Getting to the Seven Sisters cliffs from London is easier than most people expect — a train from Victoria down to Seaford, then a short bus along the coast road, and you’re at the start of the walk in about two hours.
It’s one of the best day trips from London, and one of very few where you end up somewhere dramatic. The Seven Sisters is a beautiful stretch of East Sussex with a river valley winding down to the sea at Cuckmere Haven, a pebble beach at the bottom, and seven white chalk cliffs with the Channel glittering underneath.
I live in Brighton, forty minutes down the road, and I’ve been to Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters more than anywhere else in the South Downs. I’ve hiked many routes around the Seven Sisters, paddle boarded up the Cuckmere River, spent entire afternoons doing lazing in the sun on the pebble beach, and had plenty of lunches at the Saltmarsh Café. I still love it.
The Seven Sisters is worth the journey rain or shine, and one of the best days out in the UK.
Things To Do at Seven Sisters Cliffs
The Seven Sisters Cliffs is very much an outdoor destination: beach, walking, paddle boarding or kayaking, and enjoying nature.
The Beach
The simplest version of a day trip to Seven Sisters Cliffs would be to enjoy lunch at the Saltmarsh Cafe and head to Cuckmere beach. The beach is about 20-minute walk along the meandering river. You can see the cliffs from the beach. It’s shingle rather than sand, so if you want a proper beach day we’ve rounded up the best beaches near the Seven Sisters, including the sandy ones.
Day Walks at Seven Sisters
There are multiple Seven Sisters walks, but only some of them suit a train-in, train-out day. Our guide to the Seven Sisters cliff walk has the distances, times and maps for all of them, but as a quick steer:
Seaford to Seven Sisters
If you’ve come down by train and you’re not in a rush, don’t get the bus. Walk. The path from the town over Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven is a good one. You come out of the station, head down to the seafront, and follow the promenade east until the land starts to climb. Then you’re up on Seaford Head, and after 20 minutes or so the countryside opens up in front of you.
The classic photograph you’ve seen of the Seven Sisters — white cliffs stepping away into the distance with two little coastguard cottages perched in the foreground — is actually taken from this walk into Seven Sisters, looking back across the mouth of the Cuckmere.
The path drops down at Hope Gap, where there’s a rocky shelf at the bottom worth a poke around at low tide, then carries on down to Cuckmere Haven and the beach.
The Classic Seven Sisters Walk
The classic walk is Cuckmere Haven to Birling Gap, up and over the Sisters, and bus back. This is the one most people would do in a day, especially if driving in.
Seven Sisters to Alfriston
If the crowds put you off, the Cuckmere Haven and Alfriston valley walk goes inland from the same starting point and you’ll barely see anyone. There’s no bus back though, so make sure you have enough time.
Paddle Boarding and Kayaking on the Cuckmere River
We went paddle boarding on the Cuckmere one August for my birthday, and it was harder than I expected! The Cuckmere is tidal, so how difficult it is comes down to what the water’s doing when you get on it. Going with the current is lovely. Going against it is a workout.
It was also brilliant fun, and it showed me a valley I thought I knew from a completely different angle. From the water you’re down inside the meanders looking up at the Downs on either side, with the cliffs somewhere ahead of you.
The centre is right by the car park, on the opposite side of the road from the visitor centre at Exceat.
Lunch and a Drink at the Cuckmere Inn
If you want a proper sit-down lunch rather than a café stop, the Cuckmere Inn is right on the bridge at Exceat, a couple of minutes from the car park.
It’s proper pub food — chips, the usual pub menu — and somewhere to sit down with a drink at the end of a walk instead of getting straight back in the car or on the bus. Handy if you’ve come down for the day and want to stretch it out a bit before the train home.
How To Get to Seven Sisters Cliffs from London
By Train
Getting to the Seven Sisters from London is straightforward. Seaford is the station you want. Southern run down from London Victoria and you change at Lewes. It’s roughly an hour and a half all in. Outside of peak time, an open return ticket is around £15-£30 without a railcard.
Seaford is the closest station to Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters. It puts you at the western end. From Seaford you finish the journey on the Coaster bus along the coast road to the Seven Sisters Park Centre at Exceat. It’s a short hop.
Important Note: There are two Seven Sisters. One is a chalk cliff range on the East Sussex coast. The other is a Tube station in Tottenham, on the Victoria line. Search for trains to “Seven Sisters” and it’ll give you the tube station in Tottenham. The cliffs don’t have a station of their own — you need to go to Seaford.
By Car
If you’re driving, head for the Seven Sisters Country Park car park, located on East Dean Road (postcode BN25 4AD) by the Saltmarsh at Exceat. The Seven Sisters Country Park visitor centre and Saltmarsh Farmhouse café and directly next to the car park.
Parking is £3.50 for up to two hours, £5 up to four and £7 for longer. The car parks lock overnight and there’s a release fee if you get shut in.
By Coach Tour
There are organised day tours by coach from London to Seven Sisters Cliffs. These tours have packed agendas, stopping at Brighton to see the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Beach, then continuing on to Seven Sisters, Seaford Head, Birling Gap and Beachy Head.
If you’re in a rush and want to see it all, then it’s a good option. The coach tours are popular with Asian tourists who are tight on time. The downside is that it’s busy, there’s not much stopping time other than a quick photo at each spot, and you don’t have freedom to explore.
What To Pack
The Seven Sisters clifftop is exposed and there’s no shelter up there. Wind that feels fine at the car park feels a lot more intense by the top of the third Sister. Bring layers, something windproof, and shoes with grip.
Take water and something to eat. There’s food at Exceat and at Birling Gap but nothing in between, and the walk is longer than it looks because the Sisters are a series of climbs, not a flat clifftop.
Where To Stay at the Seven Sisters Cliffs
The Seven Sisters is possible as a day trip, but why not make a weekend of it?
If you’re coming by public transport, the best option would be to stay at Cuckmere at Saltmarsh Farmhouse or Kestrel Cottage. You could easily catch the Coaster bus into Brighton and stay at No.124 by GuestHouse on the beachfront or the Artist Residence Brighton.
If you’re travelling by car, you have more options. The village of Alfriston is three miles away and has some cute country options. The Star and The George Inn are in the village. The Flint Barns at Rathfinny Wine Estate, also in Alfriston, are exquisite.
Keep Exploring Sussex
- Want all five hiking routes? Read our guide to the Seven Sisters cliff hikes, from a one-hour loop to the two-day version.
- Prefer it quiet? Check out the Cuckmere Haven and Alfriston valley walk.
- Got a spare afternoon? Read our weekend in Brighton guide, written by locals.