Britain's Best Bridleway The 161 kilometre long South Downs Way follows the old routes and droveways of ancient man along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the South Downs. The route provides the visitor with the opportunity "to get away from it all" without having to travel too far in this busy part of England. The undulating route provides a wonderful trip for long distance riders as well as walkers. It also provides interesting day trips and short breaks

County: East Sussex, Hampshire, West Sussex
Distance: 100 miles
Difficulty of walk: Moderate
Estimated time to complete walk: 72
Terrain details: The South Downs Way provides one of the best long distance trails in the country, but it can be a thirsty walk in summer and cold and wet when the winter gales blow in from the Channel. Come prepared for some of the best lowland walking in England. The path mostly runs on farm tracks and significant mud is rare. Unless the weather is very good proper boots are always advisable for walkers, however. Break them in well before starting! Cyclists should be careful of loose stones and approaching road junctions – wear a cycling helmet. All users should carry plenty of water as it can be difficult to get refill a water bottle during the day. Horse riders might find a collapsible bucket (so they can water their horses from a tap as well as a trough) helpful. The South Downs Way doesn’t have any stiles, at least on the bridleway route, but it is not engineered as a fully accessible route. Parts are steep and much of it is also used by farm vehicles. If you are not frail, then you could consider using a “Tramper” type cross country disabled buggy. Contact the Trail officer for more information and contact details for disabled people who’ve already enjoyed completing the Trail.
Type of route: Linear
Starts: Winchester
Ends: Eastbourne
Amenities available on route: You can find accommodation information on the website below under "Planning a trip". However if you would like a printed version of this information, an Accommodation Guide is available price £4.50 from Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Gravel Hill, Horndean Hants PO8 0QE. Please make cheques payable to Hampshire County Council. This accommodation guide is free to overseas addresses.
How to get there: The South Downs Way is easily accessible from most parts of the South East. It is well served by motorways, the M3 for Hampshire and the M/A23 for the Sussex end. There are also numerous bus routes that cross the Downs and the trail is connected to London by a number of main line railway stations.
Read more about this walk