South Downs Way Short Break

If you only have a weekend to spare, or are looking for a sample of a long-distance path then this is the itinerary for you. The rolling hills of the South Downs, and its proximity to London, make this the ideal escape from city-life. This tour is rated easy-moderate as it is a short trip, and follows good paths. The walks are undulating though with a couple of short steep sections. Stay in welcoming B&Bs and finish your days in traditional cosy pubs.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

This trip is rated ‘easy-moderate’ overall. The path is on good surfaces with gentle and gradual gradients, other than a few moderately steep sections. The walk to Eastbourne is particularly undulating, but since there are only two days of walking, this trip is manageable for all walkers.

We choose the country hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, and traditional hospitality. We always try and book your accommodation as close as possible to the trail. Occasionally walkers may need to venture a mile or so off the trail as the availability of quality accommodation can become scarce. Please note in some cases in the South Downs Way you may at times be staying in old traditional buildings that might have slightly smaller room sizes than others.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs or restaurants.

Additional Nights

If you wish to add additional nights along the trail or at the beginning and end of your itinerary please contact us. You may choose to add an additional night at any of the overnight locations, all are great places to spend more time exploring. 

The South Downs Way Way is very well waymarked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your cell phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Recommended Reading

Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

• South Downs Way: British Walking Guide. Trailblazer. Guidebook
• South Downs Way National Trail MAP. Harvey Map XT40

This walking holiday can be enjoyed from April to September.  Summer can be hot on the South Coast and very busy, especially over the school holidays. We would advise walking in the Spring to see the wildflowers that coast the fields you walk through. Please note we recommend not starting the tour on a Monday as a lot of the attractions in Lewes are closed.  

NOTE: This trip is not available to start between the 20th and 31st of August. 

Lewes has a train station and is about 1 hour train journey from London. Leaving from London Victoria train station, there are direct trains with Southern Railway up to twice an hour. For more information please check the Southern Railway website.

We recommend travelling by train as it is straight forward and more environmentally friendly. However, if you prefer to drive, there are numerous public parking options in either Lewes or Eastbourne. More information can be found here. It may be possible to park your car at your accommodation for the duration either in Lewes or Eastbourne but this cannot be guaranteed, and there may be an additional cost involved, please ask us about this when booking. There is a train between Eastborune and Lewes which takes about 25 mins should you need to travel back to Lewes at the end of the trip to pick up your car, or you can leave the car in Eastbourne at the start of the trip and travel to Lewes by train for your first overnight.  

Eastbourne has a train station and is about 1.5 hour direct train journey to London. For more information please check the Southern Railway website.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.