Hike from the Sea | Free Hike 35k (21mi) 💪 | Eastbourne to Lewes

📈 GRADE: 🥾🥾🥾🥾🥾 LEVEL 5/5 – STRENUOUS

🛑 FOR FIT, FAST, EXPERIENCED HIKERS ONLY. NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE NEW TO LONG-DISTANCE HIKING.
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OVERVIEW
📏 Distance: 35 km (21.75 miles)
💪 Difficulty: Strenuous
⛰️ Ascent / Descent: 716 m up, 705 m down
⏱️ Walking time: approximately 8.5 hours
🕒 Total time: approximately 9.5 hours

🚶 Walking pace: We will walk at a purposeful, brisk pace, typically around 5 to 6 km/h. The pace will ease slightly on climbs and descents and increase on flatter sections. You should be comfortable maintaining a strong overall pace throughout the day.

This is a friendly, social event where we walk together as a group and enjoy each other’s company. We kindly ask that everyone stays with the group rather than rushing ahead or hiking independently. The spirit of this group is to connect, engage, and share the experience together.

🌲 Terrain: The route follows classic South Downs chalk downland, including grassy ridgelines, worn single-track paths, and sections of flint and chalk underfoot. Expect repeated long, steep climbs and descents. While non-technical, the terrain is physically demanding over distance, with exposed ridges, little shelter from wind or sun, and potentially slippery conditions when wet, especially on descents. The final steep drop into Lewes can feel particularly tough on tired legs and knees.
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❓ Are You Ready?

This is a long and demanding day. You should be comfortable walking for around 8 to 8.5 hours at a steady pace, tackling repeated steep climbs and descents, and still having energy left towards the end across open downland.

If that sounds like your kind of day, you’ll love this.

Please only sign up if you have the required fitness and are confident at this level.

You must be able to keep up with the group pace and complete the full route. If you are unable to do so on the day, you may need to leave the hike and make your own way to Lewes.

Group size will not be increased significantly, as maintaining group integrity, pace, and safety takes priority over numbers.
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HIKE DESCRIPTION
Join us for an epic full-day hiking challenge from Eastbourne to Lewes, a coastal-to-downland traverse that starts at sea level and climbs deep into the heart of the South Downs. This is a proper big day out, built for strong legs, steady pacing, and hikers who enjoy earning their cake. Expect good conversation, like-minded company, and miles that tick by faster than expected.

We begin with a gentle coastal warm-up, easing the legs in along the seafront while soaking up expansive sea views. This calm introduction does not last long. Soon we turn inland and tackle our first sharp wake-up call, a steep 190 metre ascent up Willingdon Hill, rewarded with sweeping views back across Eastbourne as the coast slips away behind us.

From the heights we descend steadily into the picture-perfect village of Jevington, where there is time for a short pause at the tea garden. We then head straight back uphill with another punchy climb onto Wilmington Hill, striding along the ridge beneath the iconic Long Man of Wilmington. Hills are, after all, the point.

Around 17 kilometres in, we reach Alfriston for a well-earned longer break. This is your chance to refuel properly, refill water bottles, visit the shop, eat some cake, or make good use of the pub before the second half reminds you why this is not a casual stroll.

Leaving the valley floor, we take on another serious climb, a 207 metre ascent up the long grind of Bo Peep Hill, before committing to a glorious high-level traverse of the South Downs. The route rolls along the ridge past Firle Beacon and Beddingham Hill, with wide-open views and classic chalk downland underfoot.

Dropping into Glynde, we pass the historic smelting foundry before gearing up for the final tests of the day. The ascent of Mount Caburn delivers one of the standout moments of the route, steep, exposed, and immensely satisfying, before we cross the open landscapes of the Lewes Downs Nature Reserve.

A long, steep descent finally delivers us into the historic town of Lewes, where tired legs, a strong sense of achievement, and the promise of pubs, cake or coffee await. There is time to relax, explore the town, and soak up the atmosphere at your own pace.

