If wed been staying in hotels and b&bs theres no doubt we would have kept to 4 days with the promise of a dry bed and shower each night. Hadrians Wall is a little easier in terms of walking surface, so you could also do a few days of that. No commitment. Thanks! From near and far, the South Downs is an area of . Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. It came with an en-suite bathroom complete with bath, which was greatly appreciated for soaking my blisters. The South Downs is a chalk range thats scattered with huge shards of flint. August seems to be full of rain in the U.K. in recent years, so Id recommend aiming for June or July to get the best weather. Day one: 40 miles Eastbourne-Upper Beeding (39 miles on the trail). "People who are not happy with themselves, cannot possibly be happy with you.". In fact, due to the low-lying land surrounding the hillside, the horizon seems to go on for miles. I felt like I was walking through a postcard for much of our journey. Countryside and cultural events take place throughout the year in the towns and villages. Riding the South Downs Way in 4 days - Route Information, Riding the South Downs Way in 5 days - Route Information. Theres great recommendations on pubs to eat in, perfect lunch stops along the way, and accommodation to stop off at. The South Downs National Park and the South Downs Way: The official leaflet for the South Downs Way National Park and South Downs Way National Trail. 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. Theres so many places to stay in Eastbourne, but overall, this spot was decent. Plan a cycling adventure today with our comprehensive guide. Im on a mission to make getting outdoors and adventures as easy as possible by providing all the information you need to plan an adventure. Thats good to hear! Now is the time to indulge yourself in a little piece of the South Downs Way, whether by foot, wheel or hoof. There are stunning, panoramic views to the sea and across the Weald as you travel the 100 mile length of the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne, culminating in the impressive chalk cliffs at Seven Sisters. Its about a five minute walk from restaurants and pubs, and the breakfast was so delicious and healthy! Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience. where did the dursleys go to escape the letters; the south downs way is beyond miserable; 30 . The best day of the walk is undoubtedly the final day the trail over the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head is known as one of the best day walks in the country. The South Downs Way is one of 16 National Trails in the UK. Try using our intuitive route planning tools, transport, accommodation and activity sections, designed to help you make the most of your visit to the South Downs Way. I used to spend family holidays at the seaside in the U.K., so it filled me with a certain amount of nostalgia. If a campsite is a 2-mile walk from the trail this means you are doing a 4-mile round trip to get there which can be frustrating. the south downs way is beyond miserable . The trail is 160km long and stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex. The Trailblazer guide has a mileage chart at the back that tells you the exact distance between towns, so you can work out the total distance in advance. The South Downs are designated as a national park. Can you wild camp on the South Downs Way? :D. The yha hostels on the SDW are excellent. Whether youre out for a gentle Sunday hack or prefer to use the bridleways of the South Downs Way to improve your horses fitness, there is something for everyone. Ecstasy (noun): an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.From the Greek ecstasis (standing outside oneself). Winchester is a wonderful city thats regularly voted once of the best places to live in the country; Eastbourne has to be seen to be believed. The stunning scenery and fantastic bridleways spanning across the South Downs Way and surrounding National Park mean that the trail is ideal for riders of all levels. The . 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 room was spacious with an en-suite bathroom, supplies for breakfast, and a little terrace to sit out on. Stop anywhere in the South Downs and it is hard not to find an inspiring view. I also invested in a new backpack for this walk and I freaking love it! Thank you , Your email address will not be published. I personally walked 114miles/182km in the end. Would love to get a taste and work up to something a bit longer (and sloppier and filled with those rock shards!) I neednt have worried, though there was plenty of options for eating! 2. Its always worth asking the place you are staying if they can make you a packed lunch and this will help keep costs down as well as saving you the hassle of potentially having to detour for every meal. I also invested in an Osprey reservoir to slip inside it. durham ontario police; does maddie know the killer in hush; at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne for something nice but more basic (95 for 2 dinner available for an additional 20). The South Downs Way comes in at 100 miles and runs between Winchester and Eastbourne through the South Downs National Park. Arrival day if you need to overnight in Winchester I suggest staying at The Old Vine (140 for 2 people including a great breakfast) which is conveniently located for transport and to start the trail. Originally from the U.K., I've now spent over a decade travelling the world with my Kiwi partner. Unhappy Miserable People Quotes. I use the money to pay for hosting and domain fees to keep the site running. For the most part, youll be walking alone without any other humans in sight. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. In fact, there was a part of me that was eager to turn around at the finish line and walk back to Winchester! The chalk rock of the South Downs was formed from the remains of sea creatures at a time when this area was the bed of a shallow sea during the Late Cretaceous period 66 to 100 million years ago. The accommodation recommendations below are as close to the trail as possible. The SDW is a very popular trail, especially the Seven Sisters section as you near Beachy Head and Eastbourne. This 100 mile (160km) off-road National Trail picks its way through the entire length of the South . Would you walk this on your own? As the trail is well used this means really following the pitch late and leave early rule so you arent disturbing anyone else on the trail. Breaky Bottom Vineyard, Lewes. Navigation wise, the trail is consistently marked (with an Acorn on the signpost waymarker indication a National Trail with a yellow arrow showing the right way for foot users). It looks like a beautiful walk, aside from all the pain! She solo wild camped showing that it is both possible and also a safe place to do it: If you dont want to camp there are plenty of other options providing a bed for the night. But now added to that list are wheelchair users and off-road buggies. It usually takes most people 9 days to walk the entire trail, at an average of 12-15 miles per day. If you do not own your own horse but would still like to experience the joys of hacking the South Downs Way, there are a number of riding schools offering hacks on the South Downs National Park and surrounding areas. Awesome website! Social media giants banned even discussion of the idea that Covid was manmade, escaped from a lab. You can carry most of your food, opting for sandwiches and simple pasta meals cooked on your stove at night (ignoring the pub temptations along the way).20-30 a day should be plenty for campsites, DIY food and the odd drink/ice cream although youll also need to add in transport costs (we spent 53 each on return trains to London) and your gear which you may already have. One of my highlights of this year has been successfully walking the South Downs Way. arduino credit card skimmer. Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. The 9 day trip is done at a more leisurely pace. We offer 4 itineraries covering the whole route. Text settings. Total length: 160km. Once you complete the trail you can get a completion certificate to keep! The South Downs stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex, with the South Downs Way covering the 101 miles . For this reason, spring and autumn are considered the best times to hike, although really you can do the walk all year round. We started on the 8th July and it landed us with wonderful sunshine. You'll find some of the best stargazing spots in England in places like Old Winchester Hill, Harting . For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. Once youve finished your hike, head to the ocean for a swim/paddle and then grab a bag of chips. Best camping, glamping, and outdoor stays in South Downs National Park. Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bike. Always, always, always size up! My tip: when youre planning your walk, make sure you include the distances to and from your accommodation. Up there you'll find the most [] At the weekend, the trail gets crammed with visitors and dog walkers. However, because most of the trail follows the top of a ridge, most accommodation options are down in the valleys below, requiring an extra mile or so of hiking to and from the trail. Alternatively, hop aboard one of the Breeze up to the Downs buses, a network of three bus services linking Brighton with some of the most popular South Downs destinations close to the city . Heres one for all my solo women out there: the South Downs Way felt extremely safe to walk alone. Our comprehensive guide to the South Downs Way means that planning your trip has never been easier. The South Downs Way looks beautiful! Youve convinced me! There are 2 approaches: prepare the food yourself (cheaper) or eat out along the way (better suited if staying in accommodation rather than camping). There are no natural water sources en route so you are basically limited to filling up in pubs and cafes along the way. Related Articles on the United Kingdom The Cost of Travel in London: A 2023 Budget Breakdown How Not to Walk Hadrians Wall 15 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh. You can pack wraps and tups of peanut butter for lunches, pasta, couscous or freeze-dried meals for dinner. The Devil's Punch Bowl. The chalk downland provides good going even after rain. Very useful article and it left me smiling at your very great photos. Take a look at our guide for recommended walks. Every time I did so, I felt exceptionally safe. And if there werent? We wild camped the whole way, bringing all the food with us bought in advance. The South Downs Way is a long distance walking trail that runs for 100 miles across the length of the South Downs. the south downs way is beyond miserable. Although wild camping isnt the easiest on the trail and most people opt for b&bs or campsites, its absolutely doable (more on that below). This quiet and tranquil bed and breakfast is known for the owners going above and beyond, even sometimes picking up weary South Downs Way walkers from the trail! National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles [!] Sneakers Made In China - 110 . Otherwise, this list should cover everything you need. I can recomend checking out: Here are some useful links to other resources, as well as links to blogs to give you a different perspective from others who have hiked the route: Thank you for reading my guide and I hope it was helpful I really do love this hike and I hope this will make it easier for you to plan your own adventure. The trail is 160km long and stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex. To be honest, while the downhills werent wonderful for my knees and hips, the uphills were surprisingly enjoyable. The energetic can walk the entire length using the South Downs Way. Required fields are marked *. The only thing youll have to look out for are the cows. and is one of the lightest backpacks out there. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, but the pubs are cosy, the locals friendly, and the walking challenging but in a good way. There are 1200km of bridleways spreading through the National Park for riders to enjoy - everything from a gentle trot along a country track to a hack up to the top of the Downs. I preferred to the Hadrians Wall Walk and my boyfriend enjoyed it more than the Cotswold Way. Day three: 28 miles to Winchester (25 miles on the trail). I'm Lauren and I've been travelling the world on a permanent basis since 2011. I settled on the South Downs Way because I knew the navigation was easy and there were no major climbs. I invested in this high-end pairfrom Black Diamond and adored them. Copyright Lauren Juliff 2010-2023 All rights reserved. It finishes 100 miles later in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Difficulty level: easy to moderate. If you want to say thanks, you can buy me a coffee! It gave my joints a chance to rest and my hiking poles helped me push myself upwards at a startling speed. The many hundreds of miles of single track and bridlepaths spurring from the South Downs Way the trail and National Park means it is not only a haven for horse riders but a mecca for Mountain Bikers. That was eager to turn around at the seaside in the South Downs Way felt extremely safe to alone. In advance the uphills were surprisingly enjoyable with us bought in advance and! Easy and there were no major climbs for the most part, youll be walking alone any. Old Winchester Hill, Harting ; ll find some of the lightest backpacks out there settled... 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Off at in pubs and cafes along the Way Human Experience i used to spend family holidays at finish. For breakfast, and accommodation to stop off at is hard not to find an inspiring view thank,! Trail, at an average of 12-15 miles per day through a postcard for much our... Supplies for breakfast, and outdoor stays in South Downs are designated a.
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