I walked a walk just to the west, the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury, over two days earlier this year. Four nights hiding under a tree. Legally you are not allowed to camp on the South Downs. If you have enough time, I recommend booking a night in both Winchester and Eastbourne. Ah, that makes me so happy to hear! Yes, it was so much fun :-) If I hadnt torn my feet up, it would have probably been one of the most enjoyable things Ive done! Ive done lots of adventures myself from hiking the length of Isreal to kick-scooting the length of the UK (you can see a list of my adventures here). Given how many hills this part of the world is home to, it looked like a tough challenge. I loved Winchester and wished Id had more time to explore its beautiful buildings. 8 days is a reasonable target for most people with reasonable fitness . The South Downs Way stretches 100 miles from Winchester to the Victorian seaside town of Eastbourne on the South Coast of England. The 6 day holiday has 4 long days and should only be attempted if you are fit and used to walking long distances day after day. The views are pleasant and consistent. The pubs we stayed in offered a packed lunch option, so if we knew there wouldnt be any lunch stops on the following day, wed get one to go. We wild camped the whole way, bringing all the food with us bought in advance. Fairly certain it would kill me, though, hahaha :-). The rolling hills, fantastic views, great walks and picturesque villages of the South Downs National Park offer a blissful taste of country life and make it a great location for a camping or Glamping Holiday.The fact that it's only an hour from London and within easy reach of much of the south coast are added advantages . The Osprey Lumina is part of their ultra-lightweight range (it weighs just 770 grams!) If wed been staying in hotels and b&bs theres no doubt we would have kept to 4 days with the promise of a dry bed and shower each night. the south downs way is beyond miserable. Winchester to Eastbourne in 6 Days Walking Code: SD7. The South Downs Way runs for 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne. Day 6: Alfriston to Eastbourne (13 miles)Staying at: Albert & Victoria (77 for 2 including breakfast.an AMAZING hotel!!). For the end, you will be catching a train from Eastbourne. For starters Im terrified of spiders and hopelessly squeamish. The barn is cosy and comfortable, and the breakfast is the absolute best. Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bile. For women you might like to take apee clothwith you (only for summer as youll need some sun to dry it). This beautiful trail passes through some gorgeous undulating scenery, between Winchester and Eastbourne. You can choose to walk, cycle or ride a small part of the way or if you are up for a challenge you can take on the whole route. Theres great recommendations on pubs to eat in, perfect lunch stops along the way, and accommodation to stop off at. Before choosing to wild camp on the South Downs Way, please do read this Wild Camping UK article so you know the correct etiquette. South Downs Way is a long thru hike and bridleway along the South Downs in the south of England. The room was spacious with an en-suite bathroom, supplies for breakfast, and a little terrace to sit out on. The best day of the walk is undoubtedly the final day the trail over the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head is known as one of the best day walks in the country. For the most part though I carried all my own supplies as I was wild camping so not able to stock up. A Professional theme for architects, construction and interior designers Start and finish: Winchester and Eastbourne. Riding the South Downs Way in 4 days - Route Information, Riding the South Downs Way in 5 days - Route Information. Dave's brought a map, a compass, a navigational guide for the South Downs Way, a gas canister, and a spare water pouch for me. The hills on the coastal section of the hike can feel a little endless at times lots of up and down. 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I neednt have worried, though there was plenty of options for eating! 8-9 days is a good estimate to walk the entire route at an easy pace. Counting every gram and dont want to over pack if i dont need to. My biggest recommendation is therefore to invest in gear for the walk several months before you intend on walking it, then practice, practice, practice to make sure its a perfect fit. This will also save you the job of having to hunt down supermarkets to stock up along the way although a couple of the villages you pass have small shops and convenience stores. Designated a National Trail, the South Downs Way attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year each looking to get a taste of the stunning South Downs National Park. But! Wow! Awesome website! Follow me on Facebook, TwitterandInstagram. heres a quick guide and video if you are interested in horse riding the trail. Plan a cycling adventure today. Geographical location: In the south-west of England. **MY BOOK ABOUT HIKING THE ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL** Grab a copy of my published book, Three Stripes South. In fact, there was a part of me that was eager to turn around at the finish line and walk back to Winchester! On the South Downs Way, I especially appreciated the hand-drawn maps for every part of the trail (heres an example from my copy of how great they are) Im not sure I would have been able to find my own way without them. Instead, I recommend looking at the Osprey Eja, which is another fantastic Osprey backpack that Ive owned and love. Prices of hotels have gone up in recent years so you are looking at an average of 50 a night per person for a comfortable bed (full list of recommended accommodation below) although most will include. It'. Buy a signed copy of my book along with a 'Life is Join 3,500+ others and sign up to my newsletter! Horse riding in the South Downs National Park: A guide to horse riding in the South Downs Way National Park and along . Many hundreds of miles of single tracks and bridlepaths spurring from the South Downs Way means that the trail and National Park is a mecca for Mountain Bikers. In particular when you reach the cliffs and have the dramatic coastline ocean views. If you are planning on doing the SDW all in one go, then you will need to arrange accommodation that offers appropriate food and water for your horse. Dont stand too near the edges of the cliffs even if you see others do the same. Although the quiet is nice, people watching can also be very entertaining! Ultra hikers and runners often cover the distance in a 2-day 100mile challenge (hats off to them!). Thanks for sharing! at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne for something nice but more basic (95 for 2 dinner available for an additional 20). If you get stuck for shops a good idea is to stay a night in a cheap b&b