South Downs Way 12-Day Gentle Tour (Hillwalk Tours)

The South Downs Way stretches for 160km (100 miles) along the rolling chalk hills of the South Downs, one of the most important chalk landscapes in England. The route starts in the historic city of Winchester and finishes at the Victorian seaside town of Eastbourne on the English Channel coast, beside the white cliffs of Beachy Head.

The entire route lies within the South Downs National Park, England’s newest national park, and the area is renowned for the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the downland environment.

The trail mostly follows the northern crest of the chalk escarpment and gives a great taste of this beautiful landscape, with spectacular views, wildflower meadows, beautiful old woodlands and charming villages. There is also lots of history to explore – from the Stone- and Iron-age, through Roman and Saxon times, to the age of the Normans and beyond.

Highlights of the route, other than rolling hills and the walking itself, include Winchester, with its 2000 years of history and spectacular cathedral, the Iron Age hill forts at Old Winchester Hill and Chanctonbury Ring, the quintessential English villages of Amberley and Alfriston, the Devil’s Dyke dry valley, the wide ranging views from the many viewpoints along the top of Downs and, of course, the glorious chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head.