Soloing the Seven Sisters
A series of chalk cliffs on the English coast and only a few hours by train from London — the perfect day trip and escape to the seaside.
I solo hiked this one, and it was truly one of the most magical days of my life. Here’s the rundown:
Featuring my favorite photo, shot on Portra 400 film
For my non-hikers and photo-op friends:
The Seven Sisters Cliffs can be reached by car (Search “Seven Sisters Car Park”)! Direct yourself to the Birling Gap, which marks a middle point of the cliffs. Here you’ll find a Visitor Information Center, restrooms, a café, rocky beaches, and direct access to views of the cliffs and the equally famous Beachy Head Lighthouse. If you’re not a big hiker, short on time, or just want to get that photo op, this is the place for you to go. And don’t worry, you will still be able to experience the sheer inclines of the cliffs from the car park in order to get to the viewpoint!
For my fellow hikers and outdoor enthusiasts:
The Seven Sisters Cliffs run between the coastal towns of Seaford and Eastbourne. Both towns are easily accessed by train from London Victoria station, which run from early morning (5/6am) until late in the evening (~10pm). Here are the best two options depending on your travel plans:
1. Take a morning train from London (or Brighton if you plan to visit beforehand) to Seaford. Complete said magical hike. End in Eastbourne, power through some of the best fish & chips you’ll ever have, take a dip in the chilly English sea, and train back to London same day.
I would recommend this as Eastbourne felt like a busier town with more restaurants and things to do. A perfect way to celebrate the end of your hike and explore an iconic English town that even many Londoners visit on holiday!
2. Take a morning train from London to Eastbourne. Complete said magical hike. End in Seaford, explore the town, take an equally chilly dip in the sea, and train back to London. NOTE: If you plan to add Brighton to your UK adventure, then going from Seaford to Brighton is very convenient.
Pick a sunny day! I know this may seem like finding a needle in a haystack for England, but I implore you to keep a flexible schedule while visiting London. Pick the best weather day you’ll have on your trip and run with it! A stormy day is not only not ideal, but it can also make hiking conditions dangerous. The cliffs are steep and there are no guard rails — crazy winds or rain will make it very muddy — think climbing up and down giant slip n’ slides for miles.
Start as early as you can — specifically in the summer months, as the sun will get progressively more intense in the hours from noon to 4pm. I planned to arrive in Seaford at 8am, but due to a train closure, it ended up being 10am. If you’re planning a day trip, this is the latest I would start the hike in order to spend some time before your train back.
The hike is around 6 hours and about 8 miles in length. As a notorious speed walker, my path was around 10 miles in just under 5 hours. Take this at your pace!
Now that all of the business is out of the way, let’s get into the hike:
After arriving at the Seaford train station, stop by a café or the Morrisons grocery store to fuel up on snacks, and head down any road towards the beach. If you feel lost, there will most likely be other hikers making their way as well. Once you hit the beach, walk alongside the coast towards the cliffs. You’ll see a long row of colorful beach huts — this means you’re heading in the right direction.
The beach path will take you to a car park and a sign marking the official start to the Seven Sisters Trail — here your real journey begins. After a short but steep climb to the top, enjoy the beautiful view of Seaford behind you and the cliffs ahead — from now on out you will be surrounded by grassy pastures, the bright blue sea, piercing white marble cliffs, and at least in the summer months, horses and cows along the way.
The trail is mainly grass and dirt, with a stone beach in between. I wore my HOKA running shoes and was perfectly happy. Any kind of running shoe, trail shoe, or hiking boot would suffice.
The cliffs are the definition of “rolling hills”, minus two short but steep climbs from Seaford and Cuckmere Haven, and a steep descent into Eastbourne. Stay hydrated, take breaks when needed, and enjoy the journey! I frolicked all day, running down and climbing up the cliffs, stopping to take photos, pet horses, and breathe in the salty air.
