It has to be said that the sea remains weirdly warm - still at August temperatures - so should be swimmable, yes. The main issue at Seaford is how big the waves are. At time of writing (Tuesday) this does not look like it will be an issue, but things can change. The state of the tide does not matter at Seaford: at Cuckmere Haven it will be good for swimming after 2.30pm or so (and for the rest of the afternoon).

The 9.54 from Victoria is currently advertised as arriving at Lewes at 10:56 so 4 minutes to connect with the 11:00 Seaford service

The train from Victoria was busy: some who got on later had to stand. We then had a tight connection at Lewes. But 21 emerged blinking into the sunshine on Southease station. Later on the downs another materialised, having apparently got the earlier train. So 22 .

It was windy up on top and I wondered about the state of the sea. Larks were singing - fledgling males practising, I guess, as one was trying a wobbling hover. At one point we had to push through a posse of horses by a kissing gate. They didn’t mind being pushed through but made no attempt to move out of the way either.

Getting to Bishopstone we disagreed about the sea state. Some of the waves looked huge to me. Our walk poster got knocked down by a breaker when trying to get into the sea. One person later described the swim as “terrifying”: others said exhilarating. I think 6 or 7 swam in all. I trekked all the way down to the Newhaven end of the beach where the harbour breakwater softened the waves and had a gorgeous 13 minute swim on a sea of liquid silver.

The others went to the beachfront cafe for lunch (Being too late for this, I went to Tesco for a sandwich). Eight (?) of us carried on over Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven. Three of us swam there in an autumnal sea of towering brown waves, lit by silver light spilling between clouds. (There was some cloud in the afternoon.)

We then walked to the Cuckmere Inn for drinks (and one meal) and set off to walk to the Seven Sisters Visitor Centre bus stop. About 40 people were waiting here and the first bus let about six on. Luckily three buses turned up 15 minutes later, and though fairly full, one of them deigned to let us on, after some pleading.

At Trawlers in Seaford we split into eat-ins (two) and take-outs (the rest of us). The train contingent also bought suitable quantities of wine from Tesco (just as much as was needed, no more, no less) and had a trouble-free ride home, both trains yielding up a pair of tables for us to sit at and annoy the rest of the carriage with our nattering.

A great day out. Almost certainly the last swimming walk of the year. Only five months to spring….

Great idea Pete.

As I can't be quick, I may take the earlier train and hang out in the cafe waiting for you all.

Probably more relaxing, though we made the same connection a few weeks ago & it looked like the driver was waiting to see everyone made it. He may of course just been in a good mood!

I think about 12 assembled at Lewes, with the 1100 cancelled & got the 1130 to Southese & set off over the parched hills, luckily with a cooling breeze most of the way to Bishopstone. Here we met with a lone walker, straying from the true path, so 13 in all. Everyone went for a swim by the cafe, including a previously reluctant Australian. After picnics on the beach & lunches in the cafe, the consensus was a stroll down the Promenade & another swim rather than further walking.

One or two walked to Newhaven, some got the TRAIN. Another swim followed by prosecco on the beach & for some a 3rd swim to wind up a glorious day. (drinking & swimming is not a good idea).

Head for home & trawlers queue was to slow. Various food options at the Lewes change were successful. But cancelled trains & a Glyndebourne crowd & diversion via Brighton caused an initial separation,followed by a successful regrouping at Brighton for a jolly return on the Gatwick express.

I think we all had a great day out. sunny ~cooling-breeze.

I know how to get to both these pubs and hope to be on the walk (probably from Southease), so could guide people there or possibly produce some summary directions. Any takers?

Hi Mike, aiming for the late lunch pubs myself, yes. With "feels like -5" temperatures, a steady pace seems to be advised just to avoid freezing to the ground! Should get to the pubs before 2, I would think, ie in time for food service.

...from Lewes...

2 off the train, met by 2 others by the barriers, all fast-ish walkers. We were up on the Downs in no time, and were treated to a weather as windy as, but quite a bit sunnier than forecast. Stunning views and fantastic fast moving cloudscapes were our reward for the 'risk' of going on this walk, with the wind coming mostly from behind. It never felt like the forecast "feels like minus 5". Hardly any other walker was encountered though. We bypassed Rodmell village and pub, as we were too early for its opening and it wasn't our lunch stop anyway, so we just stayed on the SDW for longer before turning down into the Ouse Valley. Southease Station we reached just as the stopping services in both directions arrived, and we then decided that we deserved a late elenvenses break at the YHA Courtyard Cafe.

