Polegate to Birling Gap Walk

Across the South Downs to the coast.

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date	Option	Post	#	Weather
Wed, 07-May-25		A new approach to the seven sisters - Polegate to Exceat/Seaford (or Eastbourne)

Wednesday 07-May-25

A new approach to the seven sisters - Polegate to Exceat/Seaford (or Eastbourne) ?

Sandy

15.6 to 23.3 km (9.7 to 14.5 miles) 6/10

A suggestion has been made to try out this new south downs walk. Starting from Polegate it is a map or GPX-led (but logical) route to just above Birling Gap, where you meet the South Downs Way and obvious coastal path. Turn right to join the classic Seven Sisters walk along the coast towards Seaford. You'll need to follow walk 424 then pick up the route in Book 2 walk 28. Got that?

Catching the frequent bus from Exceat to Seaford makes for a walk of 16.6 km/10.4 miles, but you could walk on to Seaford (another 6.7 km/4.2 miles). A shortcut from East Dean to Flagstaff Point, the middle Sister (grid ref TV539 967 if you have an OS map), reduces the distance by 1 km and cuts out two big climbs. This shortcut is more obvious on the ground than on the map, and you may find a local walker to point you in the right direction.

Travel: Victoria 0954 (Clapham Junction 1001, East Croydon 1010) getting into Polegate at 1109. On the way back, if getting the bus from Exceat, it's the 12, 12A or 12X to Seaford and there should be 6 buses an hour. Return trains from Seaford are at 24 and 53, changing at Lewes.

Get a return to Polegate and a single from Seaford to Lewes.

Lunch: The Tiger Inn, The Green, East Dean, BN20 0DA (01323 423209). Alternatively Deli on the Green. Located 9km from the start of the walk.

Tea: The Cuckmere Inn (01323 892247) at Exceat bridge – annoyingly this is a bit beyond the bus stop so if catching the bus from Exceat you will have to retrace your steps along a busy road. Or you could wait for refreshments till you get into Seaford where there are numerous options including the ever-popular Steamworks on the station platform .

For map and GPX (and very basic directions) for the first part, click here . This page has a map and GPX for the remainder of the route. Directions only in the opposite direction, but you are following a very well-known and marked coastal route.

T=swc.424

Eastbourne finish : instead of going to Exceat/Seaford you could turn left at Birling Gap and walk to Eastbourne ( 20.3 km/12.6 miles altogether). That way you could follow the written directions of walk 2.28 from Birling Gap. If you want to do this, get a return ticket, to Eastbourne.