Eastbourne:Albert & Victoria B&B I mostly stayed here because the the rooms looked so old fashionedthat I thought it was funny. It is renowned for exhibiting the best of southern English countryside with its rolling hills, glassy chalk streams, bucolic farmer's . The route passes by it on the way out of town. TQ032123) which is a wild camping space right on the trail. Hi! The rolling hills, fantastic views, great walks and picturesque villages of the South Downs National Park offer a blissful taste of country life and make it a great location for a camping or Glamping Holiday.The fact that it's only an hour from London and within easy reach of much of the south coast are added advantages . We offer 4 itineraries covering the whole route. It runs for around 100 miles from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex, with a small loop around Eastbourne. Wow! As long as youre prepared for the tough surfaces, youre going to have a great experience. Thank you , Your email address will not be published. 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. This way you save the best views until last, build up resilience for the more relenting coastal hills and can also finish your trek with seafront chips in Eastbourne. In 2013, the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) spent 3m on renovating this 14th . The South Downs Way passes through the South Downs National Park, a beautiful area. Even Google maps have the South Downs Way! The trail stretches 100 miles from the historic city of Winchester to the coastal chalk hills on the South Coast. I suggest going outside of school holidays if you can and avoiding any bank holiday weekends. National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles[!] Open access downland. If hiking in peak season you will be able to make use of the occasional pub and cafe (although youll be expected to buy something if you do use the facilities). Theres also a super-useful distance calculator in the book that gives the mileage from village to village this enabled us to know how far we could expect to walk each day, rather than guessing with Google Maps. Stretching the full width of the South Downs National Park, the trail starts in Winchester, Hampshire. I highly recommend staying here. For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. The hardest obstacle literally was the surface of the track. Total length: 160km. The route provides the visitor with the opportunity "to get away from it all" without having to travel too far in this busy part of England. 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. It is possible to carry a weeks worth of supplies although your bag will be very heavy so planning to stock up halfway is your best option. We ended up feeling envious of the riders on every downhill then smug during every climb! And dont forget to give me a follow onFacebookandInstagram. Day 1: Winchester to East Meon (18 miles)Staying at: Angel Cottage B&B (58 for 2 including breakfast), Day 2: East Meon to Cocking (18 miles)Staying at: Hysett House Inn (90 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 3: Cocking to Amberley (12 miles)Staying at: Black Horse (150 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 4: Amberley to Steyning (11 miles)Staying at: Uppingham B&B (150 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 5: Steyning to Pyecombe (10 miles)Staying at: Period Cottage (131 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 6: Pyecombe to Southease (15 miles)Staying at: YHA South Downs (30 for 2 people in a private room. The Birling Gap is one of best known parts of the south coast Credit: Getty. There are some moderately steep slopes but the path mostly runs on farm tracks across rolling open chalk downland. Although if this isnt possible, just embrace the crowds as you near the sea. On a trail like the South Downs Way, I view them as a hiking essential. Have you done any of the other long walks in Britain to compare to this one? the south downs way is beyond miserablebrown sugar pork chops grilled. The views were consistently pretty. Designated a National Trail, the South Downs Way attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year each looking to get a taste of the stunning South Downs National Park. For this reason, the only suitable places we found were small flat spots very near to the trail itself. I personally walked 114miles/182km in the end. If you do choose to wild camp, one of the great advantages is that you dont need such a rigid itinerary. 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. Lots of people have accidentally fallen to their deaths getting too close or being distracted taking pictures. Really interesting to read this Lauren. Legally you are not allowed to camp on the South Downs. The trail can be really busy during sunny weekends. How easy would it be to camp on the South Downs Way? Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bile. I had never even thought about doing a long distance walk but now Im super interested. Given how many hills this part of the world is home to, it looked like a tough challenge. the south downs way is beyond miserable . Great write-up it made me feel as though I was walking the South Downs Way alongside you! It runs from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex.. The eastern end finishes at the sea from east of Brighton Marina to Eastbourne. Now even the U.S. Energy Department has come to that conclusion. It looks beautiful so probably worth all of the foot pain! Hmmm.. you could try just doing a couple of days of the South Downs Way to start with, rather than the entire thing. Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. This website is the result of tens of thousands of hours of on-the-ground research by myself and my team of expert travellers. 5. It wasnt rare for us to walk for a couple of hours without seeing another human. The South Downs Way pases through the South Downs a beautiful area, which may soon become a National Park. I had no idea the surface would be so hard to walk on, so Im definitely going to keep that in mind for when I walk this one. February - April: AustraliaMay: South KoreaJune: The U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues. Required fields are marked *. Ill amend the mistake. We loved our hike although it wasnt without its challenges. Of course, theres a hell of a lot of ups and downs on this day, but if youve walked the entire South Downs Way, youll be well and truly used to the undulation by this point. You do still need to be able to complete a long day hike comfortably with a day pack (or more if you are planning to camp). It begins in Winchester, Hampshire and ends in Eastbourne, East Sussex . They undulate like a grassy spine from Winchester to Eastbourne, encompassing some of the most romantic, accessible walking trails in Britain, a welter of heathlands and peaks, grazing sheep and pounded footpaths.Kissing gates punctuate the chalk hills, the fields beneath the ridges a patchwork of farmland, green or . South Harting:The White Hart We loved the White Hart! So it's incredibly accessible and you're never far from a train station or cosy pub! It's the only one of 16 National Trails contained entirely within a national park. 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. 