A big day. A real challenge. Big views, tired legs, and a proper sense of achievement. Strong hikers only.
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📍 MEETING POINT AND TIMINGS
09:50 – Meet at entrance to Eastbourne Railway Station
10:00 – Starts at Eastbourne Railway Station
19:00 – Ends at Lewes railway station
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📍 OPTIONAL LONDON GROUP TRAVEL
The event host AdrianB will be present as a focal point for group travel.

08:00 – Meet at London Victoria ticket office
08:15 – Leave meeting point and board the train
08:24 – Train departs London Victoria
09:53 – Arrival at Eastbourne
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🎟️ Train tickets from London - option 1
The organiser can pre-purchase DaySave group tickets on your behalf. Cost is £13 per person, based on groups of four. All travellers must start and finish at London Victoria.

Click the link HERE if you want to be part of the group ticket

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🎟️ Train tickets - option 2
You may organise your own travel.
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🚂 Trains from London Victoria
Catch the 08:24 train from London Victoria.
Journey time: 1 hour, 26 minutes, direct
Arrival: Eastbourne at 09:53
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🚂 Trains from Brighton
Catch the 08:56 train from Brighton.
Journey time: 44 minutes, direct
Arrival: Eastbourne at 09:40
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🚂 Trains from Hastings
Catch the 09:11 train from Hastings.
Journey time: 24 minutes, direct
Arrival: Eastbourne at 09:45
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🚂 Trains from Lewes
Catch the 09:27 train from Lewes.
Journey time: 26 minutes, direct
Arrival: Eastbourne at 09:53
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🚂 Return trains
Regular trains from Lewes towards Brighton, London, Eastbourne, Hastings, and Seaford
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🚗 🅿️ BY CAR
Lewes Station Car Park: What3Words
Eastbourne Station Car Park: What3Words
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🍔🚻 LUNCH AND FACILITIES
Lunch at approximately 14:00 in Alfriston village after around 16 km and roughly 4 hours of walking
Toilets available at Alfriston village public facilities
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💰 COST
The hike is free.
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🎒 WHAT TO BRING
Packed lunch, snacks, and sufficient water
Proper hiking boots with good grip
Weather-appropriate layers and waterproofs
Fully charged phone
Personal medication and basic first aid
Sun protection
Knee brace, just in case
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🚑 EXIT POINTS
If you need to leave the walk due to injury, fatigue, or difficulty keeping pace with the group, there are exit options at nearby villages as hike through them. From there, you can arrange a taxi or use local bus services to reach nearby towns or railway stations. You will be responsible for checking routes, bus times, and directions using Google or other navigation tools to make your way safely.
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📅 RSVP & ATTENDANCE
RSVP only if you plan to attend.

Please cancel as early as possible if you can no longer make it so others can join.

A no-show includes:

• Not attending after RSVPing
• Cancelling just before or after the start time without notice

Repeated no-shows or late cancellations without a valid reason may lead to removal. Reliable regulars on the waitlist may message the host for priority consideration.

To keep the group running smoothly and avoid last-minute gaps, priority may be given to members with a track record of reliable attendance when managing places and waitlists.
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✅ WHO CAN JOIN
Adults aged 21 and over.
No children.
No pets.
Advanced strong hikers only
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👣 STAYING TOGETHER
Participants must choose events appropriate to their fitness and be able to keep up with the group, as the overall pace will not be adjusted for individuals.

A back marker may not be present. Stay within sight of others and keep an organiser in view where possible.

If you fall behind or cannot maintain the pace, you may be asked to continue independently at your own pace.

Anyone who continues independently without informing an organiser will be assumed to be managing their own route and safety.
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📞 CONTACT
For pre-event questions, please message the event host via Meetup. On the day of the walk, if required, you may contact AdrianB via WhatsApp on +44 (0) 7438 812 663.
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⚠️ DISCLAIMER
By joining, you confirm that you have 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.