FREE HIKE 27km | From Chalk Ridges to Salt Air: Amberley to Shoreham-by-Sea
Details
📈 Grade: 🥾🥾🥾🥾 Level 4/5, strenuous, not suitable for beginners.
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Join us for a demanding South Downs Way hike from Amberley to Shoreham-by-Sea, taking in classic ridgelines, long climbs, and wide, windswept views. This is a big, endurance-focused day built around iconic hills, open chalk downland, and the satisfaction of earning every mile, finishing with a long descent toward the coast and an optional celebratory pub stop at the end.
From Amberley, we dive straight into classic South Downs terrain, tackling a series of iconic hills including Rackham Hill, Chantry Hill, Sullington Hill, and Barns Farm Hill. This opening section sets the tone for the day, with steady climbs, rewarding descents, and expansive views that make every step worthwhile.
After the first major run of hills, we descend into Washington for a brief reset before launching into the second half of the adventure. The climb back onto the South Downs is long and steady rather than brutal, a more civilised ascent that leads us towards the famous chalk rings of Chanctonbury Ring, one of the most recognisable landmarks on the Downs.
From here, the route continues along the high ridge, with the landscape opening up in every direction. Expect big skies, exposed paths, and plenty of wind if the weather decides to remind us where we are. This section is all about endurance, rhythm, and soaking in the scale of the Downs.
As we begin our long descent toward the coast, there is an optional visit to the striking grounds of Lancing College, perched dramatically above the River Adur. Depending on conditions and muddy footwear, we may admire the grounds from outside rather than going in.
The scenery gradually softens as we approach Shoreham-by-Sea, where the fresh sea air rolls in and the path follows the river towards the town.
We finish in Shoreham-by-Sea, with an optional pub stop to celebrate the day before hopping on the train home.
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🔴 IMPORTANT: This hike is unapologetically about hills, endurance, and wide, windy views. It is challenging, rewarding, and deeply satisfying, designed for experienced walkers who enjoy earning their coastal finish line step by step.
This is a demanding hike and is not suitable for beginners or for those who struggle to maintain a brisk, sustained pace. There are no easy exit points along the route, so please carefully assess your fitness before signing up. Appropriate clothing and equipment are essential.
If you are unable to keep up with the group pace, you will be expected to navigate your own way independently, as the entire group cannot slow significantly for individual fitness limitations.
This is a point-to-point walk. Amberley and Shoreham-by-Sea are not on the same train line, so please plan your travel accordingly. For London travellers, Southern Rail DaySave tickets or Advance purchase options are recommended to help reduce travel costs.
✅ WHO CAN JOIN:
- Adults aged 21 and over. No children. No pets.
🚗 BY CAR:
This is a point-to-point walk and is not recommended for those who require an easy return to the start by car. However, there is a 51-minute train journey from Shoreham-by-Sea to Amberley.
🚂 TRAINS FROM LONDON:
💚 Option 1: Signup for group tickets HERE
💛 Option 2: Buy an Advance single from London to Amberley and an Advance single from Shoreham-by-Sea to London a couple of weeks in advance (around £8 each way, £16 total).
💙 Option 3: You may be able to buy a £26.70 return from London Victoria to Angmering, which should cover both journeys, but please check with National Rail staff or helpline before purchase to avoid issues.
🚂 TRAINS FROM THE SOUTH:
- Direct trains from Bognor Regis to Amberley
📍 MEETING POINT OPTIOPN 1 (Hike start location):
📍 MEETING POINT OPTION 2 (London group travel):
AdrianB will be at the meeting point to act as a focal point for the group.
- 08:00 - London Victoria ticket office
- 08:15 - Leave meeting point and board the train
- 08:35 - Train departs London Victoria
- 09:58 - Train arrives at Amberley
- If coming from Brighton, Bognor Regis, train arrives at Amberley 09:48
🚶 WALK STARTS:
🏁 WALK FINISHES:
- 17:30 - Shoreham-by-Sea railway station
↩️ RETURN TRAINS
- 17:12 train to London Victoria, arrive 18:28 (optimistic)
- 17:42 train to London Victoria, arrive 18:58 (realistic)
- Regular direct trains to: London, Chichester, Brighton and Worthing
- From Shorham-by-sea to Bognor Regis, change at Barnham
- From Shorham-by-sea to Amberley, change at Ford
🍔 LUNCH:
Bring a packed lunch and some snacks. We will stop out in the wilderness, proper hiker style, so bring an insulated sit pad and a warm drink. There are no water refill points along the route, so please carry enough water for the entire hike.
💰 COST:
- Free (you buy your own train tickets and food, drink)
🚻 TOILETS:
- Toilets on the train before the hike starts.
- Nature breaks during the hike as needed.
💪 TERRAIN, CONDITIONS AND DIFFICULTY:
- Distance: approx. 27 km (16.8 miles)
- Difficulty: STRENUOUS
- Ascent/Descent: 612 m up / 620 m down
- Max/Min elevation: 236 m / -2 m
- Average pace: 4.2 to 5.5 km per hour. This is a purposeful, brisk hike and may feel challenging for some.
- Walking time: around 6.5 hours
- Total duration (including breaks): about 7.5 hours
- Terrain: Expect a varied winter day on the South Downs Way, with a mix of steep ascents, exposed open downland, sheltered woodland sections, and uneven gravel tracks. The route involves gentle but persistent climbs and descents rather than sharp, technical ascents, following broad ridgelines and escarpments that can be very exposed to cold winds and driving rain. Underfoot, chalky paths are likely to be wet, greasy, and slippery, while grassy tracks and farm paths may be muddy, rutted, or waterlogged, with occasional quiet country lanes near villages. Overall, the terrain is not technical but can feel physically demanding in winter due to cumulative elevation gain, wind chill, and wet conditions, making warm layers, waterproofs, and good footwear essential.
🎒 WHAT TO BRING:
- Packed lunch, snacks, and at least 2 litres of water
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Layers and waterproofs
- A warm layer such as a fleece or insulating jacket
- Sun protection
- Personal medication
- Basic first aid and blister plasters
- Optional walking poles (recommended for some descents)
- Fully charged phone
- Head torch
- Portable phone charger or power bank
- Dry bags or a waterproof cover for your backpack
- Whistle for emergencies
- Offline maps or GPS
- Some cash or a bank card
📅 RSVP and Attendance
RSVP only if you plan to attend. Please cancel as early as possible if you can no longer attend so others can join.
👣 Staying Together
You are responsible for staying with the group leader at all times. Please keep others in sight and avoid moving too far ahead or falling too far behind. Faster walkers should wait at junctions.
📞 CONTACT: Please message the event host AdrianB directly via Meetup with any questions.
⚠️ DISCLAIMER:
By joining, you confirm you’ve read and accepted the group policy on the About page. You are responsible for your own safety, and neither the host nor the group can be held liable for injury, loss, or damage.
🍃 We look forward to welcoming you on the trail.