and panoramic views.


Plan your South Downs adventure with confidence and enjoy this classic walking country at your own pace, in every season. Discover open horizons, ancient trackways, and the satisfying remoteness of England’s newest national park.

Where and when to go

Seasons

Accessible in all seasons but spring and early summer are best for wild flowers and birdsong.

Centres

Eastbourne, Alfriston, Washington, Storrington, Amberley, Arundel, East Meon, West Meon; and easy access from Brighton, Worthing, Chichester and Winchester.

Difficulty

Walks to suit all ages and abilities; no difficulties apart from some short steep uphill and downhill sections.

Must See

From Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters to the Hampshire Downs near Winchester; villages like Alfriston, Amberley and East Meon; viewpoints like Seaford Head, Bostal Hill, Ditchling Beacon, Harting Down, Beacon Hill and Salt Hill, historic sites such as Cissbury and Chanctonbury Ring and Old Winchester Hill.

Table of contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map



INTRODUCTION

Plants and wildlife of the Downs

Walking on the Downs

Using the guide

Public transport and car parking

Where to stay

The Country Code



THE WALKS

1 Eastbourne to Birling Gap and East Dean (9½ miles)

2 Butts Brow to Jevington and Friston (7 miles)

3 Jevington to Friston Forest and the Long Man (7½ miles)

4 Jevington to Alfriston and Wilmington (8½ miles)

5 Exceat to East Dean and the Seven Sisters (8 miles)

6 Exceat to the Cuckmere Valley and Alfriston (7 miles)

7 Exceat Bridge to Cuckmere Haven and Seaford Head (6½ miles)

8 Alfriston to The Long Man of Wilmington (5 miles)

9 Alfriston to Bostal Hill, Alciston and Berwick (7 miles)

10 Bopeep to Bishopstone (7½ miles)

11 Glynde to Beddingham Hill, Firle Beacon and Bostal Hill (11 miles)

12 Glynde to Mount Caburn and Saxon Cross (6 miles)

13 Southease Station to Rodmell and Telscombe (7½ miles)

14 Cooksbridge to Plumpton Plain and Buckland Bank (10 miles)

15 Hassocks to the Clayton Windmills and Ditchling Beacon (10 miles)

16 Devil's Dyke to Edburton Hill and Poynings (6½ miles)

17 Devil's Dyke to Mile Oak Barn and Edburton Hill (6½ miles)

18 Wiston to No Man's Land (6½ miles)

19 Findon to Cissbury Ring (7 miles)

20 Washington to Chanctonbury Ring (4¾ miles)

21 Washington to Kithurst Hill (7½ miles)

22 Chantry Post to Myrtle Grove Farm (7 miles)

23 Storrington to Parham Park and Rackham Hill (7½ miles)

24 Amberley to The Burgh (6¾ miles)

25 Burpham to Angmering Park (6 miles)

26 Arundel to South Stoke and Burpham (8 miles)

27 Bignor Hill to Sutton (6¼ miles)

28 Bignor Hill to Slindon (7¾ miles)

29 Duncton to Barlavington and Sutton (5 or 6 miles)

30 Singleton to Littlewood Farm (5½ miles)

31 West Stoke to Kingley Vale and Stoughton (6½ miles)

32 Compton to East Marden (5 miles)

33 Harting Down to Beacon Hill and Telegraph House (5 miles)

34 East Meon to Salt Hill (5 miles)

35 East Meon to Small Down (6 miles)

36 West Meon to Brockwood Copse (5 miles)

37 West Meon to Old Winchester Hill and Henwood Down (9 miles)

38 Exton to Warnford and Beacon Hill (6 miles)

39 Exton to Lomer Farm (6½ miles)

40 Cheriton to Tichborne (6½ miles)



APPENDIX A Route summary table

APPENDIX B Useful addresses







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APPENDIX C Bibliography

Which format is best for me?

Printed book

A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps — everything you need on the trail.

ISBN9781786312259
AvailabilityPublished
Published14 May 2024
Pages224
Weight 250g

eBook

The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.

Updates

Currently there are no updates for this book.

Meet the author

A lifelong passion for the countryside in general, and mountains in particular, drove Kev's desire to share his sense of wonder and delight in the natural world through his writing, guiding, photography and lecturing. Spending several months every year in various high-mountain regions researching guidebooks made him The Man with the World's Best Job.

Kev enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Cicerone from the 1970s, producing 50 books, including guides to five major trekking regions of Nepal and to numerous routes in the European Alps and Pyrenees, as well as walking guides for Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds. 'A Walk in the Clouds' is a collection of autobiographical short stories recording 50 years of mountain travel and adventures. He was also the contributing editor of the collaborative guide 'Trekking in the Himalaya' and Cicerone's celebratory anniversary compilation 'Fifty Years of Adventure'.

A frequent contributor to outdoor magazines, Kev also wrote and illustrated brochures for national tourist authorities and travel companies. When not away in the mountains, Kev lived with his wife in a small cottage among what he called 'the Kentish Alps', with unrestricted walking country on the doorstep. But he also travelled throughout Britain during the winter months to share his love of the places he wrote about through a series of lectures.

Sadly, Kev passed away in 2021. He will be remembered fondly by all who knew him and by many more he inspired through his writing and talks.