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. Take any sanitary products away with you to dispose of when you next pass a bin. Countryside and cultural events take place throughout the year in the towns and villages. Up there you'll find the most [] A cute, high-end pub with excellent food and lovely rooms out the back all en-suite. South Downs walks - Head out along the South Downs Way, a route spanning 100 miles, which takes you all the way from Winchester to Eastbourne. The South Downs Way is the most famous trail in the South Downs National Park. Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience. The hospices of Sussex are dedicated to providing specialist end-of-life care. Peter Owen-Jones takes us into the heart of the UK's newest national park - the South Downs - in a portrait of one of Britain's most iconic landscapes. Not only is the surface of the South Downs Way constantly conspiring to destroy your feet, but theres a remarkable amount of ups and downs to deal with. and is one of the lightest backpacks out there. Did you see anybody doing it while you were walking? I marked all the water options on the map and in advance planned how much I needed to fill up at eat spot to keep me going to the next. All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. The South Downs are designated as a national park. I'm Lauren and I've been travelling the world on a permanent basis since 2011. We really liked this B&B. Im very happy to answer questions just use the comments box below. February - April: AustraliaMay: South KoreaJune: The U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues. Id suggest bringing a buff and a warm hat you can pull over your ears to give your face a break on especially windy days. Your mileage will considerably increase though if you are travelling into villages/towns for accommodation as there arent many conveniently located on the trail so this will result in a lot of yo-yoing. The views were consistently pretty. Start/finish: Plough and Harrow, Litlington . The South Downs is a national park in South East England. You can also just navigate using a phone. My shoes! The South Downs Way comes in at 100 miles and runs between . at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne for something nice but more basic (95 for 2 dinner available for an additional 20). The South Downs is fantastic riding country. Winchester to Eastbourne in 6 Days Walking Code: SD7. 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I am a NYer and love walking everywhere so this has made be consider a new vacation option! 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! In terms of weather windows from April-October will give you the best weather. It usually takes most people 9 days to walk the entire trail, at an average of 12-15 miles per day. Hi! Theyll help your feet so much! The trail can be really busy during sunny weekends. Instead, I recommend looking at the Osprey Eja, which is another fantastic Osprey backpack that Ive owned and love. 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. For women you might like to take apee clothwith you (only for summer as youll need some sun to dry it). Its lightweight and excellent for long-distance hikes. I loved Winchester and wished Id had more time to explore its beautiful buildings. The South Downs will leave you spattered to the waist in grey-white mud. I started doing some research last night and saw Hadrians Wall and the Thames Path both come up. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, but the pubs are cosy, the locals friendly, and the walking challenging but in a good way. Thats part of long-distance hiking though so just embrace the extra wanders into the nearby villages. If you have enough time, I recommend booking a night in both Winchester and Eastbourne. Thanks for sharing, Fred :-). Just one point, in the East to West/West to East section you state that East to West is the best way, but you describe the West to East route in the paragraph. on the England Coast Path. 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. When riding the South Downs Way, you may wish to stop over at a horse-friendly B&B or find a livery yard for the evening. How easy would it be to camp on the South Downs Way? There are other accommodation options in Lewes from B&B to Airbnb rooms or Id recommend wild camping this night***. Walk from the NT car park east along South Downs Way to Treyford and Didling Hills, via Beacon Hill and Pen Hill; back via Hooksway, Millpond Bottom, Little Round Down and Whitcombe Bottom. The South Downs National Park welcomes visitors from across the country, and the world to experience its natural wonder, far-reaching views and endless skies (on a good day of course!). It is, however, absolutely overpriced, as Osprey recently discontinued it. This is such a wonderful trail through a beautiful part of the country. Most consider West to East to be the best way and I agree! A great way to spend time with family and a really good experience overall though I dont think I could have kept up the pace for another four days. Best known for the South Downs Way, this 160km (100 mile) route from Winchester to Eastbourne offers stunning . 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. The owner really helped to make our visit perfect. I have used the basis of this information to plan my route, ready for when we start to ease COVID-19. East Meon:Ye Olde George Inn While the room was nothing mind-blowing, the food at the pub below more than made up for it! "The Palestinians are a miserable people and they deserve to be.". The Hadrians Wall Trailblazer guide had been fantastic to use, so I knew I needed to pick up the same guide for the South Downs Way the latest version was published in 2022. It is renowned for exhibiting the best of southern English countryside with its rolling hills, glassy chalk streams, bucolic farmer's . 