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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 25 June 2017

Sunday Walk – Over the South Downs to the sea

Book 2 Walk 26 – Southease (or Lewes) to Seaford
Length from Southease: 18.1 km (11.3 miles). Toughness: 5-6/10
Or from Lewes: 24.8 km (15.4 miles); 7-8/10

10:47 Ore train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:53, East Croydon 11:03), changing at Lewes (arr 11:48, dep 12:03) for the Seaford train, arriving Southease at 12:10.

Or for the Longer Walk: 09:47 Ore train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:53, East Croydon 10:03), arriving Lewes at 10:48. For both options, buy a return to Seaford.

Trains back from Seaford are at 27 minutes past the hour (changing at Brighton) and 57 minutes past (changing at Lewes). After 9pm the journey time is significantly longer and the times vary a bit, so check them out if you stay on for a meal.

This South Downs walk in Book 2 gets fewer outings than its neighbours, and in fact hasn't been posted for nearly three years. If you like to do a good chunk of a walk before lunch you won't be keen on the standard variation, as it's only 4 km to the Abergavenny Arms in Rodmell and you'll get there in less than an hour (hence the late start). So this option is really a longish afternoon walk over the downs to Seaford, where you can dip your toes in the sea before reviving yourself for the journey home.

Those who want a longer walk should take the train an hour earlier and start from Lewes, using the morning section from Walk 24 (Lewes to Saltdean). You'll get to the lunch pub at about the same time as the Southease starters and can join them for the afternoon leg (or you could duck out and return from Southease).

You'll need to download the PDF file(s) from the Southease to Seaford Walk page (plus the Lewes to Saltdean Walk page for the Longer Walk), or simply bring Book 2 itself.
T=2.26

10 comments:

PeteB said...

just to alert walkers that there have been two major cliff falls at Seaford Head in the last week or so with large amounts of chalk crashing into the sea. Keep well away from the cliff eddge -25m at a mimnimum.

Sean said...

Sound advice, but cliff falls aren't a problem on this particular walk. You come into Seaford from the beaches to the west, not the cliffs to the east.

Barbara said...

Anyone is up for the early start from Lewes?

Anonymous said...

probably getting later train.

Anonymous said...

I'm taking the longer route.

Anonymous said...

At least 3 on this walk. 1 absent-mindedly started a whole hour early (not used to the late start) and walked the main route, finishing at Bishopstone. 1 had started at Southease at the designated time but skipped the loop via Rodmell. The 3rd, I think, began the walk at Lewes.
Mixture of sunny blue skies and windy and clouds.

Anonymous said...

n=3 w=sunny-blue-skies-mixed-with-windy-and-clouds

PeteB said...

I probably should not be counted on this walk as I caught an earlier train and decided to walk from Lewes to Glynde via the Caborn Mt valley and uphill route. Two reasons for doing this: I've never really liked the "there and back" morning section of this walk and secondly I wanted to get some local information about what is happening about the Trevor Arms in Glynde. I dropped into the village store and was told there are still hopes that the pub can be taken over as a going concern but nothing is going to happen this year. After a picnic lunch at Glynde cricket ground I passed the pub which looks depressingly desolate and I do wonder if the village can sustain a pub/restaurant.

I continued on up the long climb which ends a 100 or so metres from the telecoms mast to pick up the onward route of the set walk along one of my favourite (and empty) parts of the South Downs with its wide expansive views and the sea beckoning you on. Just before Bishopstone on the descent of a track through woods I had to negotiate a fallen tree blocking the path and near the end I decided discretion was the better part of valour when a couple of bullocks took rather too close an interest. I retreated to take the road into Seaford. A cup of tea in the park ended a fine 11+ mile walk which sadly for the time being is a picnic only option.

JohnL said...

N=9 At my count 4 started in Lewes and 5 at Southease. Apart from Pete B, 8 were together for part of the the afternoon. 2 then took a short cut and ended at Bishopstone.

Anonymous said...

PeteB,

I also negotiated the fallen tree at Bishopstone. There was a local there called Steve who was trying to start up a chainsaw to cut it up. I could hear it whirring away as I approached the church.

I finished the walk at Bishopstone as I knew a train had just left Seaford and the timing was too good to ignore.

Lien