💎💀South Downs Spooky Hidden Gems 💎💀 ~24km (~15 miles)

GRADE: Level 4/5 - Difficult with several ups and downs
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OVERVIEW
Distance: ~24km (~15miles) - Point-to-point hike
Difficulty: Difficult
⛰️ Elevation gained: approx. ~550m
⏱️ Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours
Total time: approx. 6.5 hours (with various stops along the way)
Pace: Steady and sustained with limited waiting. Moving average around 4.7 km/h (~2.9 mph) on easier sections, slower on climbs and descents.
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⚠️ TERRAIN
Chalk grassland, woodland, gravel tracks with loose rocks, and tangled exposed tree roots; hilly and uneven terrain. The route can be very muddy and slippery during the rainy season, so proper waterproof hiking gear and boots are essential.
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MEETING POINT AND TIMINGS
📍 Start: Shoreham-by-Sea Train Station at 10:14 (as soon as check-in is complete)
🏁 Finish: We finish at Steyning Clock Tower Car Park, approx. 17:00-17:30 and take bus number 2 back to Shoreham-by-Sea
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🚆🚌Train and bus Tickets
- Return ticket from London Victoria to Shoreham-by-Sea (see below)
- A one-way bus ticket from Steyning to Shoreham-by-Sea (duration 20 minutes and one-way bus fare: around £3). You can buy on the day.
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Optional meeting point in London:
08:00 Meet in front of the London Victoria ticket office
08:15 Leave the meeting point and board the train
Take the 08:29 Train from London Victoria (Platform 14), arriving at Shoreham-by-Sea at 10:14.
🟢 Return ticket from London Victoria to Shoreham-by-Sea is £25.35 with a Network Railcard.
🟢 Optional £13 DaySave group ticket option HERE
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DESCRIPTION:
Starting from Shoreham-by-Sea, this 24km hike takes us along the River Adur to the South Downs Way, where we explore new routes. We stop at Cissbury Ring for lunch, where you can indulge in amazing views of the South Downs and the sea on a clear day. Please bring a sitting mat as we stop for lunch at a nature spot. Shortly after lunch, we head towards Chanctonbury Ring (one of the most haunted and folklore-rich sites on the South Downs in West Sussex). We stop for a short break at Chanctonbury Ring to enjoy panoramic views of the South Downs, the North Downs, and the sea to the south. We then head towards Steyning Downland and finish the walk at Steyning Clock Tower bus stop.
We then take bus number 2 back to Shoreham by Sea, where our walk concludes at a welcoming pub close to Shoreham by Sea railway station, and we can relax and reflect on the day’s journey.
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HIGHLIGHTS:

• Shoreham-by-Sea
• River Adur
• Parts of the South Downs Way
• Cissbury Ring
• Chantonbury Ring, the most haunted site in the South Downs in West Sussex (Read more)
• Panoramic views of the South Downs and North Downs sea on a clear day
• Steyning Downland
• Town of Steyning

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Riddle me:
🍫🍫🍫 Question: What building has the most stories?
If you know the answer, come tell me, and you will get a chocolate. Only the first three people will receive one.
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🎒WHAT TO BRING:
- Packed lunch, snacks, and sufficient water (at least 2L), sun lotion, hat
- Proper hiking gear
- Fully charged phone
- Personal medication and basic first aid
- Trekking poles recommended for slippery/steep ascents and descents
- Camera (optional)
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✅ WHO CAN JOIN
Adults aged 21 and over
No children
No pets
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👣 GROUP PACE & PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
This is a friendly, social hike where we walk together and enjoy the experience as a group.
Please stay with the group rather than walking ahead independently, as the aim is to connect, share the journey, and help maintain safety and group cohesion.
Participants should choose events suitable for their fitness level and be able to maintain the advertised pace. The overall pace and schedule will not be adjusted for individuals.
A back marker may not always be present, so participants should keep others in sight and remain within a reasonable distance of the group.
To help keep the group together:

• Faster walkers should wait at junctions.
• If someone ahead is moving significantly more slowly, feel free to pass and rejoin the main group.
• Organisers may pause at suitable points to regroup.

While reasonable efforts will be made to keep the group together, it is neither practical nor safe to stop frequently for individuals unable to maintain the required pace. In such cases, participants may need to continue at their own pace or make their own onward arrangements.
If you choose to move ahead of the group, fall significantly behind, or leave the group structure, you will be considered to be continuing independently and responsible for your own route, decisions, and safety. If you do so without informing an organiser, it will be assumed that you are managing independently.
By attending, you agree to follow these guidelines.
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CONTACT:
Message the event host, Saeideh, directly via Meetup with any questions.
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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. Neither the host nor the group can be held liable for injury, loss, or damage.