Alfriston to Eastbourne - (12 Miles)

The last spectacular leg of the South Downs Way gives you the views of Seven Sisters, the chalk cliffs, and the coast. The first part of this South Downs Way hike takes you alongside Cuckmere River for a good proportion of the route, before you reach the coast and you can see the wonderful views of the chalk cliffs and the sea! A large proportion of the Seven Sisters is owned by the National Trust and there are are a few car parks and a visitor centre along the way.

These convenient car parks and visitor centres make this bit probably the busiest and most popular part as a lot of people will come to the car parks to take in the views and go for a stroll or a hike along the South Downs Way. You can also see the Beachy Head lighthouse along the Way. The final destination is in sight – Eastbourne! Whether you have completed the entire stretch of the South Downs Way hike, or just enjoyed one or two routes, you can be sure to rest up as you reach Eastbourne and get some well-deserved food.

This section has a lot of uphill and downhills as you walk along the fantastic South Coast cliffs. You can find refreshments at the National Trust Cafe at Birling Gap where many hikers stop and have lunch to enjoy the views. This is a very popular spot as people drive to Birling Gap car park to walk to Beachy Head.

The route ends in Eastbourne, which you can see views of from Beachy Head. By the end of the journey you will most likely need some food or a place to stay, if you are staying overnight in Eastbourne. If not, you can catch the train or drive back home.

Check out our accomodation page for places to stay in Eastbourne.

Catch the train at Eastbourne station, the average journey from here to London is 1 hour 30 minutes and trains are direct.