View of the Cuckmere meanders – Seven Sisters Cliffs loop from East Dean and Friston

Hiking trails & Routes

South East England

East Sussex

Wealden

East Dean And Friston

View of the Cuckmere meanders – Seven Sisters Cliffs loop from East Dean and Friston

Hard

4.8

(114)

797

hikers

View of the Cuckmere meanders – Seven Sisters Cliffs loop from East Dean and Friston

07:35

27.0km

530m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 6, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

South Downs National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

5.38 km

View of the Cuckmere meanders

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Cuckmere is a river in England that rises near Heathfield in East Sussex in the south of the Weald and flows into The Channel. The site of the estuary is called Cuckmere Haven. In its upper reaches, the Cuckmere has numerous tributaries of which the River Bull is the most important.

The name probably comes from an Old English term for 'fast flowing': the drop in the first 7 km is more than 100 meters. Near its mouth, the river meanders through the Cuckmere Valley, a tidal lake nature reserve.

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8.69 km

Seven Sisters Cliffs

Highlight (Segment) • Natural Monument

As the Seven Sisters, the cliff coast, which is located between Eastbourne and Seaford, is called. They are the most impressive cliffs of the South Downs in Sussex in the south of England. The Seven Sisters is a chain of consecutive chalk cliffs of the coastline. Since there are eight peaks and seven valleys, it is debatable whether the name refers to the crests or the valleys. According to an exhibition in the visitor center of the National Trust at Birling Gap, the name Seven Sisters was created around 1600. Only then has the continuous erosion formed another cliff, the eighth sister. The historical name has been preserved.

From west to east, beginning to the east of Cuckmere Haven, they bear the following names, with the valleys in between also bearing individual designations. In the list, the cliffs are highlighted in bold:

Haven Brow
Short Bottom
Short Brow
Limekiln Bottom
Rough Brow
Rough bottom
Brass point
Gap Bottom
Flagstaff Point (passing in the Flagstaff Brow)
Flagstaff Bottom
Flat Hill
Flathill Bottom
Baily's Hill
Michel Dean
Went Hill Brow
East of the last rock is the village of Birling Gap, which is severely threatened by erosion. Here you can access the beach via a staircase. Behind it there is the already dismantled lighthouse Belle Tout and then the highest chalk cliffs in the UK, the Beachy Head, below which stands a lighthouse.

Source: Wikipedia de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_(Sussex)

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12.1 km

Seven Sisters Cliffs

Highlight • Natural

Above the visitor center you have a beautiful view of the chalk cliffs.

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14.1 km

View of Beachy Head Cliffs and Lighthouse

Highlight • Natural Monument

This route is part of South Downs Way, a prominent long-distance footpath covering 100 miles (160 km) from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex. Sometimes pretty crowded with lots of school kids.

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14.4 km

View of Beachy Head Lighthouse

Highlight • Viewpoint

The section near Beachy Head always offers a breathtaking view over the chalk cliffs to the lighthouse.

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14.7 km

Beachy Head and Lighthouse

Highlight • Viewpoint

Beachy Head is an iconic landmark close to Eastbourne. At 162m (531ft) it looms above the sea, its high chalky peak easily recognisable. Its name comes from the French 'beau chef', meaning beautiful headland.

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14.9 km

View of Beachy Head and the Beachy Head Lighthouse

Highlight • Viewpoint

This lighthouse was built in 1902. The original lighthouse, that being Belle Tout, was moved in one piece in 1999 following cliff erosion. A new lighthouse was then built. In 2013, Beachy Head Lighthouse was restored and painted in its original red and white stripes.

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16.5 km

View of Eastbourne

Highlight • Viewpoint

From here, just off Beachy Head Road, you are either at the start or coming to the finish of the South Downs Way, depending on which direction you started from. Here you have views north across towards Eastbourne, whilst behind you are the famed cliffs of Beachy Head, and of course to the east, sublime views out over the English Channel.

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19.7 km

Beach

27.0 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

11.9 km

10.9 km

2.83 km

743 m

369 m

174 m

141 m

Surfaces

11.6 km

6.47 km

3.22 km

2.21 km

1.81 km

1.76 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (160 m)

Lowest point (0 m)

Weather

Friday 9 October

15°C

9°C

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Comments

June 27, 2023,Seven Sisters

Return by coach from Eastbourn. It runs every 20 minutes.

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May 28, 2023,🇬🇧 Westdean - Birling Gap - Eastbourne Rail Station

If you like crowds, you should do the hike on Pentecost Sunday like I did. Parking lots and bus stops are located directly or near the hiking route. Therefore, many walkers are on the way. I recommend not to do without West Dean (sometimes also spelled Westdean) on the tour. There is a tea room and take-away kiosk at the …

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May 28, 2026,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Beachy Head und 7 Sisters von Eastbourne aus.

A first-class hiking highlight in GB. The return journey is comfortably made by public bus.

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August 2, 2022,Vom Seven Sisters Country Park nach Eastbourne

First part from Eastbourne Station to Seven Sisters Country Park (Exceat) by bus

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February 6, 2026,Tag 4 am SOUTH DOWNS WAY - Von Alfriston nach Eastbourne

The fourth and final day of the South Downs Way has arrived. We're really looking forward to it, because today, with the Seven Sisters cliffs, the absolute highlight of the entire hike awaits us.

As expected, we start out in the rain and hike through the completely flooded area. The ground is now so muddy that we can barely make …

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