WALKING THE SEVEN SISTERS CLIFFS

So, one of my goals this year is to take on day trips and venture beyond London - I wrote about it in a previous post here. Of late, I've really been craving the sun and the sea. The sea is easy to find in the UK, the sun not so much. But when the sun does decide to appear, you basically need to drop everything and run outside and enjoy it. So, last Friday night when the weather forecast predicted a fine, sunny Saturday (halelujah!). A group of us thought we'd take advantage and travel out to the Seven Sisters cliffs for a day out/walk.  

The Seven Sisters – oh my word, what a sight to see! If you are looking for a great day trip filled with sun, fresh air and a 10/10 ocean view, put this at the top of your to-do list! Oh and also keep on reading. I have some tips for you! 

Quick geography lesson - the Seven Sisters are a series coastline chalk cliffs in the  county of Sussex (Southern England). Movies have been filmed there including a scene from the fourth Harry Potter movie – remember when they apparate to the Quidditch World Cup? THAT’S THE SEVEN SISTERS! I’VE BEEN THERE! I’M BASICALLY PART OF THE HP CAST! 

The cliffs are a great location for a picnic, casual walk or in my case, a full day hike. Yes, that’s right!  A FULL FLIPPING DAY OF HIKING. 

Now, when I was told we would be venturing out to the Seven Sisters for a walk, it did not occur to me that we would be hiking the entire thing. I don’t think the word ‘hike’ was ever mentioned. It probably was and I just decided not to listen. I knew we were starting in Seaford and ending in Eastbourne… really that should have been the first clue. The cliffs ARE between Seaford and Eastbourne. I even googled 'Seaford to Eastbourne Seven Sisters' on my phone and it still didn't click. The information I read even said something along the lines of, "you will not be able to hike this in 2-3 hours'. If I only had a brain. 

Just so you can understand how big of a "walk" the Seven Sisters is, the drive between Seaford and Eastbourne is a 9.4 mile journey which is roughly around 15km. Walking along the coastline, up and down [very steep] hills is obviously going to be a longer trek; around 21kms to be exact. 

It was a stunning day! The sun…it felt so good to be in the sun. Not for a couple of minutes, not an hour, but an ENTIRE day. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better day. I definitely soaked up all that Vitamin D. Interesting discovery - I figured out that I had not spent a full day in the sun since September. Isn’t that crazy!? Probably not crazy for the Brits, but for this little Vegemite, it’s beyond belief. 

It was also so peaceful. I honestly forgot how serene being near the ocean was and how it instantly relaxes you. There were even some countryside vibes to the walk! I got to see lots of sheep. Just look at the shade. They were not impressed with my photo taking. 

Before I get into some of my tips, I'd just like to be a responsible adult for a minute and point out that these are extremely steep cliffs. I may have gotten quite close to the edge, but trust me, there were people dangling their feet off the cliffside. THIS IS NOT SAFE. DO NOT DO IT. Just thinking about it gives me the tingles! Safety first, people. 

So, I do have some tips for hiking the Seven Sisters. They are probably basic and self explanatory, but whatever: 

TIP ONE
Research. Seems pretty simple, but trust me, some people (ha! me) don’t bother researching before doing something like this. Look at forums or reviews before you go. There are some steeeeep hills and they may not be to everyone's taste. You can also research the trail and choose a different end or starting point. There are a few stops along the hike where you can get a bus to Eastbourne or even to Brighton.

TIP TWO

Snacks! Pack all the healthy snacks that will sustain you for the day. If you do the full hike, you may or may not pass a cheeky pub or ice cream van along the way. Stop and enjoy, don't get me wrong! But I think it's best to pack in advance and enjoy a treat at the end.

TIP THREE

Make sure the weather is good. Don't risk it. I honestly think that if it was an overcast day with scattered showers, it wouldn't have been as enjoyable. Particularly in winter. The all-day sun definitely made the journey worth it.

TIP FOUR

Wear proper hiking/sports shoes! Perhaps even shoes you are prepared to ruin. I stupidly wore New Balance (suede) sneakers, because you know, I thought it was a casual walk, and they were covered in mud by the end of it. Also, my feet were killing me. New Balance are great casual walking shoes, but they are not designed for hiking.

TIP FIVE

Treat yourself at the end of the hike! That’s right. TREAT. YO’. SELF. Ice cream, a burger, a bottle glass of wine. It's all about making yourself feel like an absolute winner. You'll feel like you’ve earned it because you've walked off a million calories.

So, to quickly summarise the day trip:

Was I expecting to hike for a full day? No. 

Did I question it? Can’t remember. 

Could I walk at the end of the day? Barely. 

Was I hungry that night? Yes. I ate Nandos. 

Did I treat myself to an ice cream? The next day. 

Did I love it? Hells yeah.

Would I recommend it? 100%

Until next time... baiiiii! xx