Length: 18 km (11.3 miles) 6/10
This walk starts with a loop in the Ouse valley to Rodmell – but only the first half mile on the less than thrilling riverside path – then a steep ascent on to the south downs and down pretty valleys to Bishopstone and Seaford. Swimming should be possible at Bishopstone or elsewhere along the shore to Seaford.
Trains: 0954 from Victoria (Clapham Junction 1001 East Croydon 1010) changing at Lewes on to the 1100 arriving Southease 1107. There is only a 4 minute connection time which normally involves a dash across the station – quickest if you are in the middle of the train from London - so if we miss the connection I suggest doing walk #181 Lewes to Seaford, option 1 omitting West Firle instead. This is about the same length but is rated 7/10. It crosses the Southease to Seaford route when it reaches the top of the south downs after 8.5 km so we could rejoin the planned walk there. This fall-back option means missing the lunch pub but the Ram in West Firle is a less than a mile off that route.
Get a return to Seaford.
Lunch: The Abergavenny Arms (tel 01273 472416), Rodmell, only 4 km into the walk, is the only practical pub lunch option. Loads of places on the downs for a picnic. And there's always the Southease YHA cafe which we pass after 6 km.
Tea: several possibilities in Seaford on the main walk webpage, but the Steamworks pub on the station platform is a favourite.
Longer and shorter walk options: There are various longer routes from Lewes to Seaford: the main walk page offers a 25km/15.5 mile walk via Kingston and Rodmell, or you could follow the walk 181 main route all the way – this would be a 22 km/14 mile walk.
The easiest way to shorten the walk is to miss out the morning loop to Rodmell, cutting out nearly 6 km but also the aforementioned pub.
You could finish the walk at Bishopstone (cuts out 1.8 km).
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
T=2.26
2 comments:
As regards swimming, unfortunately as you may have noticed it rained for a few minutes the last couple of nights so Southern Water have released sewage all round the south east, including Seaford, see https://www.sas.org.uk/water-quality/sewage-pollution-alerts/
The train to Lewes was running a bit late, so eight of us scampered up the stairs to change platforms but local walker number #9 was kindly keeping the guard of the Southease train talking so we all made the connection comfortably. We strolled round the loop to Rodmell at a leisurely pace in #nice-sunny weather, and all had preprandial refreshments in the garden of the Abergavenny Arms. One dallied there and another peeled off when we got back to Southease leaving seven to picnic by the trig point at Itford Hill.
The group got rather spread out in the afternoon with some keen to get early trains. I thought the morning loop, drink stop and late lunch made it seem a long afternoon.
Two of us stopped at Bishopstone to see what the sea was like, and we met two more further along the prom, so I can report that four got in the water despite the warning below and two swam. No time for drinks before the 1753 but two stayed in Seaford for fish and chips. Another fine day out in Sussex.
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