Pharmacy student Eva Martin tells us about her favourite places for walking, biking and hiking near Brighton.
One of my favourite things about living in Brighton is that we get to have it all – city, coast, and nature all in one place. Brighton is surrounded by beautiful places to go walking, biking and hiking, but I’ve selected my top two for this article so you can visit the same spots I love.
Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven
This is my absolute favourite hiking spot near Brighton. I normally take the number 12 bus (runs between Brighton and Eastbourne, so it’s accessible from both locations!) and take a long walk down from the Cuckmere Inn bus stop along the river to the small Cuckmere Haven beach, where I’ll stop for lunch and have a rest. Then I’ll walk along the Seaford Head cliffs back to Seaford town to catch the bus back (from a different stop to the one I got off at). Sometimes I’ll stop at Hope Gap along the way, another secret beach location that’s only accessible at low tide! Or when the tide’s high, I’ll spend some time on Seaford beach, resting after the long walk. The entire walk can take up to two hours, but it’s so worth it. It can also be done in reverse with a view of Seven Sisters cliffs in the background for most of the walk – I recommend trying both directions because they both have spectacular views. This walk is also accessible by train to Seaford station, you’ll just have to walk to the Cuckmere Inn from the station which adds an extra half hour or so.
Friston Forest
Friston Forest is also a beautiful place to go walking, and there’s also mountain biking paths. It’s a huge forest so I normally make that my sole destination for the day, but it’s also close to the Cuckmere Inn bus stop so if you’re a super keen walker you could hit Friston Forest, Cuckmere Haven and Seaford Head all in one day. Near the bottom of the forest, there’s also a great view of the river leading down to Cuckmere Haven.
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