We were drawn to the south coast of England for one reason: Walking the Seven Sisters. The rising white chalk cliffs, located between the coastal towns of Seaford and Eastbourne, overlook the English Channel in a truly majestic way.
Shaped by the sea, rain, wind and long-ago melted glaciers, the Seven Sisters Cliffs are a magnificent sight of contrasting colors.
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The best way to see them – to experience them – is to hike across the top of the sheer cliff walls. The Seven Sisters Cliffs Trail crosses over these undulating hills and the views are simply unsurpassed.
With multiple access points and frequent buses, walkers can easily plan a trip to Seven Sisters that fits their ability and ambition.
We are highlighting the best options – and then showcasing for you how we completed the Seven Sisters Walk!
How To Get to Seven Sisters Cliffs
Getting to Seven Sisters was far easier than we anticipated. The south coast is connected to London by train – and the ride only takes 1.5 hours. Once on the coast, the Seven Sisters Trail can be reached by public bus.
Train from London
We took the Southern Railway line from London Victoria to Eastbourne. The historic resort town offers a few additional sights, so we decided to stay here as we explored East Sussex.
Southern also has routes that terminate at Brighton, the most popular seaside city in the area. Both are connected to the 7 Sisters with frequent buses.
Bus from Eastbourne or Brighton
Once in either Brighton or Eastbourne, there are Brighton & Hove bus routes that stop at various Seven Sisters trailheads.
From Eastbourne, we rode both the 12X (frequent) and 13X (infrequent) buses to access the Seven Sisters Walking Trail.
Seven Sisters Walking Route
There is no right or wrong way to walk the Seven Sisters. The trek can be completed as a one-way walk, an out-and-back hike or as a section of a much longer journey.
In fact, the Seven Sisters walking trail is part of a multi-day trek, called the South Downs Way. This 100-mile national trail begins in Winchester and ends in Eastbourne – so there are plenty of opportunities to extend your hike.
The walk over the Seven Sisters is slightly challenging. There are seven (some say eight) fairly steep hills to climb, but we didn’t find it particularly difficult.
Option 1: Walk Seven Sisters from Seaford to Eastbourne
The one-way walk from Seaford to Eastbourne is, perhaps, the most popular Seven Sisters hike. It’s a 13.5-mile stretch and will take 5-6 hours depending on your pace.
It can be shortened to a 12-mile hike if you are able to make the low-tide river crossing, instead of diverting inland at Cuckmere Haven.
Of course, this same route can be completed in reverse, from Eastbourne to Seaford. However, it’s a fairly big climb out of Eastbourne and the views are not as good as when walking west to east.
Option 2: Trek from Seaford to Birling Gap, East Dean or Beachy Head
You can opt to shorten the one-way trek from Seaford by ending at one of the spots along the route after passing over the Seven Sisters.
Birling Gap actually caps the east end of the Seven Sisters and the walk from Seaford is just about 8 miles.
Continuing from Birling Gap, you can detour inland to the picturesque village of East Dean. The total distance from Seaford is about 9.5 miles.
Walking from Seaford to Beachy Head – where there is a dazzling view of the red-and-white striped Beachy Head Lighthouse – covers a distance of about 10 miles.
There are bus stops near each of these places that will get you back to Eastbourne, Seaford or Brighton.
Note that there is a bus stop in Exceat, which is inland and north of the western end of the Seven Sisters. This will shorten the stroll from Seaford (especially if the tide is high), but eliminates the best first views of the Seven Sisters from afar.
Option 3: Walk Roundtrip from Birling Gap
An ideal way to take in the spectacular views of Seven Sisters from both directions is to complete an out-and-back walk from Birling Gap to Cuckmere Haven.
The roundtrip measures about 5 miles, but bear in mind that you will have to tackle all seven hills…twice.
Option 4: Two-Day Seven Sisters Coastal Walk
This walk doesn’t need to be completed in a single day! Rather than rushing, we divided the Seaford to Eastbourne hike into two days of trekking.
