Lewes to Brighton via Rottingdean
Length: 19.2km (12 miles) Toughness: 4/10

09:46 Polegate train from Victoria (Clapham Junction 09:53, East Croydon 10:03) arriving at Lewes at 10:49.
Or 09:40 Brighton train from London Bridge changing at East Croydon (arr 09:54, dep10:03) arriving at Lewes at 10:49.

Return trains from Brighton are at xx:27 and xx:57 to Victoria, and at xx:08 and xx:42 to London Bridge. Buy a day return to Lewes, which is valid for the return from Brighton.

This popular South Downs walk offers magnificent views across the plains of the River Ouse before crossing the remoter, less-frequented, heart of the downs to Rottingdean, where potential lunch places abound. You could finish the walk there, after just 7 miles, and catch a bus into Brighton, or continue on an attractive esplanade along the base of the cliffs as far as Brighton Pier. As you arrive on Brighton beach at Black Rock, just past the marina, don’t be surprised to see large numbers of naked cyclists, since this is the finishing point of the Brighton Naked Bike Ride, part of a worldwide annual cycling protest against oil dependency and car culture.

There will be ample opportunities for a lunchtime or afternoon swim, but the tide will be out, so if swimming at Rottingdean, watch out for sharp rocks beneath the surface and stay in line with the ramp.

This walk originated as a separate walk but has now been subsumed into the Southease to Brighton via Rottingdean walk with its multiple options and variations.
You will need to download the walk directions and start at para 125. Or you may prefer the more straightforward original walk directions, though these are no longer updated. The Southease start is not practicable today due to engineering works.

T=SWC.65.c1

SWC walk 65 - Southease to Rottingdean (or Southease Circular)
Length: 15.5km (9.6 miles), with extensions of up to 24.3km (15.1 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10 - one steep climb, basically

9.17 train from Victoria (9.23 Clapham Junction, 9.33 East Croydon) to Lewes, arriving 10.24, changing there (be quick) for the 10.28 to Southease, arriving 10.35.

Buy a day return to Southease. This is valid for return from Brighton.

For walk directions click here. For GPS file click here.

Autumn is officially here, but you can cock a snook at it it with this summery walk, which ends up at the sea. The route starts at remote Southease station and goes along the lovely banks of the River Ouse to Rodmell, then from there across fields to Kingston, near Lewes, where the Juggs is a popular pub but one that we usually manage to squeeze into.

Don't overdo it on the desserts, though, because almost immediately after lunch you have the only real exertion of the day, a steep but glorious climb up onto the downs. You then cross the heart of them to Rottingdean, where there are so many tea options you will be sorry you only have one stomach.

In theory a sea swim is then possible, but the sea seems to have got cold early this year....

To finish the walk at Rottingdean (the 15.5km/9.6 mile version of the walk), you take one of many buses into Brighton. Trains back from Brighton are too frequent to need listing.

An ALTERNATIVE ENDING (about the same length as the main walk - 14.5km/9 miles) splits off from the main route after the post-lunch climb up onto the downs and takes you down the South Downs Way to Southease to make a circular walk. Tea options here are the Abergavenny Arms in Rodmell and the YHA Cafe at Southease (but the latter closes at 4pm). Trains back from Southease are at 36 past till 19.36, then 20.39 (last train), changing at Lewes.

LONGER OPTIONS include:

- Walking along the seafront promenade into Brighton, a pretty walk under cliffs for at least half the way, then through the marina, adding 7.5km (4.7 miles) if you walk all the way to Brighton station, though you can shorten this at almost any point by taking the bus. This makes a total walk of 23km (14.3 miles).

- Walk back to Southease over the downs after tea. As far as I know this 24.3km (15.1 mile) version of the walk has never been done, so you could be the first. Allow a couple of hours to cover the 8.8km (5.5 miles) from Rottingdean to Southease (ie leave by 5.30pm at the latest because it will be dark at 7.30pm). See Alternative Ending above for trains back from Southease. T=3.65

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.