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Self-Guided Walking: South Downs Way

England
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Walk & Trek
Self-Guided
LEISURELY LEISURELY

Discover a wealth of ancient heritage in England’s newest National Park on this self-guided walking holiday along the South Downs Way

Trip Code: MSD8
Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

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Self-Guided Walking: South Downs Way

Highlights
  • Discover England’s newest National Park on this self-guided walking holiday in the South Downs
  • Explore ancient sites such as Bronze Age barrows and the Long Man of Wilmington and the city of Winchester, England’s first capital
  • Enjoy beautiful villages, voted to be the most beautiful in England and sweeping views across rolling hills down to the sea
  • Finish at the spectacular white chalky cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head, one of England’s most iconic views
  • Extensive route notes, recommendations for local meals, daily luggage transfers and B&B in local guesthouses included in the holiday price
At a Glance
  • Self-guided
  • 7 days walking
  • Average of 24 km per day walking
  • Packed lunches available on request
  • Recommendations for excellent local meals
  • Join In Winchester / Ends Eastbourne
Accommodation & Meals
  • 8 Breakfasts
  • 8 nights Guesthouse
Overview

The only National Trail to lie entirely within a National Park, the South Downs Way stretches from the ancient cathedral city of Winchester, the first capital of England, through to the majestic white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head at Eastbourne.

That’s 100 miles of blissful walking through what both Virginia Woolf and Constable considered to be views that were the grandest in the world. Along the way you’ll discover Bronze Age barrows at Old Winchester Hill, the beacon hills of Ditchling and Firle where fires were lit to warn of the approach of the Armada and the famous Long Man of Wilmington. Add in sweeping green hills, Jack and Jill windmills and villages which are voted to be the most beautiful in England, plus the world-class finish at the stunning white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head, this is a trail that should not be missed.

The trip includes all accommodation, breakfast and full luggage support meaning you can travel light and concentrate on the beautiful scenery and ancient sites.

This is just one of many itineraries we offer including shorter highlight sections between 5 days and 2 days walking. You can also choose to walk the entire 100 miles from between 6 days to 9 days depending on available time or how much you wish to sightsee.

Is this holiday for you?

This is another relatively easy UK National Trail which is clearly way-marked along the length of the path. A good route for a first long-distance walk.

Terrain: Varied - but these are gentle downs and heathlands, not mountains! The path spends most of its time on the south downs, undulating over farmland and through woodlands.

What’s it like unde …

This is another relatively easy UK National Trail which is clearly way-marked along the length of the path. A good route for a first long-distance walk.

Terrain: Varied - but these are gentle downs and heathlands, not mountains! The path spends most of its time on the south downs, undulating over farmland and through woodlands.

What’s it like underfoot? Pretty good. Well maintained paths, tracks, and green lanes throughout, although sections can get a bit muddy in wet weather.

How much up & down? Once up on the Downs, the trail is rolling rather than hilly. It does drop down to the valley floor to visit villages and cross river valleys, followed by climbs of up to 700 ft (200m).  There are some short steeper sections, but they don’t go on forever. The highest point is 886 ft (270m).

Signposting: Generally good.

Navigation: Pretty straightforward. Well defined paths, and good signposting.

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Why KE?

We operate this trip in collaboration with our sister company Mickledore Travel, which is also based in Keswick in the Lake District. Mickledore have a long tradition of operating self-guided walking holidays along some of the finest trails in England, Scotland and Wales. Route notes, maps, luggage transfers and bed & breakfast accommodation in the best B&Bs, guesthouses and inns along the way are all included. Recommendations are also made for the best places to find delicious local meals at each night stop.

Mickledore have a near perfect customer satisfaction score (99%), and we have no doubt that you will find their knowledgeable and friendly team able to answer even the most detailed of questions.

Different durations of this holiday are available on request.

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Itinerary

Download Trip Notes

Arrive at your first nights' accommodation in Winchester.