Tip: Find a grassy patch and bask in the sun. Smell the wildflowers and watch as the bumblebees go about their days. Listen to the waves crash into the cliffs from below. Remember, you are quite literally on the edge of England!
The start of Cuckmere Haven is marked by the iconic cottages with a perfect backdrop of the remainder of the cliffs. Congrats, you’ve made it to Cuckmere Inn! Descending the cliff will bring you to an expansive pebble beach that leads to the next cliff. Depending on the time of arrival, you may have to detour and follow the river inland to cross (this may add an extra hour). If it is still low tide, you can easily wade through shallow water or directly get onto the beach!
For context, I started hiking from the Seaford trailhead at 10am, and arrived to Cuckmere Inn at exactly 11am. The tide was starting to rise, but I only had to wade through shin-deep water to get onto the main beach area.
Cuckmere Haven is a fantastic place to have a bite and relax. Perhaps it was the chill of the sea water or the excitement of a minor “river” crossing, but I powered on and made the second steep climb from the beach to the top of the next cliff. Here I caught my breath, enjoyed the unreal view of beachgoers and cliffs past, and had my lunch.
After a few more cliffs, I arrived at Birling Gap around 12:30pm. You won’t miss it, as there is a huge car park, ice cream truck, visitor’s center, the works. Definitely refill on water, refuel on food if needed, and use the restroom here! It’s all natural from here on out until you reach Eastbourne. This will be the most crowded point of the hike, as many visitors will drive here directly to visit.
Craving the peace of hiking alone surrounded by the geographical formations around me, I continued on quickly, hoping to escape the summer crowds. Climbing the next cliff, you will pass by two beautiful lighthouses — one on top and another below, known as Beachy Head Lighthouse.
Once you pass the lighthouses, it’s just you and the path towards Eastbourne. After another hour or so, you will reach the coast guard station at Beachy Head Walk. Here you can follow the main road (Beachy Head Road) down into town. I opted for some additional exploring, taking one of the side paths running down the cliffs until I reached a café called The Kiosk. I believe this path was less steep, but definitely a bit longer. To be honest, I could not believe that the hike was almost over, and thus tried to extend it for as long as possible.
From The Kiosk, follow the road “Duke’s Drive”, which soon becomes King Edward’s Parade road on the map (the Brits and their royals!). This will take you towards the center of Eastbourne. I highly recommend stopping by the Belgian Café for a fresh plate of fish & chips and a refreshing drink. I opted for a Pimms, an English cocktail made of gin, Pimms liqueur, fruit juice, and spices. Known as a “fruit cup”, it was created by James Pimm in 1859!
earlier one).
Walk the boardwalk, cool off in the sea, whatever your heart desires…you’ve earned it! Explore the town, and when it’s time, you’ll have an easy 15-minute walk to the Eastbourne train station.
Note, I arrived in Eastbourne at 2:45pm. I spent ~3 hours fueling, swimming, and reliving the day, catching the 6pm train back to London. I recommend buying your train tickets on Trainline as they’re pretty flexible (I was able to use my 7pm train ticket to get on the earlier one).
To the solo travelers: if you’re worried about going alone, don’t be! There are many solo hikers doing the same thing, and I chatted with others along the way. The trains to and from London are easy to navigate as well. I’ll always cherish swimming and gabbing in the English sea with Harri and Michael, an older couple on holiday from London.
Not to be dramatic, but this hike will always be a defining moment in my life. I truly touched grass — all 8 miles of it — and doing it alone was an incredibly peaceful experience. The sheer magnitude of the cliffs, the unending ocean, the sounds of wind blowing through grass, waves crashing at cliffs’ feet, and cowbells ringing in the distance — it was an indescribable day. Personally, I had recently graduated college and was about to enter a new chapter in a new city. Taking on this hike alone provided an open space (physically and mentally) for me to reflect on the past and feel grounded in what’s to come.
I hope these photos will inspire to you take a hike, perhaps this hike, the next time you’re in the U.K.!