We loved having the extra time savor the landscapes and the opportunity to end our first day in atmospheric East Dean.
Day 1: Seaford to East Dean
After a leisurely morning and a hearty breakfast, we boarded a 12X bus from Eastbourne to Seaford. We purchased tickets on board (£3) with our favorite travel credit card and the ride took about 45 minutes.
On this warm day there was sunshine overhead and nearly a cloud in the sky, plus a steady breeze to help keep us cool.
Seaford: Find the Trailhead
After disembarking the bus, we zigzagged through Seaford to the coast. There, we found free public toilets, a historic Martello Tower (which houses the Seaford Museum) and colorful beach huts along the promenade.
The jetty that marks the end of the Seaford Esplanade is worth a quick look. It’s decorated with a curving ‘Fish Bench’ as well as engraved fish-shaped memorial plaques.
Just behind the pier is the trailhead at Seaford Head West, which is marked with an English Coast Path sign.
The ascent from here offers a first glimpse of the south coast’s characteristic white cliffs. Rounding the bend and descending into Cuckmere Haven, the Seven Sisters come into view. This vista is one of the best of the entire hike.
After snapping a few photos of the iconic Coastguard Cottages (which were featured in the final scene of Atonement), we followed the trail down to Cuckmere Haven Beach.
Cuckmere Haven: River Crossing or Inland Detour
When walking out onto the beach at sea level, the Seven Sisters are an astounding sight. Standing tall and gleaming white, the view enticed us to linger on the pebbly shingle beach.
From this point, you can either cross the Cuckmere River (but only at low tide) or return to the path behind the Coastguard Cottages. It leads to Exceat and The Cuckmere Inn where there is a bridge. The detour is about 1.5 miles.
Luck and the tides were on our side and the river crossing was less than knee deep. We took off our shoes and slowly made it across in bare feet. The cool water did feel wonderful!
The Famous Seven Sisters
Once on the east side of the beach, there are two trails that can be used to climb the first of the Seven Sister hills.
The shorter, steeper route looked like it required quite a bit of scrambling, so we took the longer, sloping trail to the left. Once on top of the Seven Sisters, it’s a fabulous 2.5-mile walk over the rolling hills.
There isn’t a single route to follow. Instead, you can utilize any of the wide swaths of green grass that covers the cliff top.
Just be mindful of not getting too close to the edge. And, of course, stay out of any areas that are fenced off.
While climbing the hills is not too strenuous, we took our time crossing the Seven Sisters. We snapped photos, had our picnic lunch at a particularly beautiful spot and frequently paused to look back.
Birling Gap
Birling Gap marks that eastern end of the Seven Sisters. There, you will find the National Trust Welcome Center – inclusive of a café, museum, water refill station and free toilets.
A staircase leads to the beach at Birling Gap. Although we skipped taking the steps down, the view from the top is one of the best points to see the sheer vertical drop of the cliffs.
East Dean
After a quick stop in Birling Gap, we retraced our steps toward the Seven Sisters, but veered right to follow the path to East Dean.
The route passes through a pasture, so keep an eye on where you step and for the wooden trail markers that lead into the forest.
Emerging on the south end of town, we beelined to our final destination: Tiger Inn. The enchanting 15th century pub is nestled in the heart of this bucolic village surrounded by stone dwellings.
We ended our hike by hoisting an ice cold, local craft beer at the tables on the green. After our celebratory pints, we caught a 12X bus back to Eastbourne.
The total distance on Day 1 was about 8 miles (as we were able to shave off 1.5 miles by crossing the river).
Day 2: Birling Gap to Eastbourne
Much like the first day, we started with a protein-filled breakfast, then got on a bus – this time a Number 13X to Birling Gap.
The coast was warm and hazy, blurring the crisp views we had on Day 1. Since we had already visited the museum, we headed straight for the trail that would take us over Beachy Head and onto Eastbourne.
Belle Tout Lighthouse
The first climb out of Birling Gap was rather steep, but worth the effort just for the panoramic vista of the Seven Sisters. They nearly glowed in the haze-infused morning light!
