Eastbourne never looked sweeter - The South Downs Way Walk

It was almost poetic that we should wake up to this year’s first sign of frost on our last day of the South Downs Way walk. We took the very first steps on the 99-mile journey in the sweltering heat of July and had followed the Way through the changes of 3 seasons.

Southease to Alfriston

The previous day we had walked in beautiful December sunshine from Southease to Alfriston. With only 8 and a half miles to walk it had been our shortest walk so far on the South Downs Way. We saw very few people on the short route, apart from a few horses racing past us up Itford Hill.

The route had also been relatively easy and dry despite the previous weeks’ storms that had raged over the south of England. Within no time we found ourselves enjoying a late lunch and a pint in the toasty atmosphere of The George Inn in Alfriston.

Alfriston to Eastbourne

So it was to the ringing bells of Alfriston church that we set out on our very last 10 mile leg of the South Downs Way. The sun was out again and as we were following Cuckmere river, we could hear the gentle crackling of the thin layer of ice that had covered the small flood lakes. I had heard the flood warnings for Cuckmere river on the local radio station a few days before, and we saw traces of just how high the river had been all along the river side. One of the traces was mud - I was very happy, I had brought my gaiters.

Our spirit was high for the first hour as we walked through Cuckmere Valley in the mild sun protected from the wind. Apart from a steep climb leading up to Friston Forest and another after the forest, it was easy walking and we were chatting about how lucky we had been with the weather.

When we reached Exceat and started the climb towards the first cliff of the Seven Sisters, we immediately felt the wind picking up. But the fantastic views of the English Channel kept us going, and I was amazed how fairly unscathed we all seemed to be as we climbed the steep cliffs.

Then I hit a wall, just before we reached Beachy Head. The wind was now so strong, I was struggling to walk in a straight line, and my legs were feeling very heavy. I knew, we were very close to the end, but all I could see was yet another very steep cliff to climb. I have to say, with my head hanging in shame, at that very point I hated the South Downs Way! But miraculously, as we started the climb, as if to make sure I didn’t give up now, the wind turned its direction ever so slightly to get behind us and practically pushed us up the last two climbs.

And there is was, the view of Eastbourne. Now normally I wouldn’t say the view of Eastbourne is something to get excited about, but at that particular moment, Eastbourne had never looked sweeter!

We still had a little way to go, but being able to see the end point made all the difference. We made it to the car well before the lurking rain started and went straight to The Ranch for our celebration steak and pint.

It feels a bit strange to have finally completed the South Downs Way, and I’m sure we’ll soon be looking for new long distance walks . But for now, apart from maybe a short circular walk after Christmas, I’ll retire my walking boots for this year and look forward to a new year of sweat, aching muscles and fresh air.

Related articles

You can read about all the stages of our South Downs Way walk in these articles:

Sweltering South Downs Way Walks

Lost on the Milky Way

The Walk of Changes

For the Love of Sheep

Devil’s Work?

Crossing the Greenwich Meridian

Eastbourne never looked sweeter

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