Seven Sisters from Birling Gap

The walk makes a circuit from the car park at Birling Gap. It climbs over Went Hill and follows the South Downs Way west along the Seven Sisters, seven chalk cliffs rising and falling to Haven Brow, then drops to Cuckmere Haven, the only undeveloped river mouth in Sussex. From there it heads inland by the meanders of the Cuckmere to Exceat, through Westdean and along the edge of Friston Forest, and comes back south over Friston Hill and the open downs.

It is 14.8 km with 467 m of ascent; allow about 5 hours. The grade is Moderate for the distance and the run of short, steep climbs over the Sisters; the ground itself is easy.

The cliffs are unfenced and crumbling and the chalk is undercut: keep to the path and well back from the edge, especially in wind, and keep children and dogs close. The cliff top is exposed to weather off the sea. Inland, expect gates and grazing stock on the downs.

The Birling Gap car park charges a fee, and there is mapped drinking water there. Eastbourne station is about 6 km away in a straight line.

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.