Walks from Eastbourne
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Eastbourne Station.
Alternatively, view walks near Eastbourne by train.
Berwick to Eastbourne
Highly recommended: Farmland, reservoir, chalk downland, ridge grassland, chalk figure, smugglers villages and seaside resort.
Eastbourne (5h30 in)
Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
2 lunch spots: the Eight Bells (2h45 in), or Jevington Tea Garden (2h45 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Duke of Devonshire
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Eastbourne to Seaford
Highly recommended: Spectacular white cliffs in a well-protected national landscape. Immense white chalk cliffs, sea, marshes, meadows and beachfront.
Hilly: a quarter on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Coastal: four fifths along the coast.
Eastbourne (2h30 in)
Birling Gap (National Trust; 3h15 in)
Cuckmere Valley (National Trust; 4h45 in)
Time: 8h30 (6h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
4 lunch spots: the Kiosk (1h15 in), Cadence Cafe Beachy Head (2h in), the Beachy Head Pub (2h in), or Birling Gap café (3h15 in; excellent)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Cuckmere Inn
Best months: Jun-Jul (when the chalk is gleaming).
Warnings: Very popular and busy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Seaford to Eastbourne
Highly recommended: Dramatic clifftop chalk downs, undulating Seven Sisters cliffs, shingle beaches, river haven and elegant seafront promenade.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters (National Trust)
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Crumbly cliff edges.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Eastbourne Circular via Eastbourne Pier
All-tarmac seafront town walk past grand Victorian hotels, a pier, a Martello tower, the Winter Gardens, a gallery and elegant districts; a few moderate climbs.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Travelog Lewes (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Eastbourne to Hastings
Flat coastal seafront promenades, shingle beach, sandy beach at low tide, sea wall paths, quiet coast roads and low cliffs.
Time: 8h (6h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Shingle heavy going.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Hampden Park to Eastbourne
Parks, woods, chalk downland ridges, open grassland, chalk heath, dense beech forest, coastal farmland, golf course and Victorian seaside town.
Time: 8h (6h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steep descents.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Southease to Eastbourne
Open treeless downland ridges, steep ascents, scenic Cuckmere Valley, coastal promenade, beach and pier.
Time: 8h30 (7h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steep ascents.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Polegate to Eastbourne
Recommended: The views are marvelous in all directions. A walk with road sections at the start and end and an open downland middle following obvious footpaths and bridlepaths. There is a fairly steep climb from Lower Willingdon up onto the Downs and with several kissing gates but no stiles; the bridlepaths on top can be wet and muddy. Follows a short section of the Wealdway then the South Downs Way all the way into Eastbourne, at the eastern end of the South Downs. No facilities along the way.
Hilly: half on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Lunch: No facilities along the way.
Warnings: Steep climb up onto the Downs. Bridlepaths on top can be wet and muddy. Sheep present.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Eastbourne to Bexhill
A coastal route with much of the going on shingle beach, which makes for tough walking and plus an inland road section near Norman's Bay. The shingle can be avoided at many points. Walked as part of the Slow Ways National Parks Challenge. Lots of facilities and railway stations at both ends.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Long stretches on shingle make for hard going.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Pevensey to Eastbourne
Coastal path south-west from Pevensey, seafront promenade, sandy beach and Eastbourne pier.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Source: A shorter variant of Eastbourne to Hastings via Bexhill (Saturday Walkers Club).
Berwick to Eastbourne
Farmland, chalk downland, ridge grassland, South Downs Way, clifftop and highest chalk sea cliff in Britain.
Time: 7h30 (6h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steep cliffs.
Source: A longer variant of Berwick to Eastbourne (Saturday Walkers Club) – Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.
Glynde to Eastbourne
Open treeless downland ridges, steep ascents, scenic Cuckmere Valley, coastal promenade, beach and pier.
Time: 8h30 (7h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steep ascents.
Source: An alternative variant of Southease to Eastbourne (Saturday Walkers Club).