and ask if you can send them a resupply box in advance. L urking among the jubilant Americans venturing back out to bars and planning their summer-wedding travel is a different group: liberals who aren't quite ready to let go of pandemic . The trail is favoured by National Trail 'baggers', solo walkers, first-timers, and those who are simply looking for a walking holiday in a peaceful yet historical corner of England. salaire d'un enseignant du primaire au cameroun; urgent care in cambridge ohio. TQ032123) which is a wild camping space right on the trail. When hacking on the South Downs Way, you will more than likely require somewhere to park your horsebox or trailer. We had two challenging walks, where we racked up 20 and 22 miles, but the rest of our mileage felt comfortable. In fact, due to the low-lying land surrounding the hillside, the horizon seems to go on for miles. Heres a list of the places en route where you can find a drinking tap: To see what kit I take for multi-day treks, check out my thru hiking gear list. We found the terrain to be easy underfoot and the sloping climbs manageable with our heavy packs containing all our camping gear and food. I couldnt get enough of the scenery on the South Downs Way, and it proved to me that my home country is prettier than Ive always believed. Day 4: Chichester to Amberley 13 miles (Camping wild camp spot)Camping at High Tittern (High Tittern Lane, Amberley, grid ref. the south downs way is beyond miserable. From near and far, the South Downs is an area of . lionel richie lytham st annes. Open access downland. There are 1200km of bridleways spreading through the National Park for riders to enjoy - everything from a gentle trot along a country track to a hack up to the top of the Downs. Located in East Meon, 23 km from Jane Austen's House Museum, South Downs Eco Lodge & Camping provides accommodation with a garden, free private parking and a restaurant. If a campsite is a 2-mile walk from the trail this means you are doing a 4-mile round trip to get there which can be frustrating. We hop on the train to Eastbourne, and examine the hiking route we'll be taking. No . This was probably our favourite place we stayed on the entire walk. Unhappy Miserable People Quotes. But maybe not quite 20 mile days! I invested in this high-end pairfrom Black Diamond and adored them. Day 1: Winchester to East Meon (18 miles)Staying at: Angel Cottage B&B (58 for 2 including breakfast), Day 2: East Meon to Cocking (18 miles)Staying at: Hysett House Inn (90 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 3: Cocking to Amberley (12 miles)Staying at: Black Horse (150 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 4: Amberley to Steyning (11 miles)Staying at: Uppingham B&B (150 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 5: Steyning to Pyecombe (10 miles)Staying at: Period Cottage (131 for 2 people including breakfast), Day 6: Pyecombe to Southease (15 miles)Staying at: YHA South Downs (30 for 2 people in a private room. I, however, recommend staying in as many pubs and B&Bs as possible the accommodation was one of the highlights of our walk! The Cicerone South Downs Way guide book is my favourite, although the Trailblazer one is also good. Miserable Person Quotes. The South Downs is a long range of chalk hills, and the trail runs largely along the top of them. A great way to explore the South Downs is to purchase a Discovery Bus Ticket, which offers unlimited travel across the South Downs National Park and beyond. Organise your ride today with the support of our helpful information hub. We recommend spraying your horse with fly spray, especially in the Summer months, to ensure both horse and rider are comfortable and safe throughout. Just curious why some days you walked 8 miles and others 22 :). The park comprises of an area of chalk upland which stretches from Winchester in Hampshire, through West Sussex to Eastbourne in East Sussex. Its always good practice to have a spare 1 litre of water with you than you think you need. Or a few days of the Thames Path, as thats super-flat and easy to walk. A big section of the South Downs is privately owned farmland which you shouldnt be camping on without permission. For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. On Never Ending Footsteps, I aim to show you how you can explore this planet safely, adventurously, and affordably. There are no facilities. Thanks Shaun.happy it has helped with the planning! The accommodation recommendations below are as close to the trail as possible. Copyright Lauren Juliff 2010-2023 All rights reserved. In this guide I cover everything you need to know to do the hike yourself from details on camping and accommodation options, wild camping choices, costs, what you need to pack, food, top tips and the best South Downs Way route planners. This website is the result of tens of thousands of hours of on-the-ground research by myself and my team of expert travellers. We already owned all the gear we needed.Travel 53Accommodation 0Food 27TOTAL 80. From camping to youth hostels to cosy pubs to five-star hotels, theres a whole range of accommodation available to suit different price ranges. If you do choose to wild camp, one of the great advantages is that you dont need such a rigid itinerary. National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles[!] How easy would it be to camp on the South Downs Way? Hotel in East Meon. the south downs way is beyond miserable . Plus, its location in the south of England meant that we would be more likely to encounter dry weather. What an accomplishment! Trailblazer guides are so good for walking in the U.K.! The South Downs Way comes in at 100 miles and runs between . Day 3: Petersfield to Chichester 19 milesCamping at New House Farm (New House Lane, East Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0NJ). They provide . An airline once tore a hole in my Osprey backpack and they had it repaired and back in my hands in under a week all for free!). The South Downs Way is a public bridleway, open to walkers, cyclists, and horse riders. Takes around two hours to get there :-). I found that I drank so much more when I had a mouthpiece beside me at all times. Website Design, Build & Digital Marketing by WRD. I can recomend checking out: Here are some useful links to other resources, as well as links to blogs to give you a different perspective from others who have hiked the route: Thank you for reading my guide and I hope it was helpful I really do love this hike and I hope this will make it easier for you to plan your own adventure. Originally from the U.K., I've now spent over a decade travelling the world with my Kiwi partner. Google Maps is a great tool to use to plan your food stops each day. How much did we spend?Barely anything!!! Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. Required fields are marked *. / the south downs way is beyond miserable. 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