Sitting by the window, we noticed some rain hitting it. That turned out to be the one proper shower of the day, with some very occasional spray (not) bothering us in the afternoon.

Back on up the Downs, and then diverting from the scripted route to descend (quite scenically) to Heighton and Denton [even Newhaven looked great below the atmospheric skies], where the Flying Fish was the chosen lunch pub destination. We arrived at just after 2. A very cosy pub, with two fireplaces and - admittedly - average food, but it was good enough and friendly enough to hang on for a coffee after the food.

Back up Denton Hill and across Norton Hill towards Bishopstone, while the fast moving clouds were now breaking again in places, revealing some blue sky or some pinkish clouds at higher levels. Now the sea dominated the views, in its stunning milky grey choppiness, with some giant container ships in the distance.

At the end, there was just enough time at Seaford Station for a swift half pint in the station cafe/tap room and to fetch some takeaway teas before the 16.53 departure.

sunny to halfway then overcast with some spray always with a fierce wind from behind or sideways 4

7

3 more did the version starting from Southease, starting about 11.10am ish, one from London, one from Brighton and one from Bishopstone. It was a great day to be on the downs, invigorating and the wind behind us. The views towards the sea opened up beautifully with changing skyscape and the sun rays picking out highlights on the water. Two of us ate our picnic inside St Andrews church at Bishopstone while being entertained by a talk about the history of the church - it's ancient! Saxon,750AD apparently in parts and the newer bits Norman, and intriguing ancient grafitti on a column inside. Third walker had carried on, sorry to have lost you. We went on to have tea in what you might call a quirky cafe that thinks it's in world war two except for the prices. Then on the Steamworks bar on Seaford station, full of football fans but we got a space there with time for a drink and a carry on for one back to London on the 15.53 and the other lefting drinking before Brighton bound.

teacup

Hi. I really would like to go, but I feel uncomfortable traveling alone on train. Someone join me?)

I'm planning to get on the train at Clapham Junction. Judith

Thinking of doing this tomorrow, Sunday, if anyone else is interested, as it looks like being less rainy.

15 on this walk, a heroic total given the dismal weather forecast. But in fact there were just spits and spots of rain on an otherwise cloudy and mild walk. A disappointment after the sunshine earlier in the week, but not a disaster.

We finished the walk over the downs by about 1.30pm. In Seaford it was grey and a bit drizzly but eight nevertheless went for a swim. The sea looked only mildly wavy but was in fact had quite large breakers near the shore, which unsettled some and tipped at least one swimmer over. Getting dry and dressed in a (brief) spell of light rain was a novelty.

One person headed off to walk on to Exceat directly after the swim. Seven of us were led deep deep into the backstreets of Seaford to a cafe called The Front Room, which did nice potato hashes. Some others went to the Salt Cafe and set off for the afternoon earlier than us. One or two finished at Seaford.

After the lovely walk over Seaford Head all of the party I was with would have sailed on past Cuckmere Haven without a swim, but I figured you don’t get that many chances each year for a dip in this spot and went in regardless, prompting five others to join me. There was brightness to the south now and the sea had a lovely soft glow in this direction. The water was peaceful, in complete contrast to earlier.

The Cuckmere River, you might be interested to hear, is now flowing feebly into the sea, but a great weedy lagoon is still trapped behind an old groyne. There was a lovely purple patch of sea lavender. The path along the river was surprisingly muddy - an unwelcome premonition of winter.

The Cuckmere Inn was its usual unfriendly self. Robots would be more welcoming and accommodating than the staff at this establishment, who refused to serve food outside even though they were nearly empty inside but were prepared to come out into the terrace to tell you that your food was inside and then did not stop you carrying it outside. I decided to reward this behaviour by taking my meal dollar elsewhere, but felt sorry for the very enthusiastic and endearing sparrow flock who are thus deprived of sustenance.

Leaving the pub there was the brief shock of discovering the bus stop closed due to roadworks. Luckily the nearest one, at the Seven Sisters Visitor Centre, was only 400 metres away. We caught the 7.09 bus and - amazingly - the 7.25 train.

