The Seven Sisters are a series of magnificent chalk cliffs that stand high above the English Channel. They are perfect to visit on a day trip from London and are a fantastic place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. They’re one of the best day trips and coastal points in the UK and if you haven’t been before, it’s well worth a visist!
What are the Seven Sisters?
The Sisters are a collection of 7 distinct hilltops that are all next to each other. The bright white chalk of the cliffs stands out between the lush green grass on the hilltops and the bright blue sea down below.
How to get to the Seven Sisters?
The Seven Sisters are part of the South Downs National Park in East Sussex. They sit between the towns of Seaford and Eastbourne.
There are a couple of different option to get there from London:
- You can rent a car and make your way there – the drive is very scenic! One thing to note is that you’ll need to pay for parking and there is limited parking so you may have to wait around for a space. There are two car parks at Seven Sisters to find out more about parking cost & opening times have a look here. It can take between 2-3 hours to drive depending on traffic so I would start earlier rather than later to avoid getting stuck.
- England has great public transport options, so you can get there by train & bus. The easiest way is to get a train from London to Brighton then hop on a bus. To find the best route I’d recommend using Google Maps. It can take around 3 hours by public transport so don’t start too late in the day.
What to do?
Go paddle boarding/kayaking
Buzz Active have a location by the Cuckmere River, which is opposite the Saltmarsh Rooms & Café. They offer a range of water activities including stand up paddle boarding & kayaking, there are taster sessions on certain days if it’s something you’d like to try out. The river Cuckmere is really calm and so provides a perfect location for paddle boarding. For more information check out their website here.
Beach trail to Cuckmere Haven
From the visitor centre the walk to the beach is about 1.6km long and takes around 30 mins. Walking along the River Cuckmere and across the lagoon, it’s a stunning nature walk ending up on the pebble beach. A peaceful place to relax and listen to the sound of the sea.
South downs way
This trail runs for 160km (100miles) taking you along the chalk cliffs with amazing views of the English Channel and further inland. The trail goes between Winchester and Eastbourne and would take 10 days to complete the whole thing. For more information on South Downs Trail click here.
Coastguard Cottages/Seaford Head Viewpoint
From the visitor centre the walk to the Coastguard Cottages is around 2.4km and takes around 40mins. This is one of the most popular places, with some amazing instagram worthy picture spots of the famous cottages with the Seven Sisters in the background.
Beachy Head
From the visitor centre this is the longest walk at a distance of 8km which will take around 3-4 hours. Beachy Head is the most popular area on the Seven Sisters Walk, it is the highest chalk cliff at a height of 530ft.
Birling Gap
From the visitor centre the walk to Birling Gap is about 5.6km and will take around 2-3 hours. Birling Gap is a delightful pebble beach, that is enclosed by the cliffs. It has such a calm atmosphere and if you’re up for it, is the perfect place to take a dip in the sea. There is also a National Trust building here with stunning views of the Seven Sisters
Useful things to know when visit the Seven Sisters
- There is limited parking and it gets full quickly, so you may need to wait for a parking space
- During covid-19 the visitors centre toilets were shut so there were no toilets in the Park which meant holding our bladders for 6 hours, luckily there is a big Sainsburys about a 10 minute drive away so we used the toilets there
- There are two places to eat:
- Saltmarsh Café which offers a selection of sandwiches, burgers, homemade cakes and a variety of drinks
- Cuckmere Inn which offers a wholesome menu of dishes filled with seasonal flavours.
- During covid-19, you could only enter the Cuckmere Inn if you had a reservation, you could make them on the day but I’d say book in advance to guarantee your choice of time. We also weren’t able to just buy a drink and use the toilet since we didn’t have a reservation. (Luckily there is a large Sainsbury a short drive away)
- It is super windy at the top of the cliffs so make sure you have something warm as you might find yourself walking against the wind
- Be careful, the cliffs are a natural geological feature and are no immune to erosion, in fact each they sink by a couple of centimetres. Don’t walk too close to the edge especially as it’s windy so be sensible.
If you’re looking for more UK guides or day trip ideas why not check out my separate posts
