Everybody who gets the bus out to Seven Sisters Country Park turns right, walks to the sea, and photographs the cliffs. They are spectacular after all.
But there’s a hidden gem walk if you turn left.
The Alfriston and River Cuckmere circular starts from exactly the same visitor centre, takes in the meandering river, a proper old forest, two of the prettiest villages in Sussex, and gets you to a tea garden and a National Trust cottage — and on the day we did it, we barely passed anyone.
It doesn’t take in the Seven Sisters themselves. If that’s a deal breaker, read our favourite Seven Sisters walking routes here.
Where Is Cuckmere Haven?
Cuckmere Haven is the point where the River Cuckmere meets the sea, about 20 miles east of Brighton between Seaford and Eastbourne. It’s the last undeveloped river mouth on the Sussex coast, and the reason it looks the way it does is that the river was straightened in the 1840s — leaving the famous Cuckmere meanders looping across the valley floor beside the cut.
The whole thing sits inside Seven Sisters Country Park, 280 hectares of chalk grassland, saltmarsh and river valley. The South Downs National Park Authority took ownership in 2021 from East Sussex County Council and put nearly £2 million into it — a refurbished visitor centre, new toilets, a café and a shop, all finished in 2022.
New for 2026: In March the whole area was declared the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve. 1,500 hectares running from Seaford to the downland near Eastbourne, described as the UK’s first groundwater-inspired reserve of its kind. The King Charles III England Coast Path was launched here on the same day.
How To Get to Cuckmere Haven From Brighton
By Bus — Take the Coaster straight from North Street in Brighton to the Seven Sisters Park Centre stop at Exceat, and got the same bus back at the end of the day. No car, no parking faff, no one having to stay off the wine if you end up in a pub.
Get the 12 or the 12X. The 12X is limited-stop between Brighton and Seaford, then stops normally. Don’t rely on the 12A — it diverts via Denton and Chyngton and doesn’t run out to Exceat.
Journey time is roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter, and single fares are capped at £3 on Brighton & Hove buses, held until at least March 2027.
By Car — The car parks are at Exceat, satnav BN25 4AD. Up to 2 hours £3.50, up to 4 hours £5, over 4 hours £7. Worth knowing the car parks are locked overnight and there’s a release fee if you get shut in, and there’s no Blue Badge concession.
The Alfriston and River Cuckmere Circular Walk
Distance: 6.4 miles / 10.3 km. Allow about 4½ hours. Graded moderate.
It’s a proper circular, so you start and finish at the visitor centre and don’t have to think about transport at either end.
The route, roughly: from the visitor centre you cross the A259 and follow the South Downs Way markers uphill through Friston Forest, drop down to the hamlet of Westdean, climb back into the trees, and come down into Litlington. From there it’s field paths to Alfriston, and then the loveliest section — about 1.7 miles alongside the meandering River Cuckmere back to Exceat Bridge.
Doing it in that direction means you get the climbs done early and finish on the flat riverside path, which I’d recommend. There are stiles and kissing gates throughout.
On the steepness: the National Park describes the woodland section as having “two steep climbs and lots of steps”, and it’s fair enough that they warn you. We didn’t find it especially steep. If you walk regularly you’ll be fine.
No cliff edges, no exposure, and phone signal the whole way, which makes this a much less nervy walk than the cliff path if you’re with kids, a dog, or anyone who doesn’t love a drop.
When To Do It
Spring and summer. Partly because of the daylight as this route is 4.5 hours of walking plus a good stop in Alfriston makes for a long day, and you don’t want to be finishing it in the dark waiting for a bus.
But also, the mud. The valley gets boggy and marshy when it’s wet, and the Cuckmere floods properly in winter — there’s a dedicated Environment Agency flood warning area covering the stretch through Alfriston, which tells you something. Don’t do this walk in rainy weather. It won’t be fun and the riverside section will be miserable. You can check the Environment Agency flood warnings for the Cuckmere at Alfriston before you set off.
What You’ll See
The whole walk is beautiful. Friston Forest is dense and green and feels a long way from the coast. Westdean is tiny and flint-built. Litlington has a 17th-century pub and a little church. The final riverside stretch, with the meanders looping away across the valley floor, is the bit you’ll want to photograph.
