Sunday Walk: Lewes to Berwick

#2026-07-19T09:46 

Length: About 17.5km (11 miles), Toughness: 4 out of 10

The morning goes over the downs, through Glynde, and on to lunch in the characterful Ram Inn in West Firle, a pretty flintstone village. 

The afternoon stretch passes Charleston Farmhouse (01323 811 265) and Berwick Church,  both decorated by members of the Bloomsbury Group. 

Charleston Farmhouse: (check website for prices) has a “Green Traveller” reduction for arriving on foot and Art Passes get 50% off.  The garden is free to visit. The church, reached later, is free and open at most times.

In summer, the local hollyhocks put on a bit of a show, both in Firle and on the approach to Berwick church.

Trains: 

Get the 09:46 Ore train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:53), arriving Lewes at 10:50 

For a shorter walk avoiding the climb out of Lewes, you could set off a hour later (more chance of meeting the others) and start at Glynde. (Change at Lewes onto the 12:13 Eastbourne train, platform 3 arriving Glynde 12:18). 

Trains back from Berwick are at xx:57 changing at Lewes.

Get a day return to Berwick, Sussex. (NOT Berwick, Northumberland).

Lunch:

The Ram, West Firle 01273 858222 is a favourite.

The nearby cricket ground has benches suitable for the picnickers 

Earlier you've got two places in Glynde, the Trevor Arms  01273 047298 (open again after 8yrs closed. Open from 12) and the Steamworks at the station open from 10.

Tea: 

Charleston Farmhouse has a tea shop, accessible without entry fee.

The Cricketers Arms (01323 870 469), 4½ km after Charleston, is another favourite.  They do tea and  they have a nice garden. Depending on the route taken, you still have a 2 or 3 km. walk to Berwick station, so allow time to reach it  (30 or 45 minutes). 

There’s also the Berwick Inn  01323 870018, near the station. It too has a pleasant garden. 

Directions:

You need two sets of directions:

 - The main Lewes via West Firle walk  (the "Download Walk" button)  plus 

 - the Berwick ending (the “Lewes to Berwick option” button)

Both available here.

If taking the shorter route to Berwick Station, there is a cycleway runs alongside the final stretch of road.

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