Length: 15.5km (9.6 miles), but extendable by carrying on over the cliffs towards Brighton T=2.24
9.54 train from Victoria (10.01 Clapham Junction, 10.10 East Croydon) to Lewes, arriving 10.56
Buy a day return to Lewes, which is valid for return from Brighton
It is a surprisingly long time (April 2022) since this lovely downland walk had a Saturday outing. It climbs onto one of the most beautiful South Downs ridges, with mouthwatering views, and then descends gently to Rodmell, where lunch is in the pleasant and unpretentious Abergavenny Arms.
After lunch there is a simple but very scenic walk over the downs, with the sea in front of you for the last bit.
If this whets your appetite for a swim in the sea, it is worth noting that the water is still on the nippy side - about 15 degrees. On the plus side, if you go in now it will feel warmer later in the summer... Low tide is at 19.27, but there should be depth for swimming even at Saltdean. But for my money, a walk 1 mile or so westwards along the coast (either by the seafront promenade or the clifftop) to Rottingdean brings you to nicer beaches (of which the central one is swimmable even at low tide).
For tea, Saltdean has a beachfront cafe, as does Rottingdean, and inland in Rottingdean village there are various other options.
To extend the walk, walk west along the seafront promenade or along the cliff top (with noise from the main coast road, but fine views). You can walk as much or as little as this as you like, as there are buses every few minutes along the coast road.
To get back from the walk, take one of the very frequent coastal buses to Brighton station (or the pier if you want to look around). Trains back from Brighton are too frequent to enumerate: just turn up at the station and one should be waiting to depart.
7 comments:
Non-swimmers who are intending to get the bus to Brighton might want to look at the map for walk 423, which takes you across Telscombe Tye (keeping the dew pond on your right, not your left). The directions (in reverse) are in Section D. It brings you out opposite a good pub and avoids the boring residential trek in to Saltdean!
So we take the Train from London Victoria to Lewes. And on the way back we take the Train from Brighton?
Yes, that is correct, Marc
The Abergavenny Arms say that they have a group of 64 walkers booked in for Saturday lunchtime. They advise that if you want to be sure of lunching there then you should book as soon as possible. If there is room you are welcome to add yourself to my reservation.
N=17 on a w=mostly-cloudy day.
Mr Tiger’s early lead soon evaporated and was a dry dusty memory by the time the first hill was reached. Nice showing of red campion up top.
Despite news of a booking for 54 walkers at the Abergavenny, there were no problems finding a seat or, for those who wanted, ordering a meal. Or in Mr Tiger’s case, a pint of Long Man Old Man.
Some slinked off to Southease after lunch.
The group I left with were ( as far as I knew) headed for Saltdean and, en route to there, we met a group of approx 54 walkers coming the other way. Abergavenny mystery solved..
The others ahead of me did not follow the prescribed route. Instead of turning left they headed straight on. I’m not one to cast aspersions as you know, but I was wondering whether to report this misdemeanour. Perhaps they were deliberately avoiding the steep climb out of Telscombe or, God forbid, taking a shortcut. (Later, much later, I saw Mike’s note suggesting an alternative end - with a decent pub ‘sigh’). Another mystery solved).
I was overtaken on the proper route by another clutch of diners. After admiring some bladder campion, they sped off.
Eventually Saltdean was reached. There was no-one in the sea. (There had been talk earlier of NOT going in the sea.) My plans for a race out to the windfarm and back were dashed.
From Saltdean I got a bus. Then a train.
Well Mr. Tiger, six of us did walk straight ahead for about 1k until our path petered out, when we returned to the turning and climbed up to Telescombe. After that 3 caught bus from main road, and 3 walked along the seafront to Rottingdean. Here we had lovely tea and cakes in a café and were joined by another walker who had been sitting on the beach. There followed a debate about whether to go for a swim, as the sea was extremely rough. Two of us did try and go in but the waves kept knocking us back, and throwing stones at our feet, so reluctantly we had to give up. We walked into Brighton where there was a frenetic party scene all along the seafront. The scene was calmer past the i360 where we sat on the upper balcony of a bar and shared wine and crisps with lovely views westwards. Then onto Brighton station where we caught various trains home. A lovely day out and great finish to the walk.
I tried shouting and waving. If only I’d had a megaphone and a flag.
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