There was an hour’s delay on the train down due to points problems in Purley, but 17 hardy souls still got to Southease a little after midday. We set off and soon stretched out - or I soon ended up at the back, so I have no idea what happened to most of the group. It was of course hot and sunny (is there any other kind of weather? I have quite forgotten) and the downs were showing some effects of drought, though they were still quite flowery. No shade of any kind, but fine views.

I gather some got a bit lost around Bishopstone village. The few I was with did so deliberately, staying on the ridge rather than descending to the church, which proved a perfectly good route to the coast.

Once on the beach, three of us swam. Delightfully refreshing, still a tad cold perhaps but bearable for a good length of time. The beach was busy but not tragically so. A child kept delightedly reporting that he had found “a huge jellyfish” but we saw none. We had a sunbathe and another swim.

We went to one of the “other” (ie non-Plough) pubs - the Boot? - for an al fresco lunch in delightful shade. The food here was nicer than its rather “locals” appearance suggested and the portions huge. It was about 5pm by the time we set off to walk over Seaford Head (having first checked out the kittiwake colony on the cliffs at the end of the beach) to Cuckmere Haven and up to Exceat, but this is the time when the light is just perfect for this walk. At Exceat we caught a bus straight into Seaford.

On the 7.53pm train home all went perfectly - the morning’s delays seemed to have cleared. The four carriage train from Eastbourne was full but decamping to the Worthing half which we joined at Hayward’s Heath proved an inspired move as this was almost empty. We enjoyed two bottles of Prosecco (between four) on the train as the sun set, a very nice end to the day.

3 people having taken an earlier train from London were able to start the walk at the planned time. Outside the Bishopstone church with its benches 2 had a picnic at this ideal spot but I'm not sure what they did then - on to Cuckmere Haven and then walking back to Seaford? I continued on to Seaford, enjoying lunch at the Salts Café and then to Seaford. This walk is a great idea but the morning stretch is long for a walk start after 11 so although an 8.46 train would be too early for many, it could work better for this walk.

just to alert walkers that there have been two major cliff falls at Seaford Head in the last week or so with large amounts of chalk crashing into the sea. Keep well away from the cliff eddge -25m at a mimnimum.

Sound advice, but cliff falls aren't a problem on this particular walk. You come into Seaford from the beaches to the west, not the cliffs to the east.

Anyone is up for the early start from Lewes?

probably getting later train.

I'm taking the longer route.

At least 3 on this walk. 1 absent-mindedly started a whole hour early (not used to the late start) and walked the main route, finishing at Bishopstone. 1 had started at Southease at the designated time but skipped the loop via Rodmell. The 3rd, I think, began the walk at Lewes.

Mixture of sunny blue skies and windy and clouds.

3 sunny blue skies mixed with windy and clouds

I probably should not be counted on this walk as I caught an earlier train and decided to walk from Lewes to Glynde via the Caborn Mt valley and uphill route. Two reasons for doing this: I've never really liked the "there and back" morning section of this walk and secondly I wanted to get some local information about what is happening about the Trevor Arms in Glynde. I dropped into the village store and was told there are still hopes that the pub can be taken over as a going concern but nothing is going to happen this year. After a picnic lunch at Glynde cricket ground I passed the pub which looks depressingly desolate and I do wonder if the village can sustain a pub/restaurant.

I continued on up the long climb which ends a 100 or so metres from the telecoms mast to pick up the onward route of the set walk along one of my favourite (and empty) parts of the South Downs with its wide expansive views and the sea beckoning you on. Just before Bishopstone on the descent of a track through woods I had to negotiate a fallen tree blocking the path and near the end I decided discretion was the better part of valour when a couple of bullocks took rather too close an interest. I retreated to take the road into Seaford. A cup of tea in the park ended a fine 11+ mile walk which sadly for the time being is a picnic only option.

9 At my count 4 started in Lewes and 5 at Southease. Apart from Pete B, 8 were together for part of the the afternoon. 2 then took a short cut and ended at Bishopstone.

PeteB,

I also negotiated the fallen tree at Bishopstone. There was a local there called Steve who was trying to start up a chainsaw to cut it up. I could hear it whirring away as I approached the church.

I finished the walk at Bishopstone as I knew a train had just left Seaford and the timing was too good to ignore.

Lien