8 days is a reasonable target for most people with reasonable fitness . As one of the UK's most challenging National Trails the South Downs Way is enjoyed by a huge cross-section of walkers of various abilities. If there's an untouched beach, an up-and-coming city, or a recently-discovered travel hack, you can bet that we've already written about it. For those of you who want to make your walk a little easier, there is a bag transportation service you can utilise. However, your horse should be comfortable carrying you for the majority of the day. Water wasnt so easy to come by on the trail. We hop on the train to Eastbourne, and examine the hiking route we'll be taking. My shoes had never felt perfect and once I started to walk long distances every day, my ankles ended up so bruised that I could barely move my feet. I also invested in an Osprey reservoir to slip inside it. japanese mythology quiz; spanish slang for girl Have you done any of the other long walks in Britain to compare to this one? In particular when you reach the cliffs and have the dramatic coastline ocean views. Ive done long sections of this walk and Im now going to be completing the final 40 miles (Steyning area to Eastbourne) over two days in 2 weeks time. You can sign up to my newsletter here. It looks like a beautiful walk, aside from all the pain! I use the money to pay for hosting and domain fees to keep the site running. That could, of course, be because cyclists travel faster so were more likely to overtake us. Alternatively, hop aboard one of the Breeze up to the Downs buses, a network of three bus services linking Brighton with some of the most popular South Downs destinations close to the city . the south downs way is beyond miserable . 21. Sneakers Made In China - 110 . Day 1: Winchester to Cheriton 6 mileCamping at Holdean Farm (Cheriton, Nr Alresford, hants, So24 0NX) close to the trail. I wanted to start with a brief introduction to give this guide context. the south downs way is beyond miserable. . Thats good to hear! Today, Im excited to start writing about my walk by sharing a huge overview of what its like to tackle the South Downs Way. There are 2 factors to consider when picking your dates. For this reason, the only suitable places we found were small flat spots very near to the trail itself. You can carry most of your food, opting for sandwiches and simple pasta meals cooked on your stove at night (ignoring the pub temptations along the way).20-30 a day should be plenty for campsites, DIY food and the odd drink/ice cream although youll also need to add in transport costs (we spent 53 each on return trains to London) and your gear which you may already have. The South Downs way can be done in one go taking between 5 and 7 days or else in sections. But with some considerations. But now added to that list are wheelchair users and off-road buggies. It made for a fun physical challenge and was a great way to spend a week in nature. There are a number of steep inclines and descends but once on the top of the ridge, the majority of the Way is flat and not too strenuous. Would you feel safe doing so? Whether youre out for a gentle Sunday hack or prefer to use the bridleways of the South Downs Way to improve your horses fitness, there is something for everyone. The following are the points where the path can be picked up using public transport: Meon valley, South Harting, Cocking, Amberley (train station) Bramber, Devil's Dyke and Ditchling beacon at weekends, Southease (train station) Alfriston and Cuckmere . Hotel in East Meon. 8-9 days is a good estimate to walk the entire route at an easy pace. Occasionally there is a tap and trough placed for hikers. Theres a decent amount of accommodation around, with villages scattered all along the trail but not on the trail so its fairly easy to set your own milage for each day. Most of the places were happy to fill our bottles for free. The trail is 160km long and stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex. We spent a couple of hours hitting up the main attractions: Winchester Cathedral (one of the largest in Europe), The Great Hall (a 13th Century hall featuring a round table thats falsely linked to King Arthur), and the City Mill (where the walk starts from), and decided wed return at some point to spend even more time there. Distance: 100 miles over three days. Can you wild camp on the South Downs Way? There is an option to book taxis to take you to and from your accommodation. 5. "People who are not happy with themselves, cannot possibly be happy with you.". The accommodation recommendations below are as close to the trail as possible. Lots of people have accidentally fallen to their deaths getting too close or being distracted taking pictures. Most people opt for walking the South Downs Way at a gentler pace. Im actually intending to walk the trial with an off-road buggy later this year and will be blogging about my experience. With Bivvy bags you would definitely find wild camping South Downs easier (read more about in this Bivvy Bag guide). Or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel. Open access downland. If you are an experienced hiker, you may want to look at doing the trail over 5-6 days to make the distances each day a bit more challenging. Once you complete the trail you can get a completion certificate to keep! I loved the simplicity of a long-distance walk, where youre offline and immersed in your destination, where the only thing you have to worry about is putting one foot in front of the other. The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath in Southern England and is one of Britain's National Trails. The South Downs Way pases through the South Downs a beautiful area, which may soon become a National Park. Thanks for reading :-). Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bike. 