Six of the Best Walks in East Sussex
Winter wanders, summer strolls or autumn ambles – whatever time of year you’re heading out and about, the landscapes of East Sussex have a lot to offer for walkers and hikers. This is a county full of variety, with wildlife-filled woods, green meadows, ancient castles and a long stretch of coastline to its name. With the South Downs National Park stretching into its south-west corner and a large swathe of the High Weald National Landscape in the north-east, there are many acres of protected natural land to explore here.
Whether you’re a local, a Londoner looking for a weekend walk or a visitor staying in the area for a few days, there are heaps of wonderful walking trails to choose from in East Sussex. So, to help you find one that suits you we’ve put together this list of six of the best East Sussex walks – covering everything from easy family-friendly strolls to more challenging long hikes.
For those of you travelling to East Sussex and staying over for a while, Pitchup has plenty of ways to help you make the most of these fabulous landscapes. Staying at a campsite or glampsite between walks means you’ll be able to keep soaking up the views long after you’ve ditched your boots for the day. Take a look at the full range below to find a place that suits your needs.
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Seven Sisters and Friston Forest
A loop trail that starts and finishes in the same spot is often a good idea for logistical reasons – and this route is surely one of the best circular walks in East Sussex. Taking in cliff edges, a picnic stop on the beach and a stroll through towering beech trees and a shaded river valley, there’s plenty of variety here for a fabulous full day out.
The full Seven Sisters walk is a 14-mile hike along the coast from Seaford to Eastbourne, and a great option for a full day of coast path walking. This shorter eight-mile loop trail is best started at Seven Sisters Country Park, East Dean or Birling Gap – all of which have car parks and can be easily accessed by public transport using bus services 12 or 13. There are toilets, cafés and a handful of pubs along the way for a pitstop.
Highlights of this walk include the Beachy Head lighthouse, the chalky Seven Sisters cliffs and the viewpoint at Birling Gap, along with wildflower fields and the canopies of Friston Forest. You’ll return to the starting point with a stroll through Seven Sisters Country Park, walking along the pretty banks of the River Cuckmere.
Arlington Reservoir and nature reserve
Looking for an easy stroll? Perhaps something simple for the kids, or a gentle way to work up an appetite for a pub lunch? The easygoing 3.5-mile Arlington Reservoir circular trail is the one for you.
The main part of this trail takes you along the banks of the reservoir, a wildlife-rich area where around 170 species of birds have been spotted. It’s all pretty straightforward, and there’s an option to extend the walk for a couple more miles if you feel like stretching your legs a bit more.
Getting to the walk is easy enough, too – there’s parking at the reservoir car park (along with a snack bar and toilets), or you can walk from Berwick railway station just a few minutes away. Both Berwick and Arlington have village pubs for those of you that fancy making a drink or some lunch part of the outing.
This trail is particularly fine in spring, when you’ll go through vast swathes of bluebells in Abbot’s Wood, Park Wood, Beaton’s Wood and Bramble Grove. One of the most popular dedicated bluebell walks in East Sussex can also be found nearby: the Arlington bluebell walk at Bates Green Farm.
The Slater Trail
The Slater Trail is a stroll through the scenery that inspired the works of Eric Slater, a 20th-century artist who spent most of his days in the coastal town of Seaford. Despite being relatively unknown during his lifetime, posthumous exhibitions brought him and his favourite East Sussex country and coastal walks to public attention.
The Slater Trail begins in Seaford and follows a well-worn walk with views of the Seven Sisters along much of the journey. The six-mile circular route heads along Sussex coastal paths with turns inland through the plains of Cuckmere Haven and along the western edge of the Seven Sisters Country Park. The trail returns to Seaford where you can cool off with ice cream on the promenade or pay a visit to the town’s museum in the 19th-century fortified Martello Tower.
Lewes to Mount Caburn, Firle Beacon and Rodmell
The route from Lewes to Rodmell is a longer walk that’s great for a full day out, taking in some of the South Downs National Park’s most impressive features. The 12-mile walk is a little challenging in places as it climbs both Mount Caburn and Firle Beacon, the two highest points on the ancient downlands east of the River Ouse, with the rise of Itford Hill to come. But those hill climbs are rewarded with spectacular views before you finish with a final saunter along the South Downs Way to Rodmell.
For those leaving the car at Lewes, the hourly train from Southease station (just before you reach Rodmell) will take you back to the start point. At journey’s end, you may like to stop for a drink in the 15th-century Abergavenny Arms in the centre of Rodmell, the former home of writer Virginia Woolf.
Brighton’s Undercliff Walk
The Brighton Undercliff Walk begins at Brighton Marina and follows the coast for three miles to Saltdean, making it one of the best easy seaside walks in East Sussex. This straightforward route takes you away from the buzz of Brighton’s popular haunts for a touch of escapism without having to head too far from the city. It’s also a favourite route for runners seeking a flat running route near Brighton (which is famously full of hills).
Passing along the seawall, built in the 1930s to halt cliff erosion, the Undercliff Walk heads parallel to a long stretch of sandy-shingle beach on one side and dazzling white cliffs on the other. At high tide, the water laps up to the height of the sea wall, and on blustery days it comes right over the path – so expect wet feet if you’re heading out in these conditions.
The Undercliff Walk then passes Roedean and Rottingdean. To make a circular walk of it, head inland a short way once you reach Rottingdean beach and meander through the two villages back to Brighton. Rudyard Kipling once lived in Rottingdean before moving to Bateman’s, a Jacobean manor house in the Sussex Weald, after one of his children died from pneumonia.
Hastings Country Park
Hiking and heritage? Hastings Country Park is just outside the 1066-famed town where one king took an arrow to the eye and the Norman one began his conquest of England. The ancient woodland glens are bordered by rugged coastal paths and now form part of the High Weald National Landscape. There’s a nice variety of trails passing through this coastal nature reserve for walking or mountain biking, whether you fancy a short family walk or a longer full-day outing.
Hastings Country Park is one of the best places to see the unique flora and fauna of East Sussex and the South Downs, as well as some lovely views. You could simply meander through the park to see what you can see or follow one of the four mapped walking trails suggested by those who know and love the place – all starting from the visitor centre, which has toilets and a café.
Several of the walking trails in Hastings Country Park are circular routes, and some swing by a beach where you can have a dip or paddle to refresh. It’s worth noting that Fairlight Glen beach is one where naturists swim, so that one’s probably not suitable for younger walkers.
The high point of the park – both literally and figuratively – is Fireheights, a beacon with a few old coastguard cottages and some of the best views in East Sussex. You can see back to Hastings and the North Downs from here as well as looking over to Dungeness on the coast.
With all this gorgeous scenery to explore, East Sussex is a fabulous destination for an outdoor break, whether you’re after a quick overnight camping stay or a longer family holiday. So if you fancy an evening of campfires and stargazing in between your walks, take a look at Pitchup’s outdoor accommodation options below – all with live availability and guaranteed prices.