There are 2 approaches: prepare the food yourself (cheaper) or eat out along the way (better suited if staying in accommodation rather than camping). Thank you again. Im very happy to answer questions just use the comments box below. But nothing steep or too big. You can choose to walk, cycle or ride a small part of the way or if you are up for a challenge you can take on the whole route. Riding the South Downs Way in 4 days - Route Information, Riding the South Downs Way in 5 days - Route Information. For this reason, spring and autumn are considered the best times to hike, although really you can do the walk all year round. Although wild camping isnt the easiest on the trail and most people opt for b&bs or campsites, its absolutely doable (more on that below). A big section of the South Downs is privately owned farmland which you shouldnt be camping on without permission. And if, like me, you dont actually have any arches, the walk can be even more excruciating. The barn is cosy and comfortable, and the breakfast is the absolute best. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. The provision of wonderful restaurants, cosy fireside pubs, rivers, seaside, hills, woods, walks and the transport links from London, Portsmouth, Southampton and beyond means this special part of the country consistently ranks as one of the most popular places to spend an afternoon, a day, a weekend or even a week! As always, you made me yearn for the same type of vacation! A tough mum covered the full distance with her children and a buggy carrying all their items, Champing: a guide to camping in ancient churches, contingency its always good to have a contingency in the budget, 200 should be plenty for their hike to account for any unplanned taxis or accommodation if needed. For experienced walkers that enjoy a challenge, this itinerary allows you to complete the whole South Downs Way in 6 walking days. The South Downs will leave you spattered to the waist in grey-white mud. South Harting:The White Hart We loved the White Hart! the south downs way is beyond miserable. Google Maps is a great tool to use to plan your food stops each day. The smell . Alternatively, use toilet paper and take it with you (just store it in a disposable sandwhich bag or a biodegradable nappy/poop bag) then dispose of it when you see a bin. For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. You'll find some of the best stargazing spots in England in places like Old Winchester Hill, Harting . With Bivvy bags you would definitely find wild camping South Downs easier (read more about in this Bivvy Bag guide). The only thing youll have to look out for are the cows. Hi Bex, love your website and specific detail on the South Down Way. Our comprehensive guide to the South Downs Way means that planning your trip has never been easier. Really friendly owners, a large breakfast, and a good location, close to the waterfront. Keep this in mind when planning out your days, as it quickly adds up. All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. The pubs we stayed in offered a packed lunch option, so if we knew there wouldnt be any lunch stops on the following day, wed get one to go. The rooms are comfortable, if a little dated, and the large TVs were great for watching England beat New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup sucks to be Dave. At the time we were living in London and this made it easy to get to and from the start via public transport. Good to know about the hiking trail being hard underfoot too. Providing a very different experience! I loved the simplicity of a long-distance walk, where youre offline and immersed in your destination, where the only thing you have to worry about is putting one foot in front of the other. The park is bountiful with many places to stay including hotels, bunkhouses, Bed and Breakfasts, campsites and even yurts and shepherds huts. The staff were welcoming and kind, the roast dinner was delicious, and it was generally a cool, historic place to spend time in. For starters Im terrified of spiders and hopelessly squeamish. 5. It is wooded, with a defined ridge along which the South Downs Way runs. Arrival day if you need to overnight in Winchester I suggest staying at The Old Vine (140 for 2 people including a great breakfast) which is conveniently located for transport and to start the trail. Subpar gear but superior English weather. July and August are the hottest months and being on the exposed cliffs can result in tough days if you get an especially hot spell. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Buying a 4m bell tent was probably one of the best purchases I have ever made. Although the relentlessness of the hills shouldnt be underestimated, Id say this is a good trail for hiking and backpacking beginners. Plan a cycling adventure today with our comprehensive guide. Three winter walks on the South Downs. The room was spacious with an en-suite bathroom, supplies for breakfast, and a little terrace to sit out on. 4 - People - this is the most populated National Park with over 117,000 people and 2.2m living within 10km. The South Downs Way stretches 100 miles from Winchester to the Victorian seaside town of Eastbourne on the South Coast of England. As part of a small series on walking the South Downs Way, here is my day to day account, featuring green hills, no rain, lots of cyclists, more walking than anticipated and some crappy gear. There is a baggage transfer option if you are keen on walking the South Downs Way without having to carry your bag. Kingston near Lewes:Airbnb in Kingston Another wonderful place to stay! Its probably just as likely youll walk through the rain, so dont forget to bring something waterproof. The downside to having the views is that you are very exposed and this was our biggest challenge as we ended up hiking in some pretty poor weather (it was a rainy long weekend in May). Take any sanitary products away with you to dispose of when you next pass a bin. 9 miles. Ah, I love that. at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne for something nice but more basic (95 for 2 dinner available for an additional 20). Because time was short, we opted to not do the full trail in one go and settled on a 50mile multi-day hike, from Amberley train station to Eastbourne. Friends of Sussex Hospices has . The South Downs Way is a long distance walking trail that runs for 100 miles across the length of the South Downs. Dont let that fool you, though: this walk is still challenging. Plus, its location in the south of England meant that we would be more likely to encounter dry weather. The only other people Id run into would be a couple of cyclists or a lone walker with their dog. uva scott stadium parking. Website Design, Build & Digital Marketing by WRD. Tackle the South Downs Way, the trail on which walkers, cyclists, and equestrians can explore the 99-mile (160-kilometer) length of the national park from Winchester to the chalk cliffs of Beachy . The South Downs way is beyond miserable. Water wasnt so easy to come by on the trail. For the most part, though, I was surprised by how few people we encountered. Day 4: Chichester to Amberley 13 miles (Camping wild camp spot)Camping at High Tittern (High Tittern Lane, Amberley, grid ref. The South Downs Way looks beautiful! However, because most of the trail follows the top of a ridge, most accommodation options are down in the valleys below, requiring an extra mile or so of hiking to and from the trail. This was partly in preparation for a 1000km trek I was planning, hiking the length of Israel. - Jason Paul. Miserable goes way beyond sad it means absolutely wretched. Looks like you had an amazing time and such an achievement! lionel richie lytham st annes. All about my hike on the INT and how it changed my life. There are no natural water sources en route so you are basically limited to filling up in pubs and cafes along the way. We met just three other people that were walking the entire distance, although there were dozens of other people out on day hikes. Subscribe to leave a comment. I felt like I was walking through a postcard for much of our journey. In terms of weather windows from April-October will give you the best weather. Fantastic breakfast with homemade sourdough bread (the owner runs classes on how to make sourdough bread, so you know its going to be great!). You can pack wraps and tups of peanut butter for lunches, pasta, couscous or freeze-dried meals for dinner. Western Downs: Harting Downs to Treyford Hill. This PDF highlights a number of equestrian parking sites, indicating the ease of approach to the car park, the space available for maneuvering a horsebox, the safety of tacking up in the area and access to bridleways from each. The South Downs Way is the most famous trail in the South Downs National Park. There are 1200km of bridleways spreading through the National Park for riders to enjoy - everything from a gentle trot along a country track to a hack up to the top of the Downs. Youll want to avoid school holidays, because the trail gets far more crowded when the kids are on vacation, and that means accommodation is much more in demand. Breaky Bottom Vineyard, Lewes. At the weekend, the trail gets crammed with visitors and dog walkers. Id suggest bringing a buff and a warm hat you can pull over your ears to give your face a break on especially windy days. After hearing that wed walked a whopping 22 miles, she offered us free beer, drove us to the local pub, and generally made our stay as comfortable as possible. For the most part though I carried all my own supplies as I was wild camping so not able to stock up. My backpack weighed just 5 kg and contained very little, so as long as you pack light, you wont feel the need to have it transported. There are also a few cafes where you can treat yourself to a hot drink and ice cream. Honestly, I dont really see the point of doing this unless youre in the U.K. as part of a larger trip and have tons of luggage with you. It is possible to carry a weeks worth of supplies although your bag will be very heavy so planning to stock up halfway is your best option. I think Id be adding an extra day to my trip if I was going to do it. You can carry most of your food, opting for sandwiches and simple pasta meals cooked on your stove at night (ignoring the pub temptations along the way).20-30 a day should be plenty for campsites, DIY food and the odd drink/ice cream although youll also need to add in transport costs (we spent 53 each on return trains to London) and your gear which you may already have. You should take away any toilet paper that you use. Ultra hikers and runners often cover the distance in a 2-day 100mile challenge (hats off to them!). "Each indulgence in pleasure is an appointment made with misery.". The park has a resident population of around 110,000 people and 125,000 sheep. Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. This beautiful trail passes through some gorgeous undulating scenery, between Winchester and Eastbourne. The Shoe Inn, the village pub, is a friendly welcome on the South Down's Way. We encountered far more cyclists than walkers, but only a handful of horse riders. It looks beautiful. Im hoping to walk the South Downs Way this summer and this post was so helpful for planning my days. Home chevron_right Activities chevron_right Riding the South Downs Way. Related Articles on the United Kingdom The Cost of Travel in London: A 2023 Budget Breakdown How Not to Walk Hadrians Wall 15 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh. Thank you , Your email address will not be published. February - April: AustraliaMay: South KoreaJune: The U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues. The South Downs Way comes in at 100 miles and runs between Winchester and Eastbourne through the South Downs National Park. The South Downs Way Route. Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. This will also save you the job of having to hunt down supermarkets to stock up along the way although a couple of the villages you pass have small shops and convenience stores. If you do choose to wild camp, one of the great advantages is that you dont need such a rigid itinerary. An airline once tore a hole in my Osprey backpack and they had it repaired and back in my hands in under a week all for free!). durham ontario police; does maddie know the killer in hush; Ecstasy (noun): an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.From the Greek ecstasis (standing outside oneself). the south downs way is beyond miserable. This quiet and tranquil bed and breakfast is known for the owners going above and beyond, even sometimes picking up weary South Downs Way walkers from the trail! Follow, Or for something really challenging, how about the. The South Downs Way provides 100 miles of the most exquisite countryside in the South of England, particularly enjoyable when explored on horseback. Legally you are not allowed to camp on the South Downs. Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bike. 21. Below is an 8 day suggested route plan for anyone wanting to use accommodation en route. Day 3: Petersfield to Chichester 19 milesCamping at New House Farm (New House Lane, East Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0NJ). In 2013, the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) spent 3m on renovating this 14th . While Im focusing on some of the downsides to the South Downs Way, lets talk about mileage. arduino credit card skimmer. Counting every gram and dont want to over pack if i dont need to. If you are set on walking the South Downs Way at a slight more challenging pace, the below itinerary may suit you better. Peter Owen-Jones takes us into the heart of the UK's newest national park - the South Downs - in a portrait of one of Britain's most iconic landscapes. The hardest obstacle literally was the surface of the track. This would require you to cover around 12-15 miles a day. I can recomend checking out: Here are some useful links to other resources, as well as links to blogs to give you a different perspective from others who have hiked the route: Thank you for reading my guide and I hope it was helpful I really do love this hike and I hope this will make it easier for you to plan your own adventure. All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles [!] Great write-up it made me feel as though I was walking the South Downs Way alongside you! The recommended time to walk the South Downs Way is 8 days, with an average of 12.5miles/20km a day. The South Downs Way has become the first fully accessible national trail! Whether you are out for a leisurely hack or prefer to use the downs for fitness work, there is something for everyone. Characterised by its rolling hills and chalk downland, the South Downs Way has impeccable drainage properties, meaning there shouldnt be any slippery ground or swollen legs when riding the South Downs Way. where did the dursleys go to escape the letters; the south downs way is beyond miserable; 30 . It looks like a beautiful walk, aside from all the pain! The climb was rewarded by views inland across the Sussex Weald to the North Downs, and south to the sea at Newhaven. Your blog is full of lots of information which is great. Winchester to Eastbourne in 6 Days Walking Code: SD7. I carried all my own supplies as I was planning, hiking the length Israel. For women, love your website and specific detail on the South.... Full-Time adventurer and founder of the track of when you next pass a bin plan cycling. 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