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!). Good to know about the hiking trail being hard underfoot too. The park comprises of an area of chalk upland which stretches from Winchester in Hampshire, through West Sussex to Eastbourne in East Sussex. Now is the time to indulge yourself in a little piece of the South Downs Way, whether by foot, wheel or hoof. at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne for something nice but more basic (95 for 2 dinner available for an additional 20). "The reason many people in our society are miserable, sick, and highly stressed is because of an unhealthy attachment to things they have no control over.". :D Ive walked short sections of the SDW before, and its such an underrated part of the world as is the South Coast in general. The South Downs Way takes you through a wonderfully varied landscape of woodland, chalk downs, arable farmland, meandering rivers, ancient forts and castles and picture postcards, and traditional English villages. I found that I drank so much more when I had a mouthpiece beside me at all times. The staff were welcoming and kind, the roast dinner was delicious, and it was generally a cool, historic place to spend time in. Trailblazer guides are so good for walking in the U.K.! Again a life-changing piece of kit. Also check out my recently published book Three Stripes South, all about my first big adventure hiking the length of Israel. This looks like a fun hike to undertake in the UK! Although the quiet is nice, people watching can also be very entertaining! You can also ride the route on a horse! The recommended time to walk the South Downs Way is 8 days, with an average of 12.5miles/20km a day. We met just three other people that were walking the entire distance, although there were dozens of other people out on day hikes. Western Downs: Harting Downs to Treyford Hill. That means that theyve adapted all stiles and ensured the track is suitable for wheels the whole way. The older models that were removed from the front lines intact were sent to the training grounds. Only 1 a week after your trial. It would usually take a solid nights sleep for my feet to stop hurting each day just in time for me to start walking again. They provide . Some great tips here for walking the South Downs Way. It runs for around 100 miles from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex, with a small loop around Eastbourne. 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. Thanks so much! 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. Merrell are king when it comes to long-distance walking, and I decided on the Merrell Accentor shoes for this walk. The South Downs Way is 100 miles (160 km) in length. These 2 guys walked it while pushing a pram for their dogs! For this reason, spring and autumn are considered the best times to hike, although really you can do the walk all year round. Day 7: Lewes to Seaford 18 milesCamping at Foxhole campsite (Seven Sisters Country Park, Exceat, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 4AG) close to the trail. Fairly certain it would kill me, though, hahaha :-). The South Downs Way Route. If you have a period while on your trek then you might want to factor this in with rest days. Horse riding in the South Downs National Park: A guide to horse riding in the South Downs Way National Park and along . Most of the time, we would have to walk a mile off the trail to reach our accommodation, but some towns can be as many as three miles away. There are signposts every few hundred metres and whenever you come across a fork or turning in the path. This quiet and tranquil bed and breakfast is known for the owners going above and beyond, even sometimes picking up weary South Downs Way walkers from the trail! Probably the most comfortable backpack Ive ever worn. Wow! Read more Located within an hour of London, this delightful National Trail meanders along the crest of the Downs with far-reaching views over the patchwork fields, woods and villages of the Weald and southwards to . Well.the simple answer is yes. Our comprehensive guide to the South Downs Way means that planning your trip has never been easier. The Trailblazer guide has a mileage chart at the back that tells you the exact distance between towns, so you can work out the total distance in advance. In 2013, the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) spent 3m on renovating this 14th . Every time I did so, I felt exceptionally safe. I walked a walk just to the west, the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury, over two days earlier this year. Whatever your approach to food, you are going to want to make sure you start with plenty of snacks in your bag to keep you going on your 100mile hike. durham ontario police; does maddie know the killer in hush; We recommend spraying your horse with fly spray, especially in the Summer months, to ensure both horse and rider are comfortable and safe throughout. And lets face it: heading downstairs to have dinner is exactly whats needed after a long day of walking. 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. 5. Breakfast available to purchase on site), Day 7: Rodmell to Alfriston (10 miles)Staying at: Wingrove House (170 for 2 people including breakfast). Unhappy Miserable People Quotes. the south downs way is beyond miserable. South Downs Way - 8 Days & 7 Nights. Itll be blustery, cold and windy over winter so youll want to wrap up warm. The only thing youll have to look out for are the cows. But as anyone who has tried wild camping and a self-contained hike knows, there is some satisfaction to being out in the elements overnight.even if it does mean getting a bit wet! Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. Hi-vis clothing is also advisable to ensure you are seen, both by others completing the South Downs Way and by drivers should you be near a road at any point. **MY BOOK ABOUT HIKING THE ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL** Grab a copy of my published book, Three Stripes South. The South Downs stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex, with the South Downs Way covering the 101 miles . Hope that makes sense. As I mentioned at the start of this post, the South Downs Way is regarded as one of the easiest of the 16 National Trails. It also saves you the hassle of needing to return to the start point at the end. Walking the South Downs Way. Matt Hancock and I have almost nothing in common. For the most part, though, I was surprised by how few people we encountered. Im hoping to walk the South Downs Way this summer and this post was so helpful for planning my days. 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