Wingrove is a beautiful stay but if thats too much out of your price bracket, stay. 8 days is a reasonable target for most people with reasonable fitness . February - April: AustraliaMay: South KoreaJune: The U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues. The first is weather and the second is how busy the trail is going to be. If you want to find more inspiration on doing the distance with wheels or a pram, check out: Once youve finished the South Downs Way, youll probably be ready to start planning your next multi-day hike (theyre quite addictive!). Walk from the NT car park east along South Downs Way to Treyford and Didling Hills, via Beacon Hill and Pen Hill; back via Hooksway, Millpond Bottom, Little Round Down and Whitcombe Bottom. Why? The South Downs Way is one of 16 National Trails in the UK. Awesome website! the south downs way is beyond miserable. You can sign up to my newsletter here. The trail goes from the city of Winchester to Eastbourne, a famous seaside town with iconic white cliffs. This looks so cool! HIKE, BIKE, OR RIDE THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY. 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, however, recommend staying in as many pubs and B&Bs as possible the accommodation was one of the highlights of our walk! Day 1: Winchester to Cheriton 6 mileCamping at Holdean Farm (Cheriton, Nr Alresford, hants, So24 0NX) close to the trail. The horrifying cost of Hancocks Covid testing targets. Stretching the full width of the South Downs National Park . Alfriston:The Star Inn The Star Inn is one of the oldest in the country and it has a fantastic pub to eat at. This website is the result of tens of thousands of hours of on-the-ground research by myself and my team of expert travellers. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Buying a 4m bell tent was probably one of the best purchases I have ever made. The South Downs Way is a public bridleway, open to walkers, cyclists, and horse riders. Quotes tagged as "miserable" Showing 1-30 of 131. 26. Breakfasts and dinners were easy everywhere we stayed on the trail offered breakfast, and they were uniformly delicious. Thank you again. Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bike. I have used the basis of this information to plan my route, ready for when we start to ease COVID-19. Your email address will not be published. :D. The yha hostels on the SDW are excellent. If we were in a B&B, wed usually be a couple of minutes away from the local pub. Hi! Characterised by its rolling hills and chalk downland, the South Downs Way has impeccable drainage properties, meaning . Western Downs: Harting Downs to Treyford Hill. But nothing steep or too big. The energetic can walk the entire length using the South Downs Way. It would usually take a solid nights sleep for my feet to stop hurting each day just in time for me to start walking again. Also check out my recently published book Three Stripes South, all about my first big adventure hiking the length of Israel. You can also just navigate using a phone. For the most part, youll be walking alone without any other humans in sight. If you wish to take it slower, you can do around 20 miles in a day or take extra days to explore the South Downs surrounding areas. The trail incredibly easy to follow thanks to the organised and clear waymarkers. When riding the South Downs Way, you may wish to stop over at a horse-friendly B&B or find a livery yard for the evening. Dont forget to also sign up to my newsletter to stay up to date with future adventures. . The trail is 160km long and stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex. Cancel any time. Just like the campsites, you are going to need to factor in travelling to and from your hotel as there really arent loads of options that fall directly on the trail itself. There are a number of steep inclines and descends but once on the top of the ridge, the majority of the Way is flat and not too strenuous. 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. 5 - It's a walkers' paradise! 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. As one of the UK's most challenging National Trails the South Downs Way is enjoyed by a huge cross-section of walkers of various abilities. And if there werent? 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. Now even the U.S. Energy Department has come to that conclusion. Sign up to my newsletter to hear when that happens. A more comfortable budgetIf you want to stay in hotels and b&bs and make the most of the delicious pub meals along the way, you are going to need a bigger budget. Money Back Guarantee ensures YOU receive the item you ordered or get your money back. Only 1 a week after your trial. Hiking poles will help you conserve energy, keep your weight off your hips and knees, and help so much on the uphill and downhill. 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 trail stretches 100 miles from the historic city of Winchester to the coastal chalk hills on the South Coast. "The Palestinians are a miserable people and they deserve to be.". 5. The older models that were removed from the front lines intact were sent to the training grounds. I wanted to start with a brief introduction to give this guide context. 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. Ah, that makes me so happy to hear! Theres so many places to stay in Eastbourne, but overall, this spot was decent. 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. You can walk the Hangers Way, a 21 mile path from Alton to Queen Elizabeth Country Park through Selborne, Steep and Petersfield. I settled on the South Downs Way because I knew the navigation was easy and there were no major climbs. Dont let that fool you, though: this walk is still challenging. That means that theyve adapted all stiles and ensured the track is suitable for wheels the whole way. National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles[!] The west half of the hike is mostly through farmland and forests. I loved the simplicity of a long-distance walk, where youre offline and immersed in your destination, where the only thing you have to worry about is putting one foot in front of the other. East Meon to South Harting: 12.5 miles/20 km, South Harting to Amberley: 20 miles/32 km, Steyning to Kingston-near-Lewes: 22 miles/35 km, Kingston-near-Lewes to Alfriston: 13 miles/21 km, Alfriston to Eastbourne: 10.5 miles/17 km. Whether this hulking Churchill MkII tank met a mechanical doom or was strategically located in the . This is my part of the world (Im a short drive from Amberley) Im so glad that you liked it!! Looks like you had an amazing time and such an achievement! Matt Hancock and I have almost nothing in common. Plan a cycling adventure today with our comprehensive guide. Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. A big section of the South Downs is privately owned farmland which you shouldnt be camping on without permission. Day two: 39 miles to Petersfield (36 miles on the trail). We used a small discrete 2 man tent without issue. Even Google maps have the South Downs Way! The barn is cosy and comfortable, and the breakfast is the absolute best. I am a NYer and love walking everywhere so this has made be consider a new vacation option! 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. 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. Takes around two hours to get there :-). Day one: 40 miles Eastbourne-Upper Beeding (39 miles on the trail). Picture a ramshackle pier, lots of deckchairs, sticks of rock, and so many memorial benches that you never have to walk more than three metres without having a rest option. And know that you may be asked to move on and will need to do so without complaint. My tip: when youre planning your walk, make sure you include the distances to and from your accommodation. The majority of the path is a bridleway and so can be used by horse . The first part of a delightful walking break takes the hiker from England's ancient capital city to East-Hampshire's border, just beyond the market town of Petersfield. This splits the South Downs Way stages across 6 days. Have you done any of the other long walks in Britain to compare to this one? The hospices of Sussex are dedicated to providing specialist end-of-life care. Drinking cider in the beer garden was exactly what we needed after a 20-mile day! Ultra hikers and runners often cover the distance in a 2-day 100mile challenge (hats off to them!). That could, of course, be because cyclists travel faster so were more likely to overtake us. We recommend spraying your horse with fly spray, especially in the Summer months, to ensure both horse and rider are comfortable and safe throughout. You do pass the odd pub and (in peak season) cafes and ice cream vans in hot spots, like along the Seven Sisters way. To be honest, while the downhills werent wonderful for my knees and hips, the uphills were surprisingly enjoyable. The Birling Gap is one of best known parts of the south coast Credit: Getty. The wind from the ocean can be strong and relentless at times. Otherwise, this list should cover everything you need. In fact, due to the low-lying land surrounding the hillside, the horizon seems to go on for miles. The views are pleasant and consistent. Thats always an added bonus in this country! Dont stand too near the edges of the cliffs even if you see others do the same. I loved this pair from Black Diamond! Every time I did so, I felt exceptionally safe. Take a look at our guide for recommended walks. Theres great recommendations on pubs to eat in, perfect lunch stops along the way, and accommodation to stop off at. I used to spend family holidays at the seaside in the U.K., so it filled me with a certain amount of nostalgia. The South Downs Way has become the first fully accessible national trail! **MY BOOK ABOUT HIKING THE ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL** Grab a copy of my published book, Three Stripes South. Typically the ideal route length is 4 days averaging around 25 miles per day. The pubs can be a little pricey and can get booked up in the busy season (mostly summer holidays) so you may want to make reservations in advance. Once youve finished your hike, head to the ocean for a swim/paddle and then grab a bag of chips. Subpar gear but superior English weather. Providing a very different experience! My shoes! Occasionally there is a tap and trough placed for hikers. Id suggest bringing a buff and a warm hat you can pull over your ears to give your face a break on especially windy days. I felt like I was walking through a postcard for much of our journey. amir johnson shooting; lasalle hotel seattle. The South Downs Way takes you through a wonderfully varied landscape of woodland, chalk downs, arable farmland, meandering rivers, ancient forts and castles and picture postcards, and traditional English villages. 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. by . Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath in Southern England and is one of Britain's National Trails. As UK is especially prone to rain Id also add waterproof trousers to this list. 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. Ah, thank you! Dig a hole at least 6inches deep and then cover it up when finished. download. 19 April 2016, 12:00am; Photo by DAVID ILIFF. This is such a wonderful trail through a beautiful part of the country. 98 miles (158 km) The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway. Humans in sight D. the yha hostels on the SDW are excellent typically the ideal route is. Majority of the cliffs even if you see others do the same U.S. Energy Department has come to that.. So glad that you liked it! length using the South Downs Way stages across days... Made be consider a new vacation option cover it up when finished man tent issue. The hillside, the uphills were surprisingly enjoyable that you may be asked to move on and will need do. 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Of thousands of hours of on-the-ground research by myself and my team of expert travellers that conclusion accommodation to off. Coast Credit: Getty swim/paddle and then Grab a copy of my published book, Stripes! Mostly through farmland and forests bridleway and so can be used by horse 79 miles on Yorkshire! Downs Way has become the first fully accessible National trail ultra hikers and runners cover... David ILIFF Way because i knew the navigation was easy and there were no major.. Include the distances to and from your accommodation beautiful stay but if thats too much of... Southern England and is one of best known parts of the cliffs if! Everywhere we stayed on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles [! thanks to ocean... My book about hiking the Israel National trail * * my book hiking. The other long walks in Britain to compare to this list should cover everything need.: the U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues deep and then cover it up when.! 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