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Day 1

Seven Sisters to Lewes

1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 1
1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 1

Walk the South Downs' Seven Sisters

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 2 hours
  • Free

Photo by: East Sussex,Brighton & Hove,West Sussex LVEP/James Ratchford

A woman and a man walk together on a headland with chalk cliffs beyond

Start your adventure with one of the South Down’s top walks, through the famous Seven Sisters Country Park. Stretching between Eastbourne and Seaford, this coastline runs along the famous white cliffs. It’s flat but often windy, and you can choose between a short ramble, a round-trip or walk to Seaford – before catching the train back to Eastbourne.

2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 1
2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 1

Take a tour of Rathfinny Wine Estate

  • Eatery
  • Suggested time at location: 1 hour

Next, head to Rathfinny Wine Estate to sample some of England’s finest sparkling wine. Take a tour of this B-Corp winery and if you time it right, enjoy food and panoramic views in its Michelin-recommended Tasting Room Restaurant. It’s one of the best places to eat in the South Downs and hosts seasonal events on selected dates throughout the year.

3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 1
3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 1

Be inspired at Charleston

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1.5 hours

As you drive northwards, keep an eye out for The Long Man of Wilmington chalked on the hillside. Then enjoy more art at Charleston, the modernist home of painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, who were once the centre of the Bloomsbury Group. The house hosts an eclectic range of events, from markets to celebrity talks and is one of the top things to do in the South Downs for art and design lovers.      

4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 1
4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 1

Relax in Lewes

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1.5 hours

Photo by: VisitBritain/Olga Chatunava

Girl looking down a countryside road to a village below

From Charleston, it’s just a short drive to Lewes. Wander the town’s historic streets and explore Anne of Cleves House and Lewes Castle, or mooch around its quaint shops, cafes and galleries. Don’t miss Monk’s House, the country retreat once owned by Virginia and Leonard Woolf. It’s home to an instagrammble cottage garden, but we suggest putting your phone down for five and letting your senses enjoy this peaceful slice of paradise instead.

5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 1
5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 1

Dine and stay sustainably

  • Accommodation
  • Suggested time at location: Overnight

For dinner, book into Dill, in Lewes, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant that champions local suppliers and seasonal food grown in the South Downs National Park. Tonight, we recommend staying at The Grain Store, a three-bedroom eco-friendly holiday cottage near Lewes, with panoramic views of the National Park.     

Devil’s Dyke to Midhurst

1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 2
1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 2

Walk Devil's Dyke

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1.5 hours

Start the day with a hearty hike around Devil’s Dyke. This long, deep valley was - according to legend – dug by the devil and was once home to the Knights Templar. Whichever story you believe, it looks spectacular in all seasons, and walking this National Trust beauty spot is one of the top things to do in the South Downs.

2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 2
2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 2

Visit Albourne Estate winery

  • Eatery
  • Suggested time at location: 1 hour

Just north of Devil’s Dyke, you’ll find another of the South Down National Park’s top wineries – Albourne Estate. Pop into the shop, or try its award-winning vintages on a wine-tasting experience. You can also take a self-guided ramble around the vineyard.

3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 2
3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 2

All aboard in Arundel

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1.5 hours
  • Free

Photo by: VisitBritain

Rear view of man walking along shaded footpath

Passing the Iron Age hillfort of Cissbury Ring, you’ll come to Arundel, where you can visit its magnificent castle and wander the picture-perfect town – the setting for Olivia Colman’s Wicked Little Letters. If you have time, go paddleboarding on the River Arun from Littlehampton; for adventure seekers, it’s one of the top things to do in the South Downs.

4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 2
4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 2

Visit a Roman house

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 2 hours

From Arundel, head towards Chichester, stopping for a bite at Tinwood Estate’s Vineyard Kitchen in the renowned winery. After lunch, head to Fishbourne Roman Palace and Gardens to discover the largest Roman home in Britain. Here, you can relax in Roman gardens and admire some of the best-preserved mosaics in Britain.

5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 2
5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 2

Relax in Midhurst

  • Accommodation
  • Suggested time at location: Overnight

Finally, drive to Midhurst, a pretty town in the heart of the South Downs. Here you can take your pick from great places to eat and drink: from gastro pubs to the fine-dining flair of Park House Hotel and Spa, where you can also stay. For a more rustic experience, check out Treehouse Retreats’ cosy treehouses that are hidden in ancient woodland.

Midhurst to Winchester

1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 3
1 Trip item 1 of 5 for day 3

Explore Midhurst

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1 hour
  • Free

Stroll the streets of Midhurst, which are full of boutiques, country stores, cafés and pubs – and follow its town trail, a feast of medieval, Georgian and Victorian architecture. There are more than 100 listed buildings to spot, how many will you tick off? 

2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 3
2 Trip item 2 of 5 for day 3

Take a pit-stop in Petworth

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1 hour
  • Free

Photo by: Christopher Ison/Newlands House Gallery

Newlands House Gallery

Not far from Midhurst, you’ll come to another market town: Petworth, whose cobbled streets are packed with antiques shops, boutiques and artisan delis. Don’t miss Newlands House art gallery, in an 18th Century townhouse, which also has a café in its walled garden.

3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 3
3 Trip item 3 of 5 for day 3

Tour Petworth House

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 2 hours

Next, head to the grand 17th Century Petworth House and Park. This National Trust property – one of the best things to do in the South Downs – is surrounded by 700 acres of deer park, and features an extensive art collection and historic cricket ground.

4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 3
4 Trip item 4 of 5 for day 3

Soak up the South Downs views

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 1 hour
  • Free

Black Down, the highest point in the South Downs National Park is just north of Petworth. It’s a great place to visit to enjoy panoramic vistas, fly a kite from the hilltop, or go on a woodland walk. It’s also ideal for stargazing, as it is one of the top Dark Skies destinations in the country.

5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 3
5 Trip item 5 of 5 for day 3

Be wowed by Winchester

  • Sightseeing
  • Suggested time at location: 2 hours
  • Free

Photo by: Hampshire Fare

Hampshire Food Festival

Finally, finish your journey in Winchester – the official end of the South Downs Way. Did you know that the city was once the capital of England, and is also the final resting place of Jane Austen? See her plaque and visit her grave at the magnificent 900-year-old Winchester Cathedral.

Top Tip - Vintage Bus Wine Tour of Sussex

  • Sightseeing

If you don’t need to rush home, hop on a Vintage Bus Wine Tour of Sussex – an all-day guided tour of Sussex’s best wineries, departing from Brighton.

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Photo by: Alamy

Location: South Downs

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Aerial view of a castle and the countryside beyond

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Mother and children walking along a path in a wood in early Autumn

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Two women walk through the gardens of a heritage house