Introduction

The South Downs are a 100-mile (160km) line of chalk hills stretching from the historic city of Winchester, in Hampshire, across Sussex to the Pevensey Levels by Eastbourne. For centuries travellers and traders have used the spine of the Downs as a route from one village to the next.

            Today that route is still used by walkers, outdoor enthusiasts and others who simply need to escape from box-like offices in congested towns and cities. London, Brighton, Southampton and other urban areas are all within an hour or two of the South Downs, making these beautiful windswept hills an important recreational area for the millions who live in the region.

            A traverse from one end to the other following the national South Downs Way trail is a great way of experiencing this beautiful landscape with its mixture of rolling hills, steep hanging woodland and windswept fields of corn. Add to this the incredible number of pretty Sussex and Hampshire villages with their friendly old pubs, thatched cottages and gardens bursting with blooms of foxgloves and hollyhocks and one begins to understand the appeal of the Downs as a walking destination.

            The South Downs Way begins in the cathedral city of Winchester from where it heads across rolling hills and the Meon Valley with its lazy, reed-fringed chalk-bed river and charming villages. At Butser Hill the Way reaches the highest point of the Downs with views as far as the Isle of Wight and, in the other direction, the North Downs. Continuing along the top of the ridge the Way passes through ancient stands of mixed woodland, past the Roman villa at Bignor and on towards the sandstone cottages of Amberley. Close by is the fascinating town of Arundel with its grand cathedral and even grander castle rising above the trees on the banks of the River Arun. Then it is on to Chanctonbury Ring with its fine views across the Weald of Sussex. The next stretch climbs past the deep valley of Devil’s Dyke and over Ditchling Beacon to Lewes with its crooked old timber-framed buildings and the famous Harvey’s Brewery.

            Finally, the path reaches the narrow little lanes of Alfriston with more historic pubs than one has any right to expect in such a small village. The walk’s grand finale includes the meandering Cuckmere River and the roller-coaster Seven Sisters chalk cliffs – before reaching the final great viewpoint of Beachy Head, overlooking the seaside town of Eastbourne.

            Walking the South Downs Way can easily be fitted into a week’s holiday but you should allow more time for excursions to the many nearby places of interest such as Arundel, Lewes and Winchester itself ... not to mention the lure of all those enchanting village pubs that are bound to make the trip rather longer than intended!

About this book

This guidebook contains all the information you need; the hard work has been done for you so you can plan your trip from home without the usual pile of books, maps, guides and tourist brochures. It includes:

● All standards of accommodation from campsites to luxurious guesthouses

● Walking companies if you want an organised tour

● A number of suggested itineraries for all types of walkers

● Answers to all your questions: when to go, degree of difficulty, what to pack and the approximate cost of the whole walking holiday

When you’re all packed and ready to go, there’s detailed information to get you to and from the South Downs Way with over 60 detailed maps (1:20,000) and village plans to help you find your way along it. The route guide section includes:

● Walking times in both directions

● Reviews of campsites, bunkhouses, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels

● Cafés, pubs, teashops, takeaways, restaurants and shops for buying supplies

● Rail, bus and taxi information for all the villages and towns along the path

● Street maps of the main towns and villages: Winchester; Cheriton; East Meon; Petersfield; Arundel; Storrington; Steyning, Bramber & Upper Beeding; Ditchling; Lewes; Alfriston; Meads Village, and Eastbourne

● Historical, cultural and geographical background information

Minimum impact for maximum insight

Nature’s peace will flow into you as the sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you and storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.John Muir (one of the world’s earliest and most influential environmentalists, born in 1838)

It is no surprise that, since the time of John Muir, walkers and adventurers have been concerned about the natural environment; this book seeks to continue that tradition. There is a detailed, illustrated chapter on wildlife and conservation as well as a chapter devoted to minimum impact walking with ideas on how we can broaden that ethos.

            By developing a deeper ecological awareness through a better understanding of nature and by supporting rural economies, local businesses, sensitive forms of transport and low-impact methods of farming and land-use we can all do our bit for a brighter future. There can be few activities as ‘environmentally friendly’ as walking.

Break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.    John Muir