Look out for the cattle. Sussex cattle graze the park, along with Shetland and Welsh mountain ponies and sheep, and instead of fencing them the park uses solar-powered GPS collars — a system called Nofence that plays a tone to keep them inside a virtual boundary. You may well come across cattle wandering loose. They’re docile, but keep your distance, shut gates behind you and don’t feed them.
Stopping in Alfriston
Alfriston is a gorgeous little village, worth a stop, a pint and a browse around.
The Alfriston Clergy House is was the very first building the National Trust ever bought, back in 1896. The garden is an Arts and Crafts cottage garden with views over the Cuckmere valley, and the green space around it is a lovely place to flop on the grass in the sun for half an hour. There’s a small secondhand bookshop in the exhibition room.
We had a tea in the garden at The Singing Kettle, which has a secluded walled garden out the back plus seats facing the village square. Homemade food — Welsh rarebit, open sandwiches, scones.
The shops are good for a browse, which is not something I say about most village high streets. Much Ado Books on West Street is great with new, secondhand and antiquarian over two floors, plus a shepherd’s hut in the garden where everything’s £2. The Times named it one of the country’s best browsable bookshops.
If you want a pub or a proper lunch: The George Inn on the High Street has been licensed since 1397 and has a big walled beer garden. The Star won a Good Hotel Guide award for Best Hotel for Walkers. Poco does excellent Italian but is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and evenings-only midweek, so it’s not a reliable lunch stop.
Where To Stay in the Cuckmere Valley
If 6.4 miles feels like enough for one day and you’d rather not rush it, stay over.
In Alfriston: The Star is a quaint option. Alternatively, for a very special evening, stay at the Flint Barns at Rathfinny Wine Estate.
At the start point: Saltmarsh Farmhouse is a beautiful 16th-century listed farmhouse with six en-suite rooms. Breakfast is included and they run the café on site. Bikes for hire too. Dogs welcome for a small charge. Nearby, Kestrel Cottage is another wonderful option in the best location you could ask for.
If you want to see everything bookable in the valley at once, before you decide whether to base yourself in Alfriston or down at the visitor centre:
Keep Exploring Sussex
- Want the cliffs instead? Our full guide to the Seven Sisters walk — five routes, from one hour to two days.
- Fancy a vineyard at the end of a walk? The best vineyards near Brighton — Rathfinny is just up the hill from Alfriston.
- Staying over? The best vineyard stays in Sussex, including one just up the valley.
- Planning a weekend here? Read our weekend in Brighton guide, written by locals.
Cuckmere Haven and Alfriston FAQ
The Alfriston and River Cuckmere circular walk is 6.4 miles or 10.3 km, and you should allow about four and a half hours including stops. It’s graded moderate, with two climbs through Friston Forest early on and a flat riverside path for the return leg.
No, this walk doesn’t include the Seven Sisters. It starts from the same visitor centre at Seven Sisters Country Park but heads inland up the Cuckmere valley instead of out towards the coast. If you want the cliffs, that’s a separate walk from the same car park, and we’ve written a full guide to it.
Yes, you can get to Cuckmere Haven from Brighton by bus, and it drops you at the start of the walk. Take the Coaster 12 or 12X from North Street to the Seven Sisters Park Centre stop, which takes about an hour to an hour and a quarter. Single fares are capped at £3, so a day out costs £6 each in travel.
Yes, this walk is suitable for dogs, and they’re welcome across the whole park including inside the visitor centre on a lead. Keep them on leads around the grazing livestock and during ground-nesting bird season from March to September, and keep them out of the water while the blue-green algae advisory is in place.
Yes, there’s parking at Exceat, at the start of the walk. It costs £3.50 for up to two hours, £5 for up to four hours and £7 for anything longer. The car parks are locked overnight and there’s a release fee if you get shut in, so keep an eye on the time.
Yes, there are both toilets and food at the Exceat visitor centre. The toilets are free and open from 7am to 9pm in summer, and the Saltmarsh café serves from 9am daily. There’s also a shop selling maps and books if you want a proper route card before you set off.
Spring and summer are by far the best times to do this walk. The valley gets very boggy when it’s wet and the Cuckmere floods properly in winter, so the riverside section can be miserable in the rain. You also want the long daylight hours for a four and a half hour walk with a stop in Alfriston in the middle.