Today, I’m taking you to one of the most beautiful places in all of the UK. The Seven Sisters cliffs: tall, chalk cliffs stretching between Seaford and Eastbourne on the south coast of England. If you’re looking for places to go on a hike not too far from London, this is the perfect spot. I spent the day walking up and down the hills, admiring the views at every step. Join me as I relive that trip!

I had already visited Seven Sisters before, and I will certainly go back in the future. It’s one of the most demanding hiking trails near London, and I love a good hike! Paired with breathtaking views, it truly is a recipe for a perfect Saturday day trip.

Why is it called Seven Sisters?

The name comes from the fact that the cliffs include 7 peaks… Or at least used to! Nowadays, due to erosion, there are actually 8 “sisters”. Their names are Haven Brow, Short Brow, Rough Brow, Brass Point, Flagstaff Point, Flat Hill, Baily’s Hill and Went Hill Brow.

Getting to Seaford from London

Unfortunately, there are no direct trains between London and Seaford. You need to take a train to Lewes – there are Southern services from London Victoria that go there. In Lewes, you need to change to a train to Seaford. Depending on the waiting time between the two services, the journey will take around 2 hours 15 minutes.

Getting to Seven Sisters from Seaford train station

The first stretch of the hike is pretty straightforward. From the train station, head towards the seafront and then follow the coastline walking towards the east. Soon, you’ll reach a cliff with a path leading to the top. This is not part of the Seven Sisters cliffs yet – just another one of many cliffs on the English coastline. Continue to follow the path running along the cliffs, walking eastbound. Shortly, you will see the Seven Sisters cliffs appear on the horizon.

Before you embark on the hike on top of Seven Sisters, make sure to enjoy the iconic view and take pictures when you reach the houses standing majestically by the edge of the cliff. The photos you’ll see on all postcards and fridge magnets from this area are taken from this spot.

Crossing the river at Cuckmere Haven

Now, here’s the tricky part of the Seven Sisters hike. You’ve walked all the way from Seaford Station, the start of Seven Sisters cliffs is just before your eyes… but there’s a river separating you from them. You have two options now:

1. Walk to the nearest bridge to cross the river. Simple! But, the nearest bridge is about 30 minutes away, which will add an hour to the length of your hike (you’ll walk 30 minutes to the bridge, then cross the river and walk 30 minutes back to end up in the same spot, just on the other side of the river). If you choose that option, head towards the Cuckmere Inn. There is also a Seven Sisters visitor centre nearby, with toilets and a cafe.
   Keep in mind that the Seven Sisters hike is quite long, and an additional hour added to the trip can make a big difference. But, this is a safe option, and the walk to the bridge is really enjoyable, as it runs through a picturesque nature reserve.
   
2. If you’re brave and want to avoid having to walk an extra hour, there’s another option. You can take off your shoes and walk across the river. This is only a viable option at low tide. At high tide, you’d have to swim. Make sure to check tide times before your trip.

The first time I did the Seven Sisters hike, I chose to walk to the nearest bridge. This time, I wanted to save some time and planned to walk through the river. I’ll be honest: it wasn’t my favourite part of the trip. The water wasn’t deep – just above the ankles – but the rocks were sharp and uneven. Walking on them felt like getting a rather aggressive massage – and not an enjoyable one. The current was pretty strong as well and I was worried I’d lose my balance. Luckily, I made it through to the other side. The river was less than 10 metres wide, so it wasn’t a long walk.

I wasn’t the only one who chose to walk through the river that day. There were other hikers with the same plan, which gave me some comfort. I’ll be honest, I was a bit scared half way through the river! I guess I now have a cool story to talk about, so that’s something. Would I do it again? Maybe. It does save a fair amount of time. But, I’ll consider bringing aqua shoes next time. They would have made it much, much easier.

Once again: crossing the river on foot is only possible at low time, so make sure to plan your trip well. I can imagine it can potentially be dangerous even then, if you trip and get caught in the current, despite the water being shallow. If you choose to walk through the river, you do so at your own risk. I’d avoid doing it if there’s no one else around.

Seven Sisters Hike

Now, you’ve made it to the actual Seven Sisters. Time for a bit of an uphill walk! The path to the top of the first cliff is easy to find. In fact, this entire route is impossible to get lost on – there are no trees or buildings on top of the cliffs, just a vast, open space.

From the top of the first cliff, you’ll be able to see the rest of the trail. Continue to walk eastbound, and after a longer while you’ll reach the visitor centre at Birling Gap.

Birling Gap To Beachy Head

The visitor centre at Birling Gap has a cafe, souvenir shop and toilets. It also has a large car park, and a lot of people choose to visit Seven Sisters on a weekend by car. At peak times, you may end up wasting a very long time queuing for the facilities if you need them – I’d suggest aiming to get there early, or passing on queuing.

Birling Gap marks the end of the Seven Sisters, but the cliffs continue. You can walk towards the Belle Toute Lighthouse on top of the cliffs, and then further on towards Beachy Head cliff and the Beachy Head Lighthouse, standing in the water.

Beachy Head To Eastbourne

Once you’ve reached the top of Beachy Head, you can either continue walking towards Eastbourne and complete your hike there, or – if you still have plenty of energy left in the tank – you can turn back and walk all the way back to the starting point in Seaford.

To give you some numbers:

• My hike from Seaford train station to Beachy Head, which included walking across Cuckmere River (instead of taking the long detour to the bridge) took about 3 hours 15 minutes. It was around 14 kilometres long. I only took a couple of very short breaks and, generally speaking, my endurance is pretty good and I tend to walk fast.
  If I had taken the detour around the river at the start of the hike, it would have been closer to 4.5 hours upon reaching Beachy Head.
  
• A walk down to Eastbourne would take another hour or so. There is a direct train from Eastbourne to London, so no need to change on the way back.
  
• Personally, after reaching Beachy Head, I chose to turn back and walk all the way back to Seaford. This time, I wasn’t able to walk across the river on foot, as it was high tide. The complete hike (Seaford train station – Beachy Head – Seaford train station) came up to 33 kilometres and 8 hours, with 960 metres ascent. I took very few short breaks and walked fast. I found that trip demanding – and I lead a very active lifestyle on a daily basis.

How to get great photos of Seven Sisters

Most of the Seven Sister hike guides – including this one – recommend starting near Seaford and walking eastbound, towards Eastbourne. That way, you’ll always have the best view in front of you. However, if you start your hike in the morning, you’ll walk towards the sun – and that’s not great for taking photos. If you’re after a postcard-perfect picture of the Seven Sisters taken from Cuckmere Cottages, you’ll need to aim to be there in the afternoon, when the sun has shifted to the other side. Consider starting your hike in Eastbourne and walking towards Seaford in that case.

Safety first!

If you choose to do the Seven Sisters hike, make sure to prioritise your safety. There are no fences or railings stopping you from reaching the cliff edge. One step too far and you may fall and die. So please – don’t do anything stupid! A cool photo for your social media isn’t worth risking your life. The vast plains on top of the cliffs are hundreds of metres wide. There’s no reason to walk by the very edge. As long as you apply common sense and stay away from the edge, the trail is perfectly safe.

Additionally, keep in mind that the cliffs are made of chalk. And chalk is crumbly. Keeping away from the edge doesn’t mean just keeping away from the actual edge. You should always keep a few metres away, in case part of the cliff breaks off.

Conclusion

The majestic Seven Sisters are one of the most beautiful places in the UK, in my opinion. For a country that’s pretty flat, that trail provides a decently demanding hiking opportunity. I was in pain the next day! But, it was 100% worth it. The views were stunning and I will definitely go there again.

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