Seven Sisters White Chalk Cliffs - Challenging 23 km hike

Seven white chalk cliffs, two lighthouses and 23 km of Sussex coast, Seaford to Eastbourne. Guided hike from London, trains included
About this Event

There's a point on this walk where the South Downs simply run out of land. The hills carry on, the ground doesn't, and what's left is seven white chalk cliffs stacked one after another with the English Channel throwing itself about at the bottom.

That's the Seven Sisters, and we're walking the lot. 23 km of Sussex Heritage Coast from Seaford to Eastbourne, sea air the entire way, two lighthouses, a clifftop lunch, and a flat finish into town for ice cream or pint. Tickets, route and timings are already sorted. Your job is to get to Victoria by 9:00 am fully energised.

This one has a reputation in our group, and it has earned it. If you do one coastal hike from London this year, make it this.

Logistics

🗓 Date: Sunday, 16 August 2026

📍 Start and End point: London Victoria Station

🕗 Meet: 8:40 AM sharp inside Victoria Station (outside the Postmark/Tortilla shops)

🕖 Return: approx. 7:30 PM into London Victoria Station

💸 Cost: £39 (includes train tickets + guided hike)

We meet at Victoria at 8:40 am for the 9:00 am train to Seaford, about an hour and a half with the coast arriving at the end of it. From Seaford we follow the cliffs the whole way to Eastbourne, stop for lunch on a clifftop, and catch the 6:00 pm train home. We travel on a group ticket, so it's a group return: plan to stay with us until the end of the day. Everything else is handled, you just turn up.

The route

The day opens with a climb up Seaford Head, which settles any lingering questions about whether you're awake yet, and pays you back immediately with the view straight back along the coast. Then down into Cuckmere Haven, where a river wanders towards the sea in loops so photogenic it feels slightly staged.

Then the Sisters. Up, down, up, down, seven times, because the path takes every hill head-on and there is no sneaking round the back of any of them. Birling Gap is the halfway breather, with a café if you fancy one. After that comes Belle Tout, then Beachy Head and the highest point of the day, and finally a long drop into Eastbourne where the promenade is gloriously flat and the walking is done.

🌿 What we'll see along the way

• Seaford Head, the opening climb and the best view backwards all day
• Cuckmere Haven, a winding river valley meeting the sea
• The Seven Sisters, seven chalk ridges taken one at a time
• Birling Gap, café stop and clifftop breather
• Belle Tout and Beachy Head lighthouses, plus the highest point on the route
• Eastbourne Promenade, a flat finish into town, ice cream strongly encouraged

Is this hike for you?

Intermediate on distance, challenging on everything else. 23 km is a full day on its own; it's the 580 m of ascent, delivered in seven separate helpings, that adds the second grading. The ground itself is grass and chalk path rather than anything technical, but it's open, exposed clifftop, so sun and wind both get a vote.

If you've comfortably done 20 km before, you'll love this. If you haven't, this isn't the one to start on. We're on a group ticket, so the day runs Seaford to Eastbourne in one piece.

Nobody races, nobody gets left at the back, and you'll always get a straight answer about how far is left.

What to Bring

• Packed lunch and snacks (no food stops en route)
• 1.5–2L of water
• Sun protection, hat, windproof/waterproof layers
• Comfortable hiking boots
• Camera, friends, and good vibes

About us

• Trail Therapy runs guided day hikes from London to places genuinely worth going. Our groups are usually 10 to 20 people, mixed, international, and aged roughly 18 to 50.
• Most people book on their own, which is the normal way to arrive rather than the brave one. There are no icebreakers, and there's no need for it. You're all walking the same direction for several hours, and conversation takes care of itself somewhere around the second hill.
• Photos from past hikes are on Instagram
• Every hike gets its own WhatsApp group for on-the-day logistics, questions and the traditional debate about footwear. We'll email you the link a few days before, so keep an eye on the inbox you booked with.

🍺 Post-Hike Pint?

Yes, please! We’ll wrap it up at a local Eastbourne pub where you can buy your well-earned pint (and some cheesy chips).

Legal Bit

Event details are correct at the time of publishing (E&OE) and organised by Trail Therapy Ltd. Routes and timings may vary slightly depending on weather, conditions, or group pace. Participation is at your own risk — please ensure you’re suitably prepared, dressed for the weather, and responsible for your own safety and wellbeing throughout the walk.