An itinerary for the adventurous!
Why put your feet up on holiday? You can do that at home. This four-day itinerary is for those who love to set the alarm early, kick off those bed covers and seize the day. And with 140 miles of coastline to explore and the South Downs on your doorstep, there’s nowhere better than Sussex for making the most of the great outdoors.
Swim, sail, cycle, hike, skate, paraglide – you can do it all here and more. So get ready to dive headfirst into a week of new experiences, new adventures and new memories. (Only got a weekend? Scroll down to see a condensed itinerary). You’re guaranteed to leave re-energised and itching to return – just like any good getaway.
Day one: take to the water
Kickstart your holiday by making a splash. How? With watersports, of course. You’ll find centres in Hastings, Eastbourne, Littlehampton, and Brighton & Hove, each offering activities for all ages and abilities – from first-timers to seasoned pros. You can turn your hand to wakeboarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, kayaking, water-skiing and stand-up paddleboarding.
Our tip? The Beach at Littlehampton (pictured above) is a good place to start, providing beginner lessons, personal tuition, equipment hire and party packages. Stretching over a mile long, this beachfront destination also has a restaurant, cafe, bar and a busy calendar of events, making it the ideal spot for a day by the water. Or if you head along the coast, you’ll find watersport centres at Buzz Active in Eastbourne and Epic Life in Hastings, where you might even see France as you paddle by the pier.
If the sea’s looking a bit choppy, you can always move inland to Sussex’s winding waterways. The River Cuckmere in Seven Sisters Country Park attracts adventure-seekers throughout the year. Here, you can canoe, kayak and paddleboard along the park’s still waters, as you admire the breath-taking scenery from a unique vantage point. Ever wondered how you’d cope on a desert island? Larger groups can try raft-building activities finding out whether they‘d float to freedom ... or not.
Once you’ve mastered the seas and rivers, it’s time to take to the skies. Top off the day with the experience of a lifetime: paragliding. The expert pilots at Mile High Paragliding offer tandem flights over both Newhaven Cliffs and Beachy Head, where you can look down at the lighthouses, harbours, crashing waves and chalky cliffs, soaking up sensational views of Sussex.
Accessible adventures
Visiting Seven Sisters Country Park? Buzz Active and Cuckmere Cycle Co are excellent at catering for people with additional needs or mobility difficulties. You can hire modified equipment such as specialist bikes and accessible paddleboards, and their teams are pros at creating inclusive experiences for all.
Day two: saddle up!
Today’s all about the bike. Get set to explore Sussex on two wheels, with routes for both the hardcore cyclist and the easy-rider.
For your own Tour de Sussex, start in historic Hastings, pedal through the Victorian seaside towns of Bexhill and Eastbourne (both beautiful spots for a pitstop), then journey into the countryside before reconnecting with the coast at Seaford, pushing on to the finish line in Brighton. It’s about 40 miles and four hours of non-stop stunning scenery. (Puffed out at the end? There’s a train from Brighton to Hastings if you need to return a bike or go back to your hotel.)
This ride follows the National Cycle Route 2, which stretches from one end of Sussex to the other, tracking the coast mile after mile. You can expect a generally flat terrain with scenic seascapes and bustling beach resorts, punctuated by a rolling hill here or there. And with regular signposting – even in the remotest locations – you don’t need to worry about getting lost.
There are also a whole host of fantastic routes suggested on The Living Coast by Bike site, including the It’s a Breeze ride. As the name suggests, this is a gentle, accessible route, travelling 7.5 miles from Brighton & Hove to Shoreham-by-Sea, cycling solely along the seafront. Or how about a guided mountain-biking experience? Book a place on one of Marmalade’s day-long rides across the South Downs, with multiple routes to choose from. Serious cyclists may also fancy riding the entire length of the South Downs Way – all 100 miles of it – starting in Eastbourne and ending in Winchester.
Cycle hire
If you’ve left your bike at home, you can hire them all across Sussex. Check out our cycle-hire page.
Day three: drop in on Hastings
Holidays are made for trying something a little different, right? And that’s just what we have in-store on day three. It’s time to get gnarly – we’re going to Source, the world’s largest underground skatepark in the heart of Hastings. Sic! (In a good way.)
Source boasts two skateparks, a huge BMX and skateboard shop, and The Courtyard with eateries and bars. You can also hire skateboards, scooters and BMX bikes, as well as helmets and pads. Complete newbie? They even offer beginner sessions for groups of up to four people. (It’s worth noting that you’ll just need to book around two weeks in advance).
And if all this activity has worked up a thirst, there are some fantastic wineries in Sussex for spending a chilled afternoon, enjoying a chilled glass of fizz. (Fun fact: over 25% of Britain’s vineyards are in Sussex). Vine + Country Tours offer half-day and full-day excursions to a selection of local vineyards, with pick-ups available across Sussex, including in Hastings and Eastbourne.
Swap kick-flips for flip-flops
Skating not your thing? Head to Camber Sands where you can try kitesurfing, sand-buggying, paddleboarding or kayaking. Bike hire is also available in Camber and Rye Harbour if you fancy exploring the area by bike.
Day four: Seven Sisters
The grand finale. The pièce de résistance. To end your four-day getaway, we’re going to one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders in Sussex: Seven Sisters Country Park. Named after the seven hills between Seaford and Eastbourne, this Area of Natural Beauty takes you past chalky cliffs and traditional lighthouses, with views over the Channel and famous sites like Beachy Head.
Good to know:
Miles Without Stiles suggests a 2.5-mile route for those with a wheelchair, pushchair or limited mobility. Starting and ending at the Seven Sisters visitor centre, you can enjoy an hour or so of stile-free discovery, followed by a cuppa and cake.
For those who love being active and outdoors (if you don’t, we’re amazed you’ve read this far), then Seven Sisters is your kind of place. Many people choose to pull on their walking boots and hike from Seaford to Birling Gap, a National Trust site with a cafe and visitor centre (you can get a bus for the return journey). Feeling intrepid? You could even push on to Eastbourne.
Pied a Terre Adventures hold a wide range of guided walks in Seven Sisters, with something for everyone, whatever your stamina levels. As well as seeing the landscape, you’ll learn about local folklore and hear tales of smugglers and buccaneers. Alternatively, you can hire a bike from Cuckmere Cycle Co near the western entrance to the park and follow the hilly South Downs Way.
How to get there
It takes about an hour to walk to Seven Sisters from Seaford Station, which is on the same line as Brighton. But why not save some energy? There are regular buses that take just 10 minutes.
Top tip: the Coaster 13X bus connects Brighton to Eastbourne via Seven Sisters and Seaford, making it one of Sussex’s most beautiful routes with an enviable sea view the length of the journey!
Only got a weekend…?
No problem. Love the water? Spend your day on the Littlehampton seafront with its choice of watersports. In the afternoon, we can’t resist the prospect of paragliding over Newhaven Cliffs.
Then on day two, it’s got to be Seven Sisters, simply for the scenery and variety of activities on offer. And for all those things you can’t fit into 48 hours? Well, that’s why we have 52 weeks a year. You’ll simply have to come back!
