The South Downs Way Hike follows the National Park that stretches over 100 miles between Winchester in Hampshire and Eastbourne in Sussex.

The massive National Park gives the visitors a chance to escape the busy lifestyle of the surrounding area for peace and tranquility.

What makes this walk unique is it’s walkable all year round. In addition, the chalk ridges the trail follows help to drain and dry the ground, so it never feels too soggy.

The ridgeline provides a stunning view across the English Channel and the Isle of Wight. You’ll also be treated to views over the Wooded Weald and the Heathland Ridges.

During your hike, you’ll see  a vast array of landscapes and protected habitats which include:

• International rare species
• Chalk grasslands
• Chalk rivers
• Ancient woodland
• And sites of scientific interest

If you’re looking for a walking holiday, South Downs Way is a fantastic place to spend your time. But you probably want to know a bit more about the journey, so let’s take a look.

Buy The South Downs Way Hike Guide

What does it look like?

How Long Does It Take?

As mentioned earlier, the entire walk is around 100 miles, so it’s not a short walk by any stretch of the imagination. To walk from one end to the other, it would take you around nine days if you walk 12 miles per day.

One of the great things about this hike is the number of places to jump of the trail if you’re finding it too hard.

The hike itself consists of twelve shorter routes, so you can pick and choose where you want to start and finish. You can check out these walks in the link provided.

Other than the length of the walk, there isn’t too much of a challenging nature to the walk. A lot of it is flat, although there are a few hills to contend with.

How To Get There And Back?

For many people, the idea of getting there and back might seem more challenging than the walk itself.

When it comes to it, you have three travel options to get you there and back from the hike. Let’s take a look at your options:

Car

Driving your car might seem like a logical solution to getting there and back, but there are a few issues with this:

1. There aren’t many long-term parking solutions, and most of them have agricultural vehicles passing through.
2. Once you’ve completed the walk, your car is 100 miles away from you.

If you decide to drive down to South Downs Way, you’ll have to find a place to park that allows extended stays.

For this, you’ll have to ring up the local area to see which places are safe to park in!

Once you’ve finished the walk, you’ll have to get the train/bus back to where you parked and then drive back home. And after such a long walk, this can be a bit of a nightmare.

Train

In honesty, this is probably your best option. Trains run pretty regularly from anywhere in the country, making it super accessible.

There are big train stations in both Winchester and Eastbourne so you shouldn’t have trouble catching a train. And once you’ve finished the walk, you’ll be able to catch a train back to your final destination.

Bus

Catching a bus is another viable option, but it takes a lot longer to get to your destination, depending on where you’re coming from.

The other downside is, once you’ve finished your walk, the chances are you’re going to be a little bit smelly and very tired. So you might not want to sit too close to people.

The Best Time To Go

One of the great things about South Downs Way is it’s not bad all year round. The highest temperatures are around June/July, which is to be expected.

But even during the colder months, it isn’t that bad. It’s actually in the 30th percentile for the most pleasant weather conditions.

That being said, rain can still be expected throughout most of the year, and in the colder months, you can expect a bit of snow.

If you’re looking to go when the weather is at its finnest, try July, but make sure you’re prepared for the worst and check the weather report regularly.

Where To Stay On Your Journey

Okay, so you know when to go and how to get there. But where do you sleep for the nine days of your trip?

Well you’re in luck, this section will explain all.

Camping

There are hundreds of camping spots across the area along the hike, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding them.

The cost will vary from place to place as will the amenities they offer. So before you go, make a list of places you want to stay. It’s pretty simple; just google “South Downs Way campsites” from there; you can use the map to see which ones are on your route.

You could also check out this article for a list of campsites on the South Downs Way trail.

Wild Camping

Now, wild camping is a little bit hit and miss in South Downs Way. Like many other areas in the UK, South Downs doesn’t officially allow people to wild camp.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t.

If you can get permsession from landowners you’ll be perfectly fine. Just make sure you leave the area how you found it.

Other people might try and find a quite place out of the way from anyone that may pass by. This isn’t legal and can’t be suggested. But if you did, make sure you leave it so no one knows you were there.

B&Bs

If camping isn’t your style, don’t worry. There are a lot of B&Bs dotted around the area for you to try out. The best thing is, you won’t have to go too far off the trail to find one.

It will make your journey a little bit more expensive, but your comfort level will be soo much higher than staying in a tent.

It also means you don’t have to carry as much equipment with you, which can make a huge difference.

Where To Get Food And Drink Along The Way

Although you’ll mostly be walking through farmland on your journey, you wont have any problems finding food and drinks along the way.

The National Park includes over 200 businesses, including farmer’s markets, food festivals, bars, and restaurants.

At night you can stop off in any of the traditional bars and be welcomed with handcrafted beers and classic pub grub.

In the small villages you’ll have access to local shops to stock up on for your journey. So you shouldn’t have any problems if you want to travel light and buy food as you go.

Final Thoughts

South Downs Way offers a great adventure for those willing to get out there and give it try. During your journey, you’ll see fantastic wildlife and seas of green fields and woodlands.

The chalk cliffs are something you don’t see every day and really adds to the experience of the walk So, what are you waiting for, get out there and give it ago.