the south downs way is beyond miserableduck jerky dog treats recall. I neednt have worried, though there was plenty of options for eating! The British summer can always be temperamental, so I know we had a fair bit of luck. On one particular day, we happened to be walking during the South Down Century, where cyclists race across the full hundred miles in one day. Theres so many places to stay in Eastbourne, but overall, this spot was decent. I did wonder if there are many shops on route to enable me to re-stock. A more comfortable budgetIf you want to stay in hotels and b&bs and make the most of the delicious pub meals along the way, you are going to need a bigger budget. The route provides the visitor with the oppor I walked a walk just to the west, the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury, over two days earlier this year. Of course, this figure is trail distance only as most walkers stay in accommodation located another few miles away from the Way. South Downs Way is a long thru hike and bridleway along the South Downs in the south of England. Take a look at our guide for recommended walks. on the England Coast Path. Thanks for reading :-). I was concerned about how accessible food would be on the walk so dutifully packed my bag full of protein bars before leaving. "Each indulgence in pleasure is an appointment made with misery.". Required fields are marked *. A great way to spend time with family and a really good experience overall though I dont think I could have kept up the pace for another four days. If doing a poo, you need to be a decent way off the trail and at least 200m away from any water sources. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, but the pubs are cosy, the locals friendly, and the walking challenging but in a good way. An airline once tore a hole in my Osprey backpack and they had it repaired and back in my hands in under a week all for free!). The energetic can walk the entire length using the South Downs Way. For this reason, spring and autumn are considered the best times to hike, although really you can do the walk all year round. It would usually take a solid nights sleep for my feet to stop hurting each day just in time for me to start walking again. They undulate like a grassy spine from Winchester to Eastbourne, encompassing some of the most romantic, accessible walking trails in Britain, a welter of heathlands and peaks, grazing sheep and pounded footpaths.Kissing gates punctuate the chalk hills, the fields beneath the ridges a patchwork of farmland, green or . Thanks Shaun.happy it has helped with the planning! All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. The walk follows the ridge across the chalk downs, passing many of the . 9 miles. Hotel in East Meon. If you are planning on walking the South Downs Way while camping en route, heres a suggested itinerary you might like to follow. Eastbourne:Albert & Victoria B&B I mostly stayed here because the the rooms looked so old fashionedthat I thought it was funny. 21. 2. Stretching the full width of the South Downs National Park, the trail starts in Winchester, Hampshire. It was a sudden, three-pronged assault on the senses. I set out on 10-mile walk once a week in the two months leading up to the South Downs Way. The South Downs is a long range of chalk hills, and the trail runs largely along the top of them. The route provides the visitor with the opportunity "to get away from it all" without having to travel too far in this busy part of England. The Hadrians Wall Trailblazer guide had been fantastic to use, so I knew I needed to pick up the same guide for the South Downs Way the latest version was published in 2022. To my great surprise, it wasnt my blisters that held me back, but the acute aching in the soles of my feet. Whether you are out for a leisurely hack or prefer to use the downs for fitness work, there is something for everyone. In March-April, when the fields are dotted with lambs and calves, the trees begin to bud. Yes, it was so much fun :-) If I hadnt torn my feet up, it would have probably been one of the most enjoyable things Ive done! And let me know if you are planning to do the SDW! The hills on the coastal section of the hike can feel a little endless at times lots of up and down. Its lightweight and excellent for long-distance hikes. If you have a period while on your trek then you might want to factor this in with rest days. Well, kind of but not really. I am a NYer and love walking everywhere so this has made be consider a new vacation option! Thanks so much! Most of the time, we would have to walk a mile off the trail to reach our accommodation, but some towns can be as many as three miles away. And its so incredibly comfortable! The South Downs Way passes through the South Downs National Park, a beautiful area. Honestly, I dont really see the point of doing this unless youre in the U.K. as part of a larger trip and have tons of luggage with you. As someone who believed walking poles were exclusively for douchebags and grandparents, Im holding up my hands and confessing to being a convert. Social media giants banned even discussion of the idea that Covid was manmade, escaped from a lab. The Osprey Lumina is part of their ultra-lightweight range (it weighs just 770 grams!) The trail can be really busy during sunny weekends. Google Maps is a great tool to use to plan your food stops each day. Did you see anybody doing it while you were walking? uva scott stadium parking. When budgeting for walking the South Downs Way, youll need to factor in: Doing it on a tight budgetIf you are on a tight budget, camping and wild camping will be your cheapest option accommodation will be free or very cheap (most campsites are about 20 a night). 