Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk

Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk was originally published in September 2025

Stretching between Seaford and Eastbourne on England’s southern coast, the Seven Sisters Cliffs Hike is one of the country’s most iconic coastal walks. The trail follows a dramatic chain of chalk cliffs within South Downs National Park, offering uninterrupted views of the English Channel and a close look at one of Britain’s most striking natural landscapes.

Beyond the cliffs themselves, the route passes through rolling downland, the winding Cuckmere River, and historic sites like Birling Gap and Beachy Head. It’s a trek that combines natural beauty with a sense of timeless English countryside, all within easy reach of London.

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Quick Hike Facts

• Best route: Seaford to Eastbourne for the big views and a clean narrative arc that ends at a seaside town with trains home. The distance is roughly 21 km or 13 miles with about 500 m of total ascent. Plan on 5 to 7 hours depending on photo breaks and snack discipline.
• South Downs National Park: Seven Sisters Country Park sits at Exceat, with a visitor centre that has maps, local info, and a shop.
• Cliff safety and tides: Check tide times if you plan to drop to the beach at Birling Gap. Steps can be cut off at high tide, and cliff edges are unstable.

How to Get There from London (and Back)

By train

• Trains run from London Victoria to Seaford or Eastbourne with a change at Lewes on Southern Railway. Journey time is about 90 minutes for Eastbourne and a similar time for Seaford. Start in Seaford for the best cliff reveal and end in Eastbourne for an easy ride back.

By bus along the coast

• Frequent local buses connect Seaford, the Seven Sisters Country Park at Exceat, and Eastbourne, which makes shortening the walk or bailing in bad weather painless.

Coaches and drop-offs

• The park notes restrictions on coach drop off and a height barrier at the Country Park car park. Nearest coach parking is at Beachy Head. The National Trust has also curbed coach access at Birling Gap to manage overtourism. If you are organizing a group, plan around these rules.

Where to Stay Near the Seven Sisters Cliffs

• Eastbourne: classic seaside base with lots of rooms and the easiest post-hike logistics.
• Seaford: quieter start-town energy, and sunrise access to Seaford Head West.
• Alfriston and the Cuckmere Valley: village charm, pubs, and access to valley walks.
• Hostel option: The YHA South Downs in Southease is perfect if you are touring the national park by rail on the East Coastway line. It’s right next to the railway station inside a refurbished farmhouse.

Best Time to do the Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk

• Spring to early summer: flowers in the chalk grassland and longer days.
• Late summer to early autumn: warm seas, fewer crowds midweek.
• Winter: raw, beautiful, wind forward. Short days, bring layers.
• Tide timing: if beach time is on your wishlist, aim for low tide at Birling Gap.

The Seven Sisters Cliff Walk: Step by Step

• Distance: 21.2 km Seaford to Eastbourne
• Elevation gain: roughly 500 to 513 m
• Time: 5.5 to 7 hours for most walkers
• Difficulty: Moderate, due to length and repeated short climbs, but the trail itself is easy with mostly grassy and dirt paths.

Seaford Train Station & Seaford Head West

Roll out from the Seaford Train Station and head down toward the Seaford Esplanade. You will eventually pass the Seaford Museum and continue along the seafront, passing colorful beach huts.

Eventually, you’ll reach the end of the row of beach huts and parking lot, where you will continue along a grassy path that meanders up onto Seaford Head West, above the continuation of the beach below. From here, the views back over Seaford are excellent.

Once you crest over the highest point of Seaford Head, you will have a grand view of the Seven Sisters Cliffs. This is a great spot for a photo and snack stop before continuing downhill to the Cuckmere River.

Cuckmere Haven & Exceat

The Cuckmere River meanders toward the English Channel, creating a wide flood plain known as the Cuckmere Haven. To get around the Cuckmere River without having to go at least waist deep in the water is to follow the obvious path that bends inland all the way to the Cuckmere Inn, sat on Eastbourne Road (also a great spot for a drink and snack).

Stay along Eastbourne Road/A259 to the Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor Center (worth crossing the road if you need a toilet break). Back on the south side of the road, follow the South Downs Way Path back toward the seaside.

The Seven Sisters Cliffs

The trek over the Seven Sisters Cliffs is a rhythm game. The elevation gain is broken up into nice bite-sized amounts, but repeated, which adds up.

Haven Brow

We opted to take the gate (located here: 50.76427, 0.15160) that offers a more gradual approach to the top of the first sister, Haven Brow. Closer to the ocean is a steeper and shorter approach to the top. You will descend a short way on the east side of Haven Brow.

Short Brow & Rough Brow

It’s a small-ish depression between Haven Brow and Short Brow, which you will begin another uphill climb to reach the top of. Between Seven Sisters Cliff #2 and #3- Short Brow and Rough Brow, it’s a gradual descent and ascent.

Brass Point & Flagstaff

Rough Brow and Brass Point’s tops are quite close to each other, with a short descent and ascent between them. Beyond Brass Point, you will reach Flagstaff, which is commonly listed as part of the Seven Sisters Cliffs. You’ll know you’ve reached it once you see the Captain William Charles Campbell WWI Monument.

