If planning to eat out, there are many South Downs Way pubs to enjoy along the way. May 4, 2021. If one were coming from the US, how would they get to the trail? But maybe not quite 20 mile days! A journey that can be taken by cyclists and horse-riders . Many hundreds of miles of single tracks and bridlepaths spurring from the South Downs Way means that the trail and National Park is a mecca for Mountain Bikers. The South Downs is a chalk range thats scattered with huge shards of flint. For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. Hi-vis clothing is also advisable to ensure you are seen, both by others completing the South Downs Way and by drivers should you be near a road at any point. Hadrians Wall is a little easier in terms of walking surface, so you could also do a few days of that. I'm Lauren and I've been travelling the world on a permanent basis since 2011. They were so comfortable! "Each indulgence in pleasure is an appointment made with misery.". Ive done long sections of this walk and Im now going to be completing the final 40 miles (Steyning area to Eastbourne) over two days in 2 weeks time. Home chevron_right Activities chevron_right Riding the South Downs Way. Whatever your approach to food, you are going to want to make sure you start with plenty of snacks in your bag to keep you going on your 100mile hike. The trail is favoured by National Trail 'baggers', solo walkers, first-timers, and those who are simply looking for a walking holiday in a peaceful yet historical corner of England. However, I have wild camped and found that if you are considerate and follow the rules, it is tolerated. The Hadrians Wall Trailblazer guide had been fantastic to use, so I knew I needed to pick up the same guide for the South Downs Way the latest version was published in 2022. I walked a walk just to the west, the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury, over two days earlier this year. For this reason, spring and autumn are considered the best times to hike, although really you can do the walk all year round. We stayed at the Ecolodge while walking the South Downs Way. Wingrove is a beautiful stay but if thats too much out of your price bracket, stay. Dig a hole at least 6inches deep and then cover it up when finished. In short, if youre considering walking this trail, go do it! We settled on eight days for our walk, although by the end of the adventure, we both agreed that one extra day would have been appreciated. Dave's brought a map, a compass, a navigational guide for the South Downs Way, a gas canister, and a spare water pouch for me. Steyning:Uppingham B&B Such a lovely owner and bright, airy room! Text settings. The provision of wonderful restaurants, cosy fireside pubs, rivers, seaside, hills, woods, walks and the transport links from London, Portsmouth, Southampton and beyond means this special part of the country consistently ranks as one of the most popular places to spend an afternoon, a day, a weekend or even a week! If you are an experienced hiker, you may want to look at doing the trail over 5-6 days to make the distances each day a bit more challenging. The South Downs Way runs for 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne. Once youve finished your hike, head to the ocean for a swim/paddle and then grab a bag of chips. Would you feel safe doing so? We had two challenging walks, where we racked up 20 and 22 miles, but the rest of our mileage felt comfortable. The SDW is a very popular trail, especially the Seven Sisters section as you near Beachy Head and Eastbourne. It runs from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex.. Looks great! For this reason, we opted to condense what was meant to be a 4-day hike into 3, meaning we upped our milage and reached our celebratory chip shop in Eastbourne earlier than planned. The small village of Exton lies in the South Downs National Park, on the west bank of the River Meon and immediately north of Corhampton. All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. 21. If you get stuck for shops a good idea is to stay a night in a cheap b&b and ask if you can send them a resupply box in advance. Just curious why some days you walked 8 miles and others 22 :). by Bex BandJun 7, 2022 | First published in 2018Adventure, Camping & Outdoors. While Im focusing on some of the downsides to the South Downs Way, lets talk about mileage. 26. In this guide I cover everything you need to know to do the hike yourself from details on camping and accommodation options, wild camping choices, costs, what you need to pack, food, top tips and the best South Downs Way route planners. Whether you choose to hack the South Downs Way one part at a time or feel confident enough to attempt the whole trail at once, you should be prepared in the way of horsebox or trailer parking facilities, find a selection of useful information below. The eastern end finishes at the sea from east of Brighton Marina to Eastbourne. As UK is especially prone to rain Id also add waterproof trousers to this list. It looks like a beautiful walk, aside from all the pain! The South Downs, Truleigh Hill and Eastbourne hostels are on the route, with Brighton yha about 7 miles away. Excellent blog Bex, Im looking forward to doing the trail in a couple of weeks time. Walkers in Britain are an oddly talkative bunch for a country thats full of socially-awkward people so whenever you do run into someone, theyll usually be down for a chat. We offer 4 itineraries covering the whole route. The hills on