You know those days where you feel unstoppable, blown away by the beauty of the world or just happy to be alive? My day out hiking the Seven Sisters in East Sussex brought me all these emotions, as well as a hefty dose of Vitamin D. I can’t recommend this walk highly enough – and you can make it as long or short as you like, so that just about anyone can get there and experience this beautiful part of the world.
We began the walk in sleepy Seaford on a sunny Saturday morning. If you’ve got a car then there are plenty of ways for you to structure the walk as a loop or to get back via a bus, but as we were coming on the train from London we chose to take it all the way to Seaford, walk the Seven Sisters, then train back from Eastbourne. We followed the Time Out Country Walks guide, which makes it all super easy.
Looking down the coast at Seaford
As soon as we climbed the first slope, my faithful band of friends known as the Sunday Ramble Club and I were blown away by the stunning contrast of the turquoise water and the beautiful white cliffs. There was a small refreshing breeze and golden sunshine pouring down on us – it was truly a magnificent summer’s day in England!
The undulating slopes of the Seven Sisters
So what exactly are the Seven Sisters, you may well ask. They are seven rolling hills atop the white cliffs you see above, thought to have been originally carved by glaciers. There was no ice in sight today, however – just the beautiful blues of the sea and sky.
Happiness is…
The walk is 22km from Seaford to Eastbourne, so we’d made sure to book the lunch pub in and pack lots of snacks and water. Although there was a lot of up and down with the hills, they weren’t often steep or especially taxing – aside from one or two memorable clamber bits! However, this is an easy one to take at your own pace.
There are a couple of options for food along the way – the National Trust tea room at Birling Gap is a popular stop. We had the motivation of our late pub lunch booked at Beachy Head, however, so pushed on through. The walk along these cliffs was by far the best part – after Beachy Head we were basically just heading down the hill to Eastbourne.
The lighthouse at Beachy Head
Heading down to the seaside
The beginning of the Eastbourne Promenade
As cliché as it is, this was truly a day to make one glad to feel alive. It reminded me of how much I do love England, and how it can be just as beautiful as New Zealand or any other country – on the right day!
Have you hiked the Seven Sisters, or another beautiful walk in England?
For more of my active adventures, click here!
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
