Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
The walk starts at Holywell in Eastbourne and goes out and back along the cliff path. It climbs onto the downs to Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain at 162 m, with the red-and-white lighthouse at its foot. The path then follows the cliff top west past Belle Tout, the old lighthouse moved back from the edge in 1999, and down to Birling Gap, where it turns back the same way.
It is 12.3 km with 422 m of ascent; allow about 4 hours. The grade is Moderate: the going is easy underfoot, but the climb onto Beachy Head and the rolling cliff top, done in both directions, add up.
The cliff edges are unfenced the whole way and the chalk is undercut and crumbles without warning: keep to the path and well back from the edge, especially in wind or mist, and keep children and dogs close.
There is no car park at the start: people park on the roads at Holywell. Eastbourne station is about 2 km away in a straight line, a short bus ride. There is mapped drinking water at Birling Gap, the turning point.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, 162 m, with the red-and-white lighthouse at its foot
- Along the cliff path from Eastbourne to Belle Tout, the old lighthouse moved back from the edge in 1999, and Birling Gap
- Unfenced cliff edges the whole way: keep to the path
- Eastbourne station is a short bus ride from Holywell
Getting there
Start: Holywell, Eastbourne (on-street parking). 50.75239, 0.26977
By train: Eastbourne station is 2.1 km from the start.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Holywell: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.