Accommodation

Guesthouse
Hide Details

Before leaving Winchester make sure you explore this ancient city with its links to the Romans, King Arthur, King Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Winston Churchill and Keats, to name but a few. The route starts near the Cathedral and on entering the rolling Hampshire countryside, it passes through fields, along quiet lanes, following the lower slopes of the downs, and then up to Beacon Hill, which gives you the first real taste of the down land scenery you'll be walking through for the next few days. A steep descent takes you into the village of Exton.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

350 M

Distance

19 KM
Hide Details

Leaving Exton along the banks of the River Meon, you eventually come to the top of Old Winchester Hill, with its Iron Age settlement. The route descends to the valley, and then climbs up through fields to Coombe Cross. There is a path off here to East Meon, otherwise the route continues on up to Salt Hill, before descending to the foot of Butser Hill then into Queen Elizabeth Country Park. A walk through the woods eventually brings you down to the pretty village of Buriton and on to South Harting.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

623 M

Distance

27 KM
Hide Details

The Way continues above South Harting, to Beacon Hill then through more woods to Cocking Down, where the views open out again. You are rewarded with more spectacular views as you follow the track over Bignor Hill, where you can see the River Arun snaking through the water courses of Amberley Wild Brooks. The trail finally leads down into the Arun valley, and passes close to the picturesque village of Amberley, where you will spend the night.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

814 M

Distance

34 KM
Hide Details

The trail offers an easy walk through vast arable fields and meadows with grazing sheep and cows. It passes above the town of Storrington before descending to cross the footbridge over the A24 near Washington. Back up onto the escarpment, it passes the famous Chanctonbury Ring, and then continues above Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding, crossing the River Adur.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

449 M

Distance

21 KM
Hide Details

Climbing out of the valley, the Way follows the escarpment, before descending beside the Devil's Dyke, Britain's largest chalk coombe, then on to the village of Pycombe. After crossing a footbridge, you pass Jack and Jill - two landmark windmills. Walking through the now familiar landscape of grazed downland and arable fields, you ascend to the summit of Ditchling Beacon, the highest point in Sussex, offering far reaching views. Ascending again, you join Juggs Road, a historic trading track.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

1006 M

Distance

29 KM
Hide Details

Continuing along the trail, over grazing and arable land, you eventually come to the historic village of Southease, with its unusual church. From Firle Beacon there are fine views of Seaford Head and the start of the Seven Sisters, spectacular chalk cliffs where the South Downs meet the sea. There are more panoramic views from Bostal Hill, then, as Alfriston comes into view, so also does the Cuckmere Haven estuary. The Way meets an ancient shepherd's track, which leads into the village of Alfriston and its long association with smugglers.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

469 M

Distance

18 KM
Hide Details

Leaving Alfriston, you walk along the banks of the Cuckmere River to Litlington. From here you go back up onto the Downs, and then walk through Friston Forest. Passing through the tiny hamlet of West Dean, you eventually emerge from the woods at Exceat. The trail descends to the marshes alongside the Cuckmere River, through the Seven Sisters Country Park towards Cuckmere Haven. Finally reaching the sea, the South Downs Way takes a rollercoaster route over the spectacular high chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters before descending to Eastbourne with views of its famous Victorian pier and Martello Tower.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B

Ascent

842 M

Distance

18 KM
Hide Details

Depart from Eastbourne after breakfast.

Meals

B
Hide Details
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The Route
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Direction Direction
Transfer
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Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as described in the Meal Plan
  • Self-guided information pack containing your map and route notes
  • Luggage Transport

  • Travel Insurance
  • Evening meals
  • Packed lunches (can be booked at an additional cost)
  • Off road parking (available at most locations on request)
  • Transport to the start and away from the finish
  • Personal equipment
  • Any additional activities/excursions indicated as optional

This holiday is operated by our sister company, Mickledore Travel. KE is not acting as an agent, but is marketing the holiday on Mickledore’s behalf. All bookings and payments will be processed by Mickledore, and you will enter into an agreement directly with them under the terms of their booking conditions.

You will be posted your self-guided holiday pack once we have received the balance (normally around 8 weeks before the start of your holiday).  We supply one holiday pack per booking and this will be posted to the person that made the booking. Extra packs can be purchased at £30 per pack. Please contact us a minimum of 6 weeks in advance if you require an extra pack. 

