Polegate walks

Alfriston is a beautiful village, with old houses and a lovely Common in front of its typical church. Clergy House was the first acquisition of the National Trust. This walk runs along the two river banks of Cuckmere River, via the White Horse, the horse is engraved with the chalk of a valley, and the return trip runs by a hill offering beautiful views.

This linear walk from East Dean to Eastbourne includes many of the highlights along the East Sussex coast in this area. A frequent bus serrvice can be used to return to the start.

Loop starting from Eastbourne, going along the cliffs, passing by the Seven Sisters and coming back from the fields/forest. You can start this walk from Eastbourne station, adding 3-4km to the total.

The Seven Sisters are magnificent white cliffs cut in half by the River Cuckmere, which ends its course towards the sea. Part of the Southdowns National Park, the site is protected. It is one of the most beautiful natural sites in South-East England. We walk among the sheep (many gates to pass) toward the cliffs to walk back along the meandering river.

Beautiful out-and-back walk starting in Cuckmere Haven car park, taking in riverside, coastal path, village and forest

The walk starts at the Beachy Head car park (paying) and follows the cliff top path to Birling Gap, where the famous Seven Sisters begin, somewhat equivalent to the cliffs of the Opal Coast between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. After passing the memorial dedicated to the Second World War bomber pilots, the landscape gradually opens up onto the cliffs with a first beautiful view of Beachy Head Lighthouse (offshore). The route continues to a second lighthouse, Belle Tout Lighthouse (private property) located at the top of a cliff. The next stage is the approach to Birling Gap with a superb view of the Seven Sisters. At Birling Gap, the observation tower overlooking the pebble beach has a staircase leading down to the cliffs, where you can see their unique rock formations up close. Be careful of the tides!

This East Sussex walk takes you onto the South Downs for spectacular views north at Firle Beacon. The walk also offers the opportunity to visit Charlestown Farmhouse with its bohemian decor and associations with the Bloomsbury set. This walk has un challenging climb.

Sea, Sun and … the Seven Sisters walk of course! When the weather is nice and the temperatures are rising, lace up your hiking boots (or trail runners, it’s summer after all), apply the sunscreen and get the brim out of the closet. It is time to enjoy a walk by the South Coast, and who knows, maybe even take a dip in the bright blue English Channel.

Using a part of the South Down Way, this circular walk goes through Southease, Rodmell, along the River Ouse and include one steep hill.

From lovely Lewes in East Sussex along the River Ouse valley, then up onto the South Downs for a bracing downland stretch with views across the Weald, gorgeous South Downs Way and the sea, ending up in the delightful village of Alfriston, where there are afternoon buses back to Lewes.

Coast route following the proposed route for the England Coast Path. A very typical English seaside walk passing through the resorts of Hastings, St Leonards and Bexhill to end at Eastbourne. There is plenty of promenade walking with some beach walking. The beach is predominantly shingle throughout which makes it hard going. Because of this the section around Normans Bay and Pevensey Bay uses the coast road behind the coastal embankment to make it easier going. The ends of the walk are linked by the railway making for a very pleasant one day sectional walk.

Lovely walk from Hastings to Rye, passing by Pett Level and Winchelsea, accessible by train to Hastings. Really nice views from Hastings to Pett Level following the cliffs, but then it gets a bit repetitive between Pett Level and Winchelsea. A lot of fields to cross (including harvesting ones), especially after Winchelsea, so I really recommend having the GPX to follow the official "trails".

A loop through the old fishing quarter of Hastings, nestled between two hills. Old half-timbered houses from the 15th and 16th century. Pathways and stairways connecting sloped streets and views over the town and the sea. Fishing boats are lined up on the pebbles along the beach of this significant fishing port. The net huts, lined up like giant beach huts, are unique to Hastings.

Unspoilt nature, country and forest footpaths in all directions, stile gates and turnstiles, a little tarmac to connect them, a very scattered settlement, streams and rather wet areas: this is what the hike mainly consists of.The English countryside is home to many architectural treasures, such as stone churches with square bell towers, typical farms with pointed cones topped with a white turret, castles and huge estates combining (former) farms and dwellings.At the end, the walk takes a small section of the old railway line that connected Groombridge to Hartfield and Crawley. Transformed into a cycle path called Forest Way, this route is the British equivalent of the Belgian RAVeL or the French Voie Verte, with the advantage of not yet (2025) having been concreted or asphalted.

Lovely walk around the Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex.