After visiting the White Cliffs of Dover, I knew I had to see more of England’s dramatic White Cliffs on a day trip from London. However, there were a few things I wasn’t sure about like how long does it take to do the Seven Sisters Walk and how do I get to the Seven Sisters Cliffs?
Luckily, it turns out it is possible to walk from Eastbourne train station, and/or Seaford train station to the Seven Sisters Cliffs. So I decided to try it!
I was treated to the most beautiful walk up and down the Seven Sisters Cliffs with the English Channel on one side of me sparkling in the sun, the English Countryside the other side of me, and in front of me a view of the White Chalk Cliffs that make this coastline so iconic and so beautiful, all in a day trip from London by train!
So here is how you can visit the Seven Sisters Cliffs from London too!
Seven Sisters Cliffs from London!
There are a few ways you can do the Seven Sisters from London trip, here are my top recommended ways of doing it:
How do you get to the Seven Sisters from London??
Here are 4 Options For Visiting the Seven Sister Cliffs from London:
1 – You can drive as there is parking all the way along the coastline and the main road of Beachy Head.
2 – You can get the train to Eastbourne or Seaford and walk all the way along the cliffs. You can get a train and then a bus from the nearby towns of Eastbourne, Seaford and Brighton.
3 – You can get a train and then a bus from the nearby towns of Eastbourne, Seaford and Brighton.
4 – You can get a tour from London or a tour from Brighton to the Seven Sisters.
I decided to get the train and walk for my Seven Sisters day trip from London, and although it is quite a tough walk at about 20km and it took me at least 6 hours in total, it was an amazing Seven Sisters Cliff hike and I really recommend it!
Need accommodation in London? Check out the best offers here!
Seven Sisters Cliffs from London by Train
My day started in London Victoria train station on a Southern Train heading down to Eastbourne which I purchased on The Train Line just the day before for £33.40 for a return ticket.
When booking the ticket I did have a bit of a predicament. I had seen on Google Maps that the peak of the Seven Sisters Cliffs is close to Birling Gap which is pretty much halfway between Eastbourne and Seaford.
I had read that people tend to walk from one town to the other to see the cliffs and do the ‘full Seven Sisters Walk’…
However and slightly annoyingly, Eastbourne and Seaford are not on the same train line, it’s not like I could buy a return to Seaford and jump off a station early at Eastbourne, I’d have to buy 2 separate single tickets which was much more expensive than just a return to Eastbourne from London.
I could also see that the footpath along the cliffs seemed closer to the edge from Eastbourne to Birling Gap and then onto the Seven Sisters than it does from Seaford to Birling Gap as it’s more inland (from what I could see on the map) and that’s how I came to the decision of booking a return journey to and from Eastbourne station.
I hope my decision-making process helps you with yours too!
I booked this ticket and all of my tickets on The Train Line as I find it really useful when comparing train times, journey lengths and prices like this. Have a look into tickets here!
Seven Sisters Cliffs Day Tours From London
If you would rather book onto a tour to see the cliffs and more of the South Downs area I really recommend this one.
It would be perfect to do out of summer in case the weather isn’t that good as you travel by coach- great if you don’t fancy walking 20km, or would like people to spend the day with other people and have a knowledgeable guide!
Seven Sisters Walk Map
Here is a map to help you with your Seven Sisters day trip detailing the train stations and the main points on the walk to the Seven Sisters Cliff.
Seven Sisters Walk
Here’s a description of the Seven Sisters walk I did starting and ending at Eastbourne station, but remember, if trains work out for you, you could start at Eastbourne and end at Seaford, or start at Seaford and end in Eastbourne which is a friend of mine who lives in Surrey did recently!
Eastbourne Train Station to Eastbourne Beach
The train from London to Eastbourne is 1 hr 30 minutes and the walk from Eastbourne train station straight down to the coast is about 10-15 minutes.
Lunch and food options are limited on the walk to the Seven Sisters so for this Seven Sisters day trip from London you can buy snacks and drinks in Eastbourne close to the train station.
Walk straight to Eastbourne Bandstand by the beach and I hope you will be as impressed as I was.
Of course, it helped that I was visiting the Seven Sisters from London on a gorgeous sunny, summer’s day, however, Eastbourne didn’t seem to have that run-down British Seaside feel to it like I thought Margate had, it’s actually nice.
It has a really nice promenade with lots of seating and greenery, it’s a stone beach but it has huts along it and it’s pretty big!
But you’re here to walk the Seven Sisters Cliffs so turn right at the beach and walked all the way down S.Downs Way right alongside the beach until Helen Garden which takes about 20 minutes.
Eastbourne to Birling Gap
Eastbourne Beach is just the beginning of the 10km walk to Birling Gap, which is technically just the halfway point too!
Past Helen Gardens there are handy signs pointing in the direction of the footpaths and Beachy Head and in front is a big hill which is the first of many inclines on this walk!
Like walking the White Cliffs of Dover, I really liked walking these cliffs because there are many footpaths, which means that everyone is spread out and it feels more adventurous to have to decide yourself what is the best footpath to take to the Seven Sisters Cliffs!
As a side note, I use the app Maps.me which I love and was so helpful on this walk to see all of the footpaths.
- Related Day Trip from London Ideas:
- Visiting the White Cliffs of Dover on a Day Trip from London!
- 10 Things To Do in Brighton on a Day Trip from London!
- 10 Things To Do in Bath on a Day Trip from London!
- 10 Things To Do in Oxford on a Day Trip From London!
- A Day Trip to Stonehenge & Bath from London!
After walking along some footpaths you will reach Beachy Head Road however you don’t need to walk alongside the road by the traffic, there are lots of footpaths closer to the cliffs and the fields flatten out here too.
I was totally in awe of the glistening ocean, the many many peaks of the white cliffs to the side and in front of me doing this part of the walk and so many people were having picnics around here too, it’s a lovely spot for a picnic!
Beachy Head Lighthouse is the centre of attention aside from the Seven Sister Cliffs in my opinion. I kept seeing it peaking through the cliffs as I was walking towards it and even once I had passed it and looked back I saw it.
After Beachy Head lighthouse is Belle Tout Lighthouse however this isn’t in the water, it’s on the cliff and it’s now a cafe selling ice creams and a handy sign saying that Birling Gap is a 20-minute walk away.
This part of the walk is really nice, the field totally opens out and although there are some serious declines and inclines, the white cliffs are on full show for the whole of this section!
Birling Gap
Birling Gap is the next point and it’s also the first point of beach access on the Eastbourne to Seven Sisters walk and it is a nice and safe beach to visit.
Birling Gap is set up for visitors, it has a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, a visitor centre, toilets and a car park.
The car park here is a good place to visit if you end up driving for a London to Seven Sisters day trip.
On my visit, it was now 14:15 so the walk from Eastbourne train station to Birling Gap took me just under 3 hours. A long way and a hard walk yes, but it was amazing too!
Birling Gap to the Seven Sisters Cliffs
The main point of the Seven Sisters Cliffs is further up the coast from Birling Gap towards Seaford, this is why, if you can get the train from one station like Eastbourne and get the train back from Seaford you can do the full Seven Sisters Coastal walk!
Personally, I was tired, I knew I had a 3 hour walk back ahead of me and I was happy with the amount of stunning white cliffs I had seen so I didn’t keep walking from Birling Gap to the main point of the Seven Sisters.
I instead walked the 10km back to Eastbourne arriving at about 17:00, my legs were a bit jelly-like, my skin was a little on the red side but my heart was very happy because I loved this trip to the Seven Sisters from London so much!
I really hope you do this walk and decide to visit the Seven Sisters White Cliffs on a day trip from London, or on a day trip from elsewhere in England, it was amazing!
FAQs For visiting the Seven Sisters Cliffs from London:
Here are answers to frequently answered questions about visiting the seven sisters from London and the Seven sisters walk:
How do you get to the Seven Sisters from London?
There are a few ways, you can take a train from London to Eastbourne or Seaford, drive to the Seven Sisters from London and park along Beach Head road or at Birling Gap, or you can join an organised day tour to Seven Sisters from London and takes you to more of the area.
Need accommodation in London? Check out the best offers here!
How do I get to the Seven Sisters hike from London?
This depends on where you want to hike to and from. You can start the hike at Birling Gap if you are driving and walk as far along the cliffs as you want before turning back. Or you can do the Seven Sisters hike from Eastbourne to Seaford train stations if you are getting the train from London.
How long does it take to walk the Seven Sisters?
6 hours is the minimum time it will take to do the full walk and around 20km. You may need more time though. However, if you are parked in Birling Gap, you can walk as far as you can and then turn around and walk back.
Why is it called the Seven Sisters?
The cliffs are named the Seven Sisters Cliffs because of the seven hilltops that make up the silhouette of the cliffs.
How hard is the Seven Sisters Walk?
The walk is long if you walk all the way along the cliffs and there are a few steep inclines and declines so good fitness is needed.
Can you swim in the Seven Sisters?
Swimming is possible at Birling Gap Beach along the Seven Sisters.
More Important information for your visit to the Seven Sisters White Cliffs:
Book train tickets in advance to get the best price. I recommend The Train Line as it’s my go-to site.
Birling Gap is a good turnaround point but you can turn around whenever you want, the white cliffs are in full view as soon as you walk up the hill from Eastbourne.
I left the train station at 11:30 am, got back at 5:00 pm and I stopped for 30 minutes for lunch. I do walk pretty fast, especially on my own. Give yourself at least 6 hours to do this walk, it might be more realistic to give yourself 7 hours if you want to walk all the way to Birling Gap and back.
There are buses and bus stops along the road so you could walk one way and get a bus back into town.
It can be done all year round, I know my photos are nice and sunny but even on a spring, autumn or winter’s day it would be nice. If you’re worried about the wind, you aren’t always that close to the cliff and can walk on a footpath further away. Ideally, just try not to go on a cloudy or foggy day so you can actually see the cliffs.
Take some lunch and snacks as there are limited options at Birling Gap Cafe and other cafes that you pass.
The Birling Gap pub looks like a nice place to stop for lunch or a drink though.
There are quite a few toilets on the route. Eastbourne station, Helen Garden, Beachy Head main car park and Birling Gap.
If you would rather book on a tour to see the cliffs and more of the South Downs area I really recommend this tour. It would be perfect to do out of summer in case the weather isn’t as good as you travel by coach, and perfect if you don’t fancy walking 20km!
I hope this post helps you with visiting the Seven Sisters Cliffs from London!
- Related Day Trip from London Ideas:
- 10 Things To Do in Brighton on a Day Trip from London!
- 10 Things To Do in Bath on a Day Trip from London!
- Visiting the White Cliffs of Dover on a Day Trip from London!
- 10 Things To Do in Oxford on a Day Trip From London!
- A Day Trip to Stonehenge & Bath from London!
jay
Sunday 18th of August 2019
Hello! Was searching up for information on Seven Sisters and came across your webpage - loved the views and it seemed like quite the walk! Was recently at the Seaford end myself for a bit and the views were stunning, almost felt like I was walking towards the end of the world, haha.
I'd like to put in a point about the train tickets though - you absolutely do *not* need to buy two single tickets if you want to go to Eastbourne and return from Seaford! As you said you could "jump off the train early", (or in reverse "hop on a train late"), so if one wanted to do London - Eastbourne - walk to Seaford - London they could buy the London - Eastbourne ticket and a Seaford - Lewes single (£2.80 as of current prices) to "bridge the gap", which is a lot more reasonable than two single tickets (and I'd say is worth it to avoid doubing-back on your walk)! Thought I'd point this out - would certainly allow for more flexible journeys where you go from A to B, walk to C and get a train back to A :)
TheWanderingQuinn
Sunday 18th of August 2019
That’s super helpful. Thank you so much for that information! Glad you loved the walk and you came across my blog post! :D
L - Franglais27
Tuesday 6th of August 2019
Great post, I visited the Seven Sisters Cliffs last year but started from the Seaford direction and stopped just before Birling Gap and so didn't complete the full route to eastbourne but the views were absolutely stunning!
TheWanderingQuinn
Wednesday 7th of August 2019
That’s great, I would like to walk from Seaford next time. It is a long way! :)
Erica
Wednesday 3rd of April 2019
My husband and I are going London next month and were originally going to take a day trip to Dover. I have read several opinions, blogs, etc. that Seven Sisters provides better views of the cliffs (from land and not sea like Dover) and that Seven Sisters cliffs are whiter whereas Dover are more green because they are more protected and therefore erode less. I'm sure they are both stunning and also know that "better" is completely subjective, but since you have been to both, I would appreciate your thoughts on which one you would visit if you could only go to one. Thank you!
TheWanderingQuinn
Wednesday 3rd of April 2019
Hi Erica! Good to hear you’re planning on going. You’re right, both have positives and are great by I’d say the Seven Sisters is better as the seaside towns are nice and so is the walk along the cliffs with not only the cliffs but the South Downs countryside too :)
Hope that helps!
Alex
Sunday 3rd of March 2019
This is my hometown! You got some great pictures and as much as I like gallivanting around the world this post does remind me how lucky I am to live somewhere so beaut!
Alex ?
alexgettinglost.com
TheWanderingQuinn
Monday 4th of March 2019
Thanks Alex I loved this day so much and I was so lucky with the weather! It was during the heat wave last summer. Glad you got a little reminder of how lucky you are! Thanks for reading and commenting :)
Malky Masch
Tuesday 1st of January 2019
Thank you for this. I used this guide and had a beautiful day.
TheWanderingQuinn
Tuesday 1st of January 2019
Oh that makes me so happy! Thank you for reading and letting me know :)