T=3.65 SWC Walk 65 - Southease to Rottingdean Length: 14.5km (9 miles) - with
longer options: see
** below
Toughness: 4 out of 10: one steep climb, basically
9.16 train from
Victoria (9.22
Clapham Junction, 9.32
East Croydon), changing at Lewes (
be quick! arrive 10.28, depart 10.34), for Southease, arriving 10.34.
Buy a
day return to Southease, which will be valid for return from Brighton.
For
walk directions click
here.
This walk combines familiar elements - the lovely start along the River Ouse at Southease, a walk over the downs to Rottingdean - but combines them with a gentle walk across fields late morning and lunch at the very pleasant Juggs Inn in Kingston
(pleasant and also popular, which is why I have chosen an earlier train). Don't overdo the puddings at lunch, however, because just after it you have the only real exertion of the day - a steep, but very exhilarating and scenic, climb up onto the crest of the South Downs. There is then a relatively easy walk across the lonely heart of the downs to the sea at Rottingdean, which has oodles of tea options.
Rottingdean also provides a reliable low tide
sea swimming spot, which is another reason for picking this walk today, as low tide is at 6.45pm. The central beach at Rottingdean (the one with the strange jetty-like structure sticking out on its right-hand side) is the only one on this stretch of coast that has decent depths of water in such conditions.
(If you do swim out, look out for an underwater reef about 100 metres out on which one can stand in mid ocean - an odd feeling).
Regular
coastal buses (every few mins) go from Rottingdean to Brighton pier and station. If you decide to get off at the
pier, note that there are
directions from there to the station on the penultimate page of the walk directions. The beach by the pier is another possible
swimming spot, but watch your bags here.
Trains back from Brighton are very frequent. The
fast Victoria service is at
19 and
49 till
22.19 and there are direct
London Bridge services at
28 and
56 past to
18.56: outside these times you can connect at East Croydon. Thameslink services (30 and 57 past) are slow stopping services.
** For a longer walk:
- Walk some or all of the
cliff bottom path from Rottingdean into Brighton.
Ovingdean, about
1km along, is one possible target: it has a very nice tea kiosk (china mugs and home made cakes) and then steps up to the road. Or stay on the promenade
another 1.5km to the start of
Brighton Marina and then take the ramp up the cliffs there. In both cases there is a handy bus stop once you get on the cliff. Walking all the way from Rottingdean to Brighton station adds
7.2km (4.5 miles) to the walk.
-
Walk back to Southease after tea in Rottingdean. Ignore the Southease Circular directions in the text here, but instead see the
Alternative ending at Southease directions on the
last page of
this document. This takes you back over the downs (the afternoon of the Lewes to Saltdean walk in reverse) and adds
8.9km (5.5 miles) to the walk length, making a total walk of
23.4km (14.5 miles). Trains from Southease are at
36 past, with
the last train at
19.36, so make sure you time this walk correctly.
If you arrive a bit early for the train, the reception of the YHA just beyond the station might serve you a cup of tea. Only very fast walkers will have time to divert to the Abergavenny Arms for a drink.
However, the 09:46 train from Victoria to Ore and Littlehampton (dividing at Haywards Heath) does call at Lewes at 10:53, connecting with the 10:59 to Southease.
A well timed posting of this walk, seeing that we had little mud, far views (even while it was still overcast) and glorious sunshine after lunch. The route as walked had not been posted before I have been assured by the walk's author, so it must be said that it works expremely well, especially in winter time with early darkness (the Southease finishers got to the station at 15.35, meaning there was enough time to frequent the cafe at the YHA Hostel before the 16.05 train (although only 3 took up that option).
Fine views on the usual westerly route out of Lewes via Kingston and then from the Downs (with a cooling breeze from the side), and on the descent into Rottingdean. 5 pub lunched at The Plough Inn (by the village pond and church) and were joined by some picnickers. The others had strode on and apparently had tea at the cafe in Saltdean (minus the 3 that walked on to Brighton). Further fantastic views on the ascent out of Saltdean and then from the ridge.
There we bumped into a (no doubt up to no good Fox ) Hunt, followed by a handful of masked hunt saboteurs, with police and a couple of ambulances visible away to the left.
Most chose the road route down into the valley, only about a handful the valley route.