4 - People - this is the most populated National Park with over 117,000 people and 2.2m living within 10km. Obviously, if you arent planning to camp you can ditch the cooking stuff, tent and sleeping gear. If we were staying in a pub, wed simply walk downstairs to eat. Each year thousands head out to explore the trail - this is what they see.https://www.s. Growing up in Hampshire I wasnt far from the South Downs Way. Mai 2022 . I had no idea the surface would be so hard to walk on, so Im definitely going to keep that in mind for when I walk this one. Thank you , Your email address will not be published. Shop the Largest Selection, Click to See! The chalk rock of the South Downs was formed from the remains of sea creatures at a time when this area was the bed of a shallow sea during the Late Cretaceous period 66 to 100 million years ago. The first part of a delightful walking break takes the hiker from England's ancient capital city to East-Hampshire's border, just beyond the market town of Petersfield. No commitment. Kingston near Lewes:Airbnb in Kingston Another wonderful place to stay! This PDF highlights a number of equestrian parking sites, indicating the ease of approach to the car park, the space available for maneuvering a horsebox, the safety of tacking up in the area and access to bridleways from each. I hated it. Walking conditions are reasonably easy due to the fast draining chalk, though some sections are steep. Great write-up it made me feel as though I was walking the South Downs Way alongside you! Dont forget to also sign up to my newsletter to stay up to date with future adventures. Quotes tagged as "miserable" Showing 1-30 of 131. Its about a 2 mile hike to reach the campsite from the trail or you can arrange a taxi pickup. Would you feel safe doing so? Just search restaurant and it will highlight all the cafes and food options in your area. National Trails are long-distance footpaths, with distances ranging from 79 miles on the Yorkshire Wolds Way to a whopping 2,795 miles [!] Youve convinced me! And if there werent? The provision of wonderful restaurants, cosy fireside pubs, rivers, seaside, hills, woods, walks and the transport links from London, Portsmouth, Southampton and beyond means this special part of the country consistently ranks as one of the most popular places to spend an afternoon, a day, a weekend or even a week! the south downs way is beyond miserablebrown sugar pork chops grilled. the south downs way is beyond miserable . We encountered far more cyclists than walkers, but only a handful of horse riders. If you do choose to wild camp, one of the great advantages is that you dont need such a rigid itinerary. If a campsite is a 2-mile walk from the trail this means you are doing a 4-mile round trip to get there which can be frustrating. Just one point, in the East to West/West to East section you state that East to West is the best way, but you describe the West to East route in the paragraph. Using the Plan Your Visit tool on the National Trail website you are able to locate accommodation offering stabling along the South Downs Way under the Equestrian Information tab. Thats part of long-distance hiking though so just embrace the extra wanders into the nearby villages. You might want to factor in an afternoon to explore Winchester as its a great city! Winchester is a wonderful city thats regularly voted once of the best places to live in the country; Eastbourne has to be seen to be believed. Im Bex Band a full-time adventurer and founder of the UKs largest adventure community for women, Love Her Wild. Although the relentlessness of the hills shouldnt be underestimated, Id say this is a good trail for hiking and backpacking beginners. Heres one for all my solo women out there: the South Downs Way felt extremely safe to walk alone. Up there you'll find the most [] The small village of Exton lies in the South Downs National Park, on the west bank of the River Meon and immediately north of Corhampton. Just curious why some days you walked 8 miles and others 22 :). The South Downs Way is one of the 16 National Trail walks that criss-cross their way around the United Kingdom. Take a Look at our recommended walks. It runs from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex.. You can carry most of your food, opting for sandwiches and simple pasta meals cooked on your stove at night (ignoring the pub temptations along the way).20-30 a day should be plenty for campsites, DIY food and the odd drink/ice cream although youll also need to add in transport costs (we spent 53 each on return trains to London) and your gear which you may already have. And same! Start/finish: Plough and Harrow, Litlington . Your entire South Downs journey will surely be more than 100 miles! Not all rides need to be on the path . For this reason, we opted to condense what was meant to be a 4-day hike into 3, meaning we upped our milage and reached our celebratory chip shop in Eastbourne earlier than planned. Day one: 40 miles Eastbourne-Upper Beeding (39 miles on the trail). **MY BOOK ABOUT HIKING THE ISRAEL NATIONAL TRAIL** Grab a copy of my published book, Three Stripes South. the south downs way is beyond miserable kahoot singular and plural nouns the south downs way is beyond miserable By: / best books on amillennialism / finishing touch battery change For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. Not all rides need to be on the path, why not take a leisurely tour between scenic villages on your road or regular bike. Thats why I recommend investing in hiking poles for you walk, even if you hate them. Would you walk this on your own? We settled on eight days for our walk, although by the end of the adventure, we both agreed that one extra day would have been appreciated. But with some considerations. The park is bountiful with many places to stay including hotels, bunkhouses, Bed and Breakfasts, campsites and even yurts and shepherds huts. 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