Step into the world of Wicked at Sussex’s Seven Sisters Country Park. Discover bewitching filming locations, magical coastal walks, and fairytale villages in this two-day itinerary across England’s most cinematic coastline.
As the much-anticipated sequel to the blockbuster duology, Wicked: For Good hits screens on 21 November, plan a trip to follow in Glinda and Elphaba’s footsteps by visiting the real Oz in the Sussex South Downs.
Day one: discover the real Land of Oz in Sussex at the Seven Sisters Country Park
Follow the meandering river where Glinda arrived by boat to Shiz University and see the sweeping scenes of Elphaba’s clifftop ballad.
Start your day early and follow the yellow brick road (or the A259 between Seaford and Eastbourne) to the Seven Sisters Country Park. Begin with a coffee or breakfast from the charming Saltmarsh Farmhouse Café, beside the visitor centre, before setting out toward the coast along the South Downs Way.
The easy walking route to Cuckmere Haven takes about 30 minutes and runs beside the Cuckmere River, famously used in the first Wicked movie with Glinda (Ariana Grande) arriving at Shiz University on a pink sailing boat. Although the scenes in the film were digitally enhanced, the characteristic curves of the Cuckmere River are distinctive in their shape as the waterways of Oz.
Although boats don’t frequent the river in real life, if you’d like to glide along the waterway like Glinda you can hire canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards or join a river tour with Buzz Active.
As you approach the beach at Cuckmere Haven, the chalk cliffs stretch before you to the east to reveal the dramatic setting where Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) ran to the clifftop and belted out the notes of The Wizard and I. The sweeping green hills rolling atop the dramatic white cliffs are pure cinematic splendour, and, even without the digital enhancement of the movie, they’re evocative of Oz.
You can return via the same route or continue along the beachfront and up the steep walk to the Seven Sisters to enjoy the view from the top, heading back via the South Downs Way to Exceat. A short walk away, by the Exceat Bridge, The Cuckmere Inn makes for a convenient and picturesque lunch stop with panoramic views of the River Cuckmere and its marshlands.
In the afternoon, visit Seaford Head to experience the iconic view looking back across the Seven Sisters from the coastguard cottages, before heading to Alfriston where The Star Hotel offers a sophisticated and Glinda-worthy overnighter.
Top tip: The area can get busy, especially in peak season. Visit the Seven Sisters at sunset, and you’ll not only find fewer crowds, you’ll also be rewarded with the gorgeous golden cinematic light reflecting on the cliffs.
More Wickedly wonderful walks
To experience more of this magnificent coastline, extend your walk and begin at Seaford and walk east to Eastbourne, following the clifftops for around 14 miles, taking in the Seven Sisters along the way. If you’d prefer to join a guided group, Pied A Terre Adventures offers a Seven Sisters experience.
Day two: step into storybook England in the fairytale village of Alfriston
Conjure a super spell of history, art, and culture.
Just inland from the Seven Sisters, on the banks of the Cuckmere River, Alfriston feels like it’s straight out of storybook England. Timber-fronted houses, thatched cottages, cobbled lanes, and a gentle green make Alfriston one of England’s prettiest villages. Spend a slow morning here, savouring breakfast in the stylish surroundings of The Star Hotel, before stepping out to explore the medieval buildings and independent boutiques.
A 10-minute drive away, Charleston in Firle is the former home of the avant-garde artistic circle the Bloomsbury Group and a wonderful place to spend an afternoon filled with creativity, art, and imagination.
More Wicked inspired locations to visit in Sussex
Tulips at Tulleys Farm
To reimagine the dazzling tulip field scenes of Munchkinland, visit the annual Tulleys Tulip Fest in the spring to walk amongst the rainbow of 1.5 million vibrant blooms.
Arundel Castle
With its towering turrets, green gardens, and soaring stone walls, castles don’t come more fairytale-like than Arundel Castle. It also has its own glorious displays of tulips in its annual Tulip Festival held each April.
Brighton Royal Pavilion
The Brighton Royal Pavilion has been cited as the architectural inspiration for Shiz University with its onion-shaped domes and ornate oval windows mirrored in the Wicked set exteriors, and in the interiors Glinda and Elphaba's bedroom. Nathan Crowley, the production designer for Wicked described the seaside town's Royal Pavilion to Architectural Digest as ‘one of the few places in England that I felt was Ozian.’
