Seaford to East Dean

By Ben Perkins

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This is an exceptional walk within the rich Heritage Coast downland between Seaford and Eastbourne.

Although this is territory familiar to regular Argus walkers, I have picked out some paths new to the series, including a route within the Seven Sisters Country Park which is not marked on the Explorer map.

This is a linear walk between Seaford and East Dean, so you will need to make use of the excellent and frequent bus service to get you back to the start either from East Dean or at a break point from a choice of two bus stops at Exceat Bridge or Exceat Visitor Centre after the first five miles.

1.From Seaford Station entrance turn right and shortly, at a roundabout, turn right again, soon following the road round to the right.

Take the next turning to the left, leaving Morrison’s store on your right.

Follow this road down to the seafront, turn left, walk to the far end of the promenade and climb steps up on to Seaford Head. Follow the clifftop path eastwards, passing an active rabbit warren on the cliff edge within part of the 300-acre Seaford Head Nature Reserve.

After a little over a mile, the path begins to drop down into Hope Bottom where you can enjoy a magnificent view ahead along the full length of the Seven Sisters and the former lighthouse of Belle Tout.

2.At the bottom of the hill where there is access to the beach, turn left and walk away from the sea along the rising floor of this quiet downland combe. After about 400 yards, turn left along an unmade track which takes you to South Hill Barn.

Pass the buildings and a car park and bear right to follow the access drive from the barn out to reach the end of an estate road.

3.Go ahead here and, after a few yards, when opposite a flint-walled cottage on your left, turn right along a track, leaving the buildings of Chyngton Farm on your left. About 30 yards beyond the last barn on the left, turn left along a fenced track.

Just short of a wide farm gate, go right through a bridle gate and follow a left-hand fence gently down into the Cuckmere valley. Beyond another bridle gate, turn left along a fenced path which takes you out past the Golden Galleon pub to join the A259 at Exceat Bridge.

Turn right over the Cuckmere River and follow the raised pavement on the right of the road to reach the Exceat Farm Visitor Centre.

4.When opposite the Centre and next to the bus stop which provides a break point for buses back to Seaford, turn right through a gate into the Seven Sisters Country Park and turn left through a second gate to follow a grassy path, signed as the Park Trail, which climbs steadily up on to Exceat Hill.

Where the path divides, keep straight on, ignoring a left fork. Following the main path round the right shoulder of the hill with superb views across the meanders of the Cuckmere River.

Just beyond the highest point you will come to a gate. Don’t go through it. Instead, turn left with a fence on your right to reach a stile on your right. A few yards to the left of this point, a stone and plaque marks the site of Exceat Church which once stood on this site.

5.Turn right over the stile and head squarely down into a dip. At the bottom of the hill, go over another stile and turn left along the floor of this dry downland valley, New Barn Bottom, with a fence on your left.

After about half a mile, go through a gate and forward, still along the valley floor, passing to the left of a flint-walled cottage and continuing along a hard track to reach the main building complex of Exceat New Barn Pass to the left of the buildings and, after a few yards, turn right with the flint wall surrounding the barns nearby on your right.

From the wall corner, go forward for a few yards to reach a waypost and then bear half-right to climb obliquely up a grassy slope on a terraced path which soon burrows between areas of scrub.

From the top of the hill, follow a right-hand fence to a stile and carry on with a fence on your left which veers half-right to another stile. Continue towards the sea with a fence on your left, then forward, crossing two more stiles to reach the cliff edge.

6.Turn left to follow the cliff path eastwards on an up-and-down route over two of the Seven Sisters and up on to a third where you will come to a memorial sarsen stone and plaque commemorating the purchase of the Crowlink Estate in the Twenties to save it from development.

At the stone, turn left and follow a clear path directly away from the sea. Beyond a swing gate, maintain direction across open downland, aiming to pass about 100 yards to the right of a group of stunted trees on the skyline where another swing gate comes into view ahead.

7.Once through this gate, veer half-right, aiming to the right of a clump of trees. Drop downhill with these trees and a fence on your left. Go over a stile in a flint wall.

You have a choice of two ways down on the other side and yours is the one ahead rather than on your right.

Drop downhill across grass, diverging at about 20 degrees from the wall on your right to find a descending woodland path. Beyond the trees, bear halfright down to a gate and follow a track out to a lane.

Bear right along the lane to reach the corner of the village green at East Dean. Cross the green aiming to pass to the right of the Tiger Inn and to the left of the recently established Hikers Rest coffee shop.

Go forward for a few yards and then left along a path which starts with a high flint wall on your left and a car park on your right. A clear, enclosed path continues out to the A259.

Turn right for a few yards to reach the bus stop for buses back to Seaford.