The South Downs near Brighton (not related the the text!)
Although the Downs are far from remote people have died on them, therefore ensure you have good quality footwear and a map. The South Downs Way is as safe as anywhere and much safer than any city – you need have no security concerns about going alone by day, however it is probably best to ensure you are not alone at night, the area is commonly used as a social gathering area for teenagers. The route often has sections with steep sides.
If you are planning some serious activity, especially alone remember the area as a whole is not suitable for people who are frail and due to its nature is not specially surfaced for wheelchairs and so can be rough and/or steep in places.
If you want to take young children on the downs, since it can be very hilly it is probably best to bring a pushchair.
If you are older you’ll need a suitable electric cross-country buggy such as a Tramper.
Contact the Trail Officer for detailed information about the path surfaces, slopes, and useful contacts.
A basic kit should be as follows:
First aid kit; for any scrapes or falls
Mobile phone; just for piece of mind, most of the route has reception
Water; it can get pretty windy up there and especially in summer you can get quite thirsty.
In the winter warm clothing is recommended.
Luggage movement
For those who may not want to carry all the things they need for 3 days on their backs; has information on luggage movement services.
Take warm clothing e.g a jumper or fleece as even if it's sunny the wind speed can be high up on the downs.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about South Downs
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in South Downs - updated May 2024
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South Downs Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