Flat Hill  & Baily’s Hill

From Flagstaff, ascend once again to the crest of Flat Hill, which feels like a little bit of a plateau before the continued climb up Baily’s Hill and back down her east side.

Went Hill Brow

Now for the 7/7 cliff of the Seven Sisters Cliffs- Went Hill Brow. It’s a little steep coming up from Baily’s Head, but a quick downhill and you’re at the Birling Gap.

Birling Gap

Refuel at the National Trust café or head down the steps to the beach if the tide allows. Keep an eye on timings, because those steps can be isolated at high tide. For those who want to throw in the towel here, can continue inland from Birling Gap to East Dean and catch bus 12, 12A, or 12X to Eastbourne, Seaford, or Brighton to get the train back to London.

Those who want to continue to the lighthouses and onward to Eastbourne will continue a hilly coastal walk for a few more miles.

Belle Tout Lighthouse

From Birling Gap, the trail continues to undulate, eventually bringing you up to Belle Tout Lighthouse. Belle Tout Lighthouse was built in 1832 and decommissioned in 1902. In 1999, it was moved inland to escape cliff erosion.

Now, it’s possible to rent out the lighthouse as it serves as a B&B. It is also a great breaking point for an ice cream.

Beachy Head Cliffs & Lighthouse

Now onto the highest point of the Seven Sisters Walk extension- Beachy Head Cliffs. From Belle Tout Lighthouse, continue downhill where the Beachy Head Lighthouse, on a rock just off the coast, comes into view. Then it’s a 140 meter steady climb upto the top of Beachy Head Cliffs, with sweeping views of Eastbourne below.

Eastbourne

From the top of Beachy Head Cliffs, there are many routes down to Eastbourne. We opted for the steeper path, closer to the water that descends down past a pitch along the coast and into Eastbourne’s Promenade and eventually, to the Eastbourne Train Station to head back to London.

Alternate Routes and Shortcuts

• Exceat loop: park or bus to the Seven Sisters Country Park, walk to Cuckmere Haven and back for a mellow taster.
• Seaford Head out-and-back: Best if you’re looking to get the Seven Sisters panoramic cliff view without committing to the full trek.
• Bus bailouts: coastal buses let you exit at Exceat, Birling Gap, or East Dean if weather or legs call it.

What to Pack

• Comfortable walking shoes or boots
• Windproof layer, a hat, sunscreen
• Plenty of water and snacks
• OS map app or offline map, portable charger
• A bin bag for your litter and a big respect for cliff edges

Seven Sisters Cliffs Travel & Safety

• Stay well back from cliff edges. The chalk is soft and collapses without warning.
• Obey closures and temporary diversions.
• If you go to the beach at Birling Gap, check tide times and keep the steps in sight. At high tide, the sea can reach the cliff.
• Consider weekday or shoulder season visits to reduce crowding. Coach restrictions were introduced to protect this fragile coastline.

Our Take on the Seven Sisters Walk

As we took on the Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk on a busy holiday weekend with perfect August weather, we left London around 10 am, not getting the earliest start from Seaford. Gulls in tow, heckling us and all, like unpaid personal trainers.

The first climb up Seaford Head West seemed to be our longest (maybe it was just a slow start for us, as we had one of our classic days out the day prior and were dead tired).

The walk along the Seven Sisters Cliffs themselves, we thought, went rather quickly once we were beyond the Cuckmere River, albeit a constant negotiation with the skyline. Every up buys you a fresh new angle on the chalk and sea, and every down is an excuse to snack.

We couldn’t believe how fast the section over the Seven Sisters Cliffs went by the time we found ourselves breaking for an orange soda at Birling Gap. The next portions beyond the lighthouses went down rather easily, too.

Now for the big mommy (at least as we referred to her anyway), Beachy Head is the highest point of the full Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk between Seaford and Eastbourne, despite not being a sister- more like an auntie in stature. We didn’t find the walk up Beachy Head inherently difficult, just a slow, long uphill at the end.  

But eventually, Eastbourne came into view, arriving like a reward with cold drinks and a platform number.

TL;DR: If you only have one day for coastal England, make the Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk the one.

Seven Sisters FAQ

Is the Seven Sisters Hike suitable for beginners?
Yes, if you are reasonably fit and comfortable with 20 km days. The path is clear and well trodden, but the repeated climbs add up. If 20 km is too much, plan for a shortened version of the Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk.

Which direction is best?
Seaford to Eastbourne gives the most photogenic reveal and quicker access to the cliffs at the start. That said, the views in either direction are drop-dead.

Ultimately, we chose to take on the Seven Sisters Cliffs Hike from Seaford to Eastbourne because we could get the train from Eastbourne back to London direct, whereas Seaford required a quick stop in Lewes to change trains- we figured we would be exhausted after the walk and that we would rather have a direct train on the way home.

Can I do a shorter version?
Absolutely. Use the coastal buses to break the route at Exceat, Birling Gap, or East Dean.

Where is the visitor centre?
At Exceat on the A259 inside Seven Sisters Country Park. Good for maps, local info, and last-minute advice.

Have Any Questions About the Seven Sisters Cliffs Hike?

Ask in the comments section below. Done the Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk? Let us know your favorite parts in the comments.

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