Jevington and East Dean

By Ben Perkins

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The charming village green in the centre of East Dean

This is a walk linking the downland villages of Jevington and East Dean. Our description starts and finishes at Jevington, allowing a refreshment stop at East Dean where the Tiger Inn is about halfway round.

The walk can easily be joined at East Dean, particularly for users of the excellent bus service along the A259 coast road where there is a bus stop at point 4.

An initial climb out of Jevington on the South Downs Way is followed by an airy, high-level walk towards the sea along the ridge of Willingdon Hill.

Encircling the built-up area of Friston to reach East Dean, the return journey seeks the leafy shelter of Friston Forest.

It is a fairly strenuous walk but none of the climbs are particularly steep and the going is good throughout, using clear paths and downland tracks with rewarding views.

1. From the Jevington village car park return to the road and turn left.

After a few yards, turn right along Eastbourne Lane, signed as the South Downs Way. The lane soon becomes a rough track which climbs steadily. It is lined by high banks then opens out to give ever-widening views.

2. Towards the top of the hill, at a meeting of four ways, turn right through a gate and go ahead along an unfenced track which heads generally south-east along the ridge of Willingdon Hill.

From this path, there are good views back across Jevington to the Downs rising behind the village and, further away, the distinctive whaleback profile of Firle Beacon.

Approaching a small brick shed, ignoring a signed path off to the left, continue ahead along the ridge, signposted to Friston and East Dean, crossing high, open downland.

3. At a crossing fence turn right, keeping this fence on your left. After 150 yards, go left through a gate and head for the sea once more, still beside a left-hand fence.

As you approach the first houses at Friston, ignore the gate ahead. Instead, go left through another gate and immediately turn right to walk along the top edge of a sloping field with the built-up area nearby on your right.

Towards the field corner, bear left with the trodden path, following it through a dip and up to join a drive to the left of a house and garden. Continue to a second gate before turning right. Follow this path on to Downs View Lane to join the A259.

4. Turn left beside the main road where there is a good grass verge. After about 100 yards, turn right through a bridle gate and climb beside a right-hand fence.

After about 350 yards, turn right through a gate, signposted to Birling Farm and Belle Tout.

Now walk parallel to the fence on your right across undulating ground. Ignore a bridle gate in this fence, continuing beside the fence, soon with a good view ahead to Birling Gap and the old Beachy Head lighthouse at Belle Tout, now a private residence.

Approaching a flint wall in front of you, bear right through a gate and follow a path which passes to the right of a copse. It takes you out past the buildings and along the drive from Birling Manor to join a road next to the South Downs Sheep Centre, open during the summer months and a good place for a family outing, particularly at lambing time.

Bear right along the road into East Dean. Soon after passing the first houses of the village, fork left along Lower Street, passing the church on your left, noted for its rather oddly-positioned Norman tower, tucked down at the side of the nave.

5. Pass to the left of the village green, an attractive but sometimes busy spot, particularly during the summer months when visitors spill out from the Tiger Inn on to the green.

Shortly, where the lane curves round to the right, go ahead along a concrete drive to reach a gate providing access into the National Trust area of Crowlink.

Go ahead on a trodden path which climbs gently up the rising valley floor to reach a gate. Walk out through Friston churchyard to join a lane opposite the village pond and turn right out to the A259 road. The small flint-built church is Norman in origin and contains several monuments to the Selwyn family who lived in nearby Friston Place.

6. Cross the busy coast road, bear slightly left across a triangular patch of grass, over a slip road and into woodland. A few yards inside the wood, fork right, signed as a footpath to Snap Hill. Follow this clear path down through the wood to a stile and on in the same direction across pasture to reach a stile and gate.

Cross a drive, climb the steps opposite and continue down across another field to a gate.

Cross another drive and bear left along a path which runs parallel and to the right of the drive at first and then climbs through a wood. Ignore a crossing path, continuing to climb steadily.

From the top edge of the wood, go straight ahead across open downland to enter Friston Forest. Follow the path ahead. It drops down into a dip where it crosses a surfaced forestry road.

Continue along the wide grassy path which now climbs on to Snap Hill.

7. Soon after the path begins to drop down, turn right along a widecrossing track, which rises very gently for over half a mile, crossing another forestry road to reach the edge of the wood.

After leaving the wood where you have a fine view ahead across the valley, go straight ahead along a clear track which drops obliquely down the hill to Jevington, taking you directly to the car park.