Length: 24.8 km (15.4 mi) [shorter walk possible, see below]
Ascent/Descent: 365m
Net Walking Time: 6 hours
Toughness: 6/10
Take the 08.54 Polegate
train from Victoria (09.01 Clapham J, 09.10 East C’don), change
at Lewes (09.56/10.00) onto the Seaford train (involves an up-and-across),
which arrives Newhaven Town 10.11.
Return trains are on xx.01 and xx.32
(from Town Station, a couple of minutes earlier from Harbour).
There will be light for walking until 16.30, so if you are
deploying a full lunch break, bring a torch or consider a shortcut!
Short Walk:
·
A shortcut on the Downs cuts out 3.9 km (some of the
best of the route though);
·
A finish at Bishopstone Station cuts out the
historic interest of the ex-tide mills site on the beach.
This varied walk is intended as an antidote to some of the tougher South
Downs Walks; although by no means flat, it never ventures high on the Downs, so
it would be a good option if the visibility is poor or rain is forecast. It
starts and ends with two very different sections of coastline: an easy climb
past Newhaven fort to the cliff tops and a low level walk from Bishopstone
passing the well-presented excavations at the deserted village of Tide Mills.
In between, you cross woods and fields to Piddinghoe, follow the River Ouse
back to Newhaven and head towards the Downs and over hills to Bishopstone.
You head West around Newhaven seafront then up to the Victorian fort,
with a section of clifftop coast path to follow. Turn inland (North) through
woods and across fields to the attractive (but dry) village of Piddinghoe, then
follow the River Ouse back to Newhaven, perhaps stopping for lunch. Cross the
river, hold your breath and look away from the retail park, then cross the
River Ouse Nature Reserve to the built up areas of Denton (a better lunch
option) and South Heighton. Head to the Downs, but not too high and pick up the
descent from Walk 2/26 (Southease to Seaford). Head East across the hills to
Bishopstone on less familiar paths and back to Newhaven following the Mill
Creek, pausing to inspect the well-presented excavations at the deserted
village of Tide Mills.
Tea: Plenty of choice in Newhaven Town or by the marina.
Check the webpage or the pdf.
For summary, walk directions, map, height
profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.395
1 comment:
N=4 met at Newhaven Town Station including one who last walked with SWC before Covid. The weather was w=sunny and cold, but not windy. Great views from the Coast Path (now showing on the on-line OS map as the King Charles 3rd Coast Path !?!) of the Rampion Wind Farm and Brighton. The path goes surprisingly close to the rather crumbly looking cliff edge.
The route looks somewhat built-up on the map but brought us from the cliff over the A259 and onto the open country approaching Piddinghoe without my being aware of how close we were to Peacehaven. At this point one walker stopped to take a phone call and although we waited a while at the next junction was not seen again.
Looping around via Piddinghoe Church and the banks of the Ouse, we returned to lunch in Newhaven , one on a bench on Denton Island and two at the Ark – good value and tasty food, served very quickly. We were in and out in 35 minutes but the picnic-er had moved on. The walk up onto the Downs certainly warmed us up and on the way back into town we met the picnic-er who had taken a slightly different route. We decided against the Tide Mills section – interesting but better for a longer warmer day. Though the full moon might have helped. A walk with a good mix of landscapes.
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