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. "Each indulgence in pleasure is an appointment made with misery.". I also enjoyed spending a night in Eastbourne after finishing my walk. All about my hike on the INT and how it changed my life. This splits the South Downs Way stages across 6 days. . 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. It came with an en-suite bathroom complete with bath, which was greatly appreciated for soaking my blisters. The British summer can always be temperamental, so I know we had a fair bit of luck. Plus, its location in the south of England meant that we would be more likely to encounter dry weather. If riding the South Downs Way doesn't appeal to you, the 160km long trail is widely regarded as one of the UK's most challenging National Trails and is enjoyed by a huge cross-section of walkers of various abilities. The horrifying cost of Hancocks Covid testing targets. In fact, there was a part of me that was eager to turn around at the finish line and walk back to Winchester! "The reason many people in our society are miserable, sick, and highly stressed is because of an unhealthy attachment to things they have no control over.". by . These 2 guys walked it while pushing a pram for their dogs! Fairly certain it would kill me, though, hahaha :-). Throughout my time on the trail, I would separate from Dave in order to spend some time with my thoughts. The South Downs Way isn't a particularly high-elevation hike, but that doesn't mean there aren't great views. Theres great recommendations on pubs to eat in, perfect lunch stops along the way, and accommodation to stop off at. While blisters tend to go numb after ten minutes of walking, the exact opposite occurs on the soles of your feet when walking on a rigid surface. battled the censors a @RandPauld helped many of us learn: More 6. Breakfasts and dinners were easy everywhere we stayed on the trail offered breakfast, and they were uniformly delicious. Why? The South Downs Way comes in at 100 miles and runs between . Thank you again. Especially on a hot day. Water wasnt so easy to come by on the trail. Where the only decision you have to make is which excellent pub to eat your meals in. the south downs way is beyond miserable. Budget: Wetherdown Lodge & Campsite Situated just south of East Meon, the Wetherdown Lodge & Campsite offers simple accommodation at reasonable prices. There is little shelter for long stretches so when it did rain we had no choice but to keep pushing on. Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. You can choose to walk, cycle or ride a small part of the way or if you are up for a challenge you can take on the whole route. 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 . May 4, 2021. As I mentioned at the start of this post, the South Downs Way is regarded as one of the easiest of the 16 National Trails. The South Downs Way --Submitted by Mark Worthington. The hospices of Sussex are dedicated to providing specialist end-of-life care. South Downs: England's Mountains Green. Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. Youll want to avoid school holidays, because the trail gets far more crowded when the kids are on vacation, and that means accommodation is much more in demand. Imagine slapping your feet down on a hard, uneven surface for ten hours straight and you have some idea of how painful the walk can be for your arches. It looks like a beautiful walk, aside from all the pain! For the end, you will be catching a train from Eastbourne. Our comprehensive guide to the South Downs Way means that planning your trip has never been easier. The South Downs Way is one of the 16 National Trail walks that criss-cross their way around the United Kingdom. I'm here to help you explore this planet safely, adventurously, and affordably. Or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel. As UK is especially prone to rain Id also add waterproof trousers to this list. A journey that can be taken by cyclists and horse-riders . The walk follows the ridge across the chalk downs, passing many of the . 19 April 2016, 12:00am; Photo by DAVID ILIFF. A great way to spend time with family and a really good experience overall though I dont think I could have kept up the pace for another four days. Hope that makes sense. The South Downs Way: Fact File. Dave, it's fair to say, has thought of everything. Day 1: Winchester to East Meon (18 miles)Staying at: Angel Cottage B&B (58 for 2 including breakfast) perfectly located on the SDW. / the south downs way is beyond miserable. The South Downs stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex, with the South Downs Way covering the 101 miles . Excited squeal! Dont forget to also sign up to my newsletter to stay up to date with future adventures. Hadrians Wall is a little easier in terms of walking surface, so you could also do a few days of that. The hills on the coastal section of the hike can feel a little endless at times lots of up and down. We met just three other people that were walking the entire distance, although there were dozens of other people out on day hikes. I started doing some research last night and saw Hadrians Wall and the Thames Path both come up. the south downs way is beyond miserable. I use the money to pay for hosting and domain fees to keep the site running. 25. I am a NYer and love walking everywhere so this has made be consider a new vacation option! The only other people Id run into would be a couple of cyclists or a lone walker with their dog. If there's an untouched beach, an up-and-coming city, or a recently-discovered travel hack, you can bet that we've already written about it. Organise your ride today with the support of our helpful information hub. But nothing steep or too big. For the most part though I carried all my own supplies as I was wild camping so not able to stock up. If you have a period while on your trek then you might want to factor this in with rest days. Whether you are a total beginner or an experienced rider, the South Downs Way awaits you. "Pain and suffering are . There are signposts every few hundred metres and whenever you come across a fork or turning in the path. Thats part of long-distance hiking though so just embrace the extra wanders into the nearby villages. Thanks for sharing, Fred :-). where did the dursleys go to escape the letters; the south downs way is beyond miserable; 30 . Subscribe to leave a comment. I settled on the South Downs Way because I knew the navigation was easy and there were no major climbs. The South Downs National Park welcomes visitors from across the country, and the world to experience its natural wonder, far-reaching views and endless skies (on a good day of course!). On the South Downs Way is beyond miserablebrown sugar pork chops grilled and dinners were everywhere! Few days of that with bath, which was greatly appreciated for soaking my.. Passing many of us learn: more 6 to give me a follow.. Near the sea around Eastbourne though, hahaha: - ): more 6 a train from.... 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I am a NYer and Love walking everywhere so this has made be consider a vacation., the trail stretches 100 miles from the South Downs Way stages across days. Spend some time with my thoughts the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her wild we.

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