In less than a mile, we reached the hilltop Belle Tout Lighthouse, which we had seen hovering in the distance most of the previous day.
Dating to 1832, it was decommissioned in the early 1900s and changed ownership several times since.
In 1999, the entire structure was moved 56 feet back from the eroding cliff edge. Today, it’s a novelty Bed and Breakfast with – what we can only imagine – outstanding views.
Beachy Head Lighthouse Views
With Belle Tout to our backs, we trekked east to Beachy Head. Here we caught our first glimpse of the Beachy Head Lighthouse, which replaced Belle Tout in 1902.
After we crossed the top of Beachy Head, however, we followed the coastal path to the RAF Bomber Command Memorial, which proved to be a much better viewpoint of the cliff face and lighthouse.
Downhill to Eastbourne
After Beachy Head, it’s a rather long and comparatively dull descent into Eastbourne. You have an option of trails to choose from, though.
We headed down and followed the wide path through a pasture with grazing horses and views of the Eastbourne beaches.
You can opt to stay up on the ridge and walk another section of the South Downs Way, too. Regardless of which one you choose, all routes lead to Duke’s Drive.
From here, we used Holywell Drive to get to the Eastbourne Promenade and walked the rest of the way on the seaside pedestrian path. The total distance on Day 2 was about 5.5 miles.
Top Tips for Seven Sisters Coast Walk
Before you set off on your trek, we have some additional advice to help you on your way across this splendid area!
Don’t Miss the 7 Sisters Visitor Center
The Visitors Center Museum at Beachy Head is small, but full of fascinating details about the cliffs. The staff are knowledgeable and we found the information about anticipated erosion to be particularly intriguing.
Pack Plenty of Water and Snacks
Places to refill water and buy food are few and far between on the walking route. Be sure to bring more than enough for your hike. We carried 1 litter of water each and topped up at Birling Gap.
Wear the Right Shoes
While there is debate whether this is a hike or a walk, there is no doubt that you will need proper shoes to complete the trek.
We both wore lightweight trail shoes, which were perfect for us. Hiking poles could also be useful and we saw many fellow walkers using them.
Prepare for the Elements
It’s important to note that the cliffs are fully exposed to sun, wind and rain. Even with high SPF sunscreen, I got a slight sunburn.
We saw some trekkers carrying umbrellas to provide a bit of shade, but they would be completely useless on a windy day.
Don’t Rush
The Seven Sisters and Beachy Head are extraordinary – so be sure to soak it all in! Those making a day trip to Seven Sisters from London might feel the need to rush.
If you are limited on time, we recommend just walking to East Dean from Seaford. From there, frequent buses run to Eastbourne and Brighton train stations.
Bring a Camera and Binoculars
For our trek, we used a DSLR Canon Rebel with a 18-135mm lens. It’s a fantastic set-up for capturing quality landscape photos.
We were glad we brought binoculars, too! We spotted seals playing in the ocean and could see better details of the brilliantly white cliff faces.
Be Careful Near the Edge
There are no barriers from the cliff’s edge on the 7 Sisters section; it’s completely uninhibited. The official advice is to stay at least 15 feet away at all times.
Stay in Eastbourne
As already mentioned, we based ourselves in Eastbourne for a few days for our hike – and were pleasantly surprised with all the town has to offer.
Read all of our tips about where to stay and what to see in our article about the Best Things To Do in Eastbourne!
Fun Facts about the Seven Sisters Cliffs
The cliffs are eroding at a rate of approximately 60cm per year due to the natural elements of the sea, wind and rain.
Due to erosion, the Seven Sisters now actually have 8 hills (although one seems to be more of a dip than an individual hill, in our opinion).
The hills’ names – from west to east – are Haven Brow, Short Brow, Rough Brow, Brass Point, Flagstaff, Flat Hill, Bailey’s Hill and West Hill.
Seven Sisters Map
Use this Google Map for an online version of our map of the Seven Sisters below.
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