Walking and Cycling in East Sussex

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Britain’s Breathing Spaces

This part of the South Downs National Park is a treasure trove for walkers and cyclists. Feast your eyes on epic Downland views, meandering river trails, ancient woodland and dramatic coastline including the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters, Beachy Head and Cuckmere Haven. Along the way, you’ll encounter native wildlife, visible prehistory, pretty villages and welcoming pubs.

Walking

The South Downs Way, is a long-distance footpath stretching 100 miles across breathtaking scenery, from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex. This walker’s paradise is on our doorstep and can be used by horse riders and cyclists too.

Eastbourne Walking Festival is an annual festival held each September with guided walks in Lewes and Eastbourne, held across ten days. The events are suitable for all ages, with both urban and rural walks where participants can find out more about the culture, history and landscapes of the region.

For wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, Miles Without Stiles are accessible routes in the South Downs National Park, with accompanying guides to download.

When visiting Sussex in Spring, don’t miss the gorgeous sight and scent of the bluebell carpeted woods. Choose your bluebell walk from the Long Man’s Walking Guide to Sussex.

For more information on some of the best walking routes, check out:

An App we have found really helpful is ViewRanger, giving you an all-in-one trail guidebook, navigator and adventure hub in your pocket.

Cycling

Brighton Bike Tours offers a range of biking services for guests staying at The Grain Store. You can hire bikes and cycle helmets for the duration of your stay and have them dropped off and collected from The Grain Store by Brighton Bike Tours.

One of the services offered is a guided tour of the South Downs, where you can explore the beautiful scenery with the help of an experienced guide. The tours offered by the company usually take place around Brighton & Hove, including a City Tour and a Coastal Tour along the seafront to Rottingdean and back.

Another popular tour option is the South Downs Tour, which takes visitors up onto the Downs via Stanmer Park and Hollingbury Fort or the Chattri. Overall, Brighton Bike Tours offers a convenient and enjoyable way for visitors to explore the city and its surrounding areas on two wheels.

If competitive cycling is your passion, you might want to take part in the Tour of Sussex, one of the UK’s largest multi-stage road races. The Women’s Race takes place in May, and the Men’s in July. The view from Ditchling Beacon near Lewes is breathtaking (literally - it’s a steep climb!).

Maps

Check out this brilliant South Downs Way Discovery Map for more walking and cycle routes as well as other points of local interest.

Rest assured, we have maps to borrow at The Grain Store, including a custom-made Ordnance Survey.

Audioways

Audioways connects people to places by sharing stories from history and from the present day using QR code signs around the Lewes District.

Visit the Audioways website for more information.

“The Downs… too much for one pair of eyes, enough to float a whole population in happiness, if only they would look.”

— Virginia Woolfe, Diaries