the coastal section of the hike can feel a little endless at times lots of up and down. salaire d'un enseignant du primaire au cameroun; urgent care in cambridge ohio. Best views on the South Downs Way. Only 1 a week after your trial. You can walk the Hangers Way, a 21 mile path from Alton to Queen Elizabeth Country Park through Selborne, Steep and Petersfield. I wanted to start with a brief introduction to give this guide context. The wind was especially relentless on the cliffs, and always coming from the right side which started to drive us a bit mad. They provide . You'll find some of the best stargazing spots in England in places like Old Winchester Hill, Harting . South Downs: England's Mountains Green. I loved this pair from Black Diamond! The room was spacious with an en-suite bathroom, supplies for breakfast, and a little terrace to sit out on. Itll be blustery, cold and windy over winter so youll want to wrap up warm. We met just three other people that were walking the entire distance, although there were dozens of other people out on day hikes. This long-distance trail runs for 100 miles across the breadth of the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne. Western Downs: Harting Downs to Treyford Hill. The following are the points where the path can be picked up using public transport: Meon valley, South Harting, Cocking, Amberley (train station) Bramber, Devil's Dyke and Ditchling beacon at weekends, Southease (train station) Alfriston and Cuckmere . The great advantage of using accommodation is that you get a warm bed, hot meal and shower each day making the whole experience much more relaxed. If you want to say thanks, you can buy me a coffee! July and August are the hottest months and being on the exposed cliffs can result in tough days if you get an especially hot spell. The Shoe Inn, the village pub, is a friendly welcome on the South Down's Way. I also highly, highly recommend taking walking poles with you. Your email address will not be published. One of my highlights of this year has been successfully walking the South Downs Way. the south downs way is beyond miserable. Honestly, I dont really see the point of doing this unless youre in the U.K. as part of a larger trip and have tons of luggage with you. Follow the South Downs Trail to Winchester or eastward towards Old Winchester Hill, Petersfield & on to Eastbourne. Even Google maps have the South Downs Way! With Bivvy bags you would definitely find wild camping South Downs easier (read more about in this Bivvy Bag guide). Day 6: Alfriston to Eastbourne (13 miles)Staying at: Albert & Victoria (77 for 2 including breakfast.an AMAZING hotel!!). The Trailblazer guide will come in handy for the walk if youre not sure if youve gone wrong, and Google Maps will also help by showing where you currently are as long as you have signal, of course. Take any sanitary products away with you to dispose of when you next pass a bin. On one particular day, we happened to be walking during the South Down Century, where cyclists race across the full hundred miles in one day. Originally from the U.K., I've now spent over a decade travelling the world with my Kiwi partner. Whatever you use, make sure you take a battery pack (I always use an Anker pack) as having a fully charged phone is essential for safety as well as useful should you need to check things like opening times or to call a pub to make a reservation. All about my hike on the INT and how it changed my life. heres a quick guide and video if you are interested in horse riding the trail. I. f having a pee, you can go anywhere (although off the trail would be considerate to others). I remember reading Wild and deciding I was going to walk the PCT, too. the south downs way is beyond miserable. On a trail like the South Downs Way, I view them as a hiking essential. We used a small discrete 2 man tent without issue. We spent a couple of hours hitting up the main attractions: Winchester Cathedral (one of the largest in Europe), The Great Hall (a 13th Century hall featuring a round table thats falsely linked to King Arthur), and the City Mill (where the walk starts from), and decided wed return at some point to spend even more time there. It takes me a long time to write these guides, drawing together all my research. Day one: 40 miles Eastbourne-Upper Beeding (39 miles on the trail). Using the Plan Your Visit tool on the National Trail website you are able to locate accommodation offering stabling along the South Downs Way under the Equestrian Information tab. The views were consistently pretty. I used to spend family holidays at the seaside in the U.K., so it filled me with a certain amount of nostalgia. It begins in Winchester, Hampshire and ends in Eastbourne, East Sussex . Thats part of long-distance hiking though so just embrace the extra wanders into the nearby villages. 2. The South Downs Way is one of 16 National Trails in the UK. Heres a list of the places en route where you can find a drinking tap: To see what kit I take for multi-day treks, check out my thru hiking gear list. It was especially nice to have some avocado toast for breakfast rather than a full English, which youll find yourself eating plenty of on this track. The rules, it is tolerated eastern end finishes at the Ecolodge while walking the entire distance, although were. However, I view them as a hiking essential be blustery, cold windy. Trail like the South Downs Way used a small discrete 2 man tent issue. 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