Your holiday pack comprises of:

  • Your itinerary with details of each night’s accommodation; information on your evening meals, as well as luggage transport and transfers, (where applicable).
  • Directions and detailed maps to each accommodation
  • A guidebook that describes the route in detail, and covers the whole route with a series of maps, as well as providing a wealth of background information.
  • Map(s) which cover the entire route(s).
  • Luggage Tags (if luggage transport booked) which the luggage courier will use to identify your bags.
  • Information on local facilities, such as cafes and other recommended places to eat, cash points, taxi companies, etc.

As part of the standard charge we will issue the following:

  • 1 guidebook and map for up to 4 people
  • 2 guidebooks and maps for 5-7 people
  • 3 guidebooks and maps for 8 people or more

You may purchase extra copies from us at a discounted price.

This holidays starts at your accommodation in Winchester. All of our self-guided holidays are sold on a land only basis allowing you the flexibility to choose the travel method which best suits you.

Detailed instructions on getting to your first night's accommodation by car, or on foot from the nearest train or bus station, will also be included in the holiday pack on individual accommodation maps.

This holiday is on a B&B basis. Packed lunches are available on request, and we have many recommendations for excellent local meals.

Water from the taps is perfectly drinkable on this holiday - please use this to fill your personal bottles for your daily activities. We do not encourage the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.

Your evening meal isn’t included in the package, but we include full details and recommendations for each evening meal in your itinerary. You will normally be within walking distance of a pub and/or restaurant, or where there is good food available at the accommodation, we’ll book that for you. Allow about £20 per person per night.

Pack lunches can be provided on this holiday for an additional cost from £51 per person. We recommend this as there will not always be a handy shop or cafe on the route.

One of the great features of our South Downs holidays is the quality of the accommodation, including small country house hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfasts and farm house accommodation. In selecting the accommodation we look for helpful, friendly hosts with good quality, characterful accommodation close to the trail. We always try to arrange en suite accommodation, i.e. rooms with their own bathrooms for each night of your stay. However, in some of the more remote locations accommodation is limited and occasionally we may have to book rooms with shared bathrooms for one or two nights of your holiday, (especially if the booking is made at short notice), but we will always let you know if this is likely to be the case.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in the ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Severe Allergies

Please inform our KE Sales and support team of any severe allergies you may have before travel. We will always do our best to help but we are unable to guarantee an allergy free environment on our KE trips. We advise that you always carry your own treatment for the allergy with you such as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' if required.  We also recommend that you discuss this with your accommodation on arrival so that they can better assist you.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Where luggage transport is included in the price, this will be a standard of 1 piece of luggage per person, usually up to 20kg in weight. On some routes the weight limit may be less, but we will advise you if this is the case. If you leave your luggage at your accommodation in the morning, it will be waiting for you on arrival at the B&B that evening. Any extra bags can be transported (at an additional charge) as long as they are pre-booked.

On certain holidays we also offer a storage service for extra luggage not needing to be transported for the holiday. Please contact us for for information on which holidays and a quotation.

All you need to carry is a small day sack to hold your waterproofs, personal items, packed lunch, map, guidebook and camera. You should be prepared for all weathers, at all times of year.

YOU SHOULD BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

  • Walking boots – need to be comfortable and well broken in
  • Several pairs of thick walking socks
  • Mittens/gloves
  • Warm hat and/or sun hat
  • Raincoat: (waterproof and windproof with a hood)
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Thermal long-johns & thermal top
  • Jacket
  • Fleece tops
  • Fleece or polypropylene trousers (no denim or cotton)
  • Spare clothing for the evening
  • Shorts and t-shirt (ideally made from synthetic fibres)
  • Map case
  • Compass
  • Torch: with spare batteries
  • First aid kit: insect repellent, sunscreen, blister kits, pain relief and assorted bandages
  • Water bottle
  • Walking poles (if you already use these)
  • Small day sack (20-30L) for carrying your personal items
  • Day sack liner / black bin bag / day sack waterproof cover
  • Camera and memory card
  • Phone and charger
  • Binoculars
  • Sunglasses
  • Whistle
  • GPS (if you already use one)

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.

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