Top photo: Seven Sisters from Hope Gap by Seaford Head. Bottom: Beachy Head Lighthouse
Often, ‘Classic Coast’ consists of the built environment – man-made harbours, houses and hostelries. But occasionally the landscape itself commands attention and nowhere is this more true than the length of Sussex coast known as the Seven Sisters, and their cousin Beachy Head.
The undulating grass-capped chalk cliffs (actually there are eight sisters) are awe-inspiring whether you sail past them or walk over them. If the latter, following the South Downs Way, 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne, do it in that direction, west-east. It just gets better and better. Stunning views both ahead and behind.
The Sisters commence at the Cuckmere valley, where the river (also aptly known as ‘Snake River’) meanders placidly to the sea, and end at the low saddle of Birling Gap, with some rather dispiriting buildings, before three more ascents bring you to Beachy Head. On the way, you’ll pass the Belle Tout Lighthouse (the name is actually Saxon – Bel being a pagan deity, and Toot meaning lookout). Built in 1832, it was designed so that the light was visible 20 miles out to sea, but obscured by the cliff edge if sailors got too close to shore. Unfortunately it was frequently obscured by mists, and its effectiveness reduced by cliff erosion and it was switched off in 1902. Further erosion meant that it had to be bodily shifted back 56ft from the cliff edge; it’s now a B&B.
The replacement Beachy Head lighthouse is one of the few it’s possible to look down on, being built just offshore at sea level.
There is a pub at Beachy Head, where I was once pleasantly wreathed in woodsmoke from the open fires, though reviews rarely rate the food better than ‘edible’. PW