South Downs Way: GPX, map & 7 stages
161 km in United Kingdom · 7 stages · 3,553 m ascent · 4/7 stages with public transport · best Mar–Nov
Plan South Downs Way with the full GPX download, 7 stage GPX files, map, elevation profile, and 4/7 stages with public transport. Choose a stage, open it in Planner, or download GPX before you go.
An automatic guide. TrailSplits built it from OpenStreetMap and cut it into 7 stages at roughly even distances, 2 of the 6 breaks at a public-transport stop. They are not the official stages or checked overnight stops, and TrailSplits has not checked the stays, water or closures. Check them with the trail's operator before you go.
161km
Total Distance
7
Stages
3,553m
Total Ascent
103
Transit Stops
Full Trail Map
Elevation Profile
Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents and access in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Winchester
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
161.3 km remaining
+3553 m remaining
Access
0 m
Winchester Bus Station -E
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
161.3 km remaining
+3553 m remaining
Access
0 m
Winchester Bus Station -D
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
161.3 km remaining
+3553 m remaining
Climb
75.7 km
190 m climb
4.5 km at 4.2% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-02
About 19h 01m in
85.5 km remaining
+2013 m remaining
Descent
91.6 km
184 m descent
5.2 km at 3.5% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-02
About 23h 00m in
69.7 km remaining
+1584 m remaining
Climb
96.7 km
199 m climb
3.6 km at 5.6% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-02
About 24h 18m in
64.5 km remaining
+1580 m remaining
Finish
161.3 km
Eastbourne
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 40h 30m in
0 m remaining
Plan South Downs Way
South Downs Way covers 161 km from Winchester to Eastbourne with 3,553 m of ascent. Use the mapped GPX, stage GPX files, elevation profile, and public transport stops to choose a hiking, trail running, or fastpacking schedule.
- Best season
- March to November· from climate averages
- GPX coverage
- Full route plus 7 stage GPX files
- Transit access
- 4 of 7 stages start or finish by public transport
- Stage options
- 8 days hiking / 4 days trail running / 5 days fastpacking
- Route coverage
- Complete mapped route
- Field use
- Route tools available
How the stages are cut
We split South Downs Way into 7 stages. 4 of them start or end at a transit stop — look for the 🚌 icon in the stage directory below.
Stage Directory
Browse the stages — swipe to compare
Winchester → Peake New Road
Peake New Road → Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park → Heyshott
Heyshott → Washington
Washington → Keymer
Keymer → Glynde
Glynde → Eastbourne
| # | Stage | Distance | Ascent | Time | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winchester → Peake New Road | 20.5 km | +359m | 4h 52m | 🚌 |
| 2 | Peake New Road → Queen Elizabeth Country Park | 16 km | +359m | 3h 59m | 🚌 |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth Country Park → Heyshott | 23.5 km | +577m | 5h 59m | 🚌 |
| 4 | Heyshott → Washington | 26.5 km | +518m | 6h 36m | — |
| 5 | Washington → Keymer | 24.4 km | +641m | 6h 20m | — |
| 6 | Keymer → Glynde | 25.1 km | +488m | 6h 12m | — |
| 7 | Glynde → Eastbourne | 25.3 km | +601m | 6h 29m | 🚌 |
| Total | 161.3 km | +3,553m | 40h 30m |
Draft day-by-day itinerary
South Downs Way grouped at mapped section boundaries. Overnight accommodation and access are not verified. Review each day's effort and book suitable stops before using this as a hiking plan.
5 days in this draft — about 32.3 km/day, 161.3 km and 3,543 m of ascent total.
- Day 1 Stages 1–236.5 km · +718 m · ~8h 54m
- 1. Winchester → Peake New Road 20.5 km · +359 m
- 2. Peake New Road → Queen Elizabeth Country Park 16 km · +359 m
🚌 Nearby transit: Queen Elizabeth Country Park (not an accommodation recommendation)
- Day 2 Stage 323.5 km · +577 m · ~6h
- 3. Queen Elizabeth Country Park → Heyshott 23.5 km · +577 m
- Day 3 Stage 426.5 km · +518 m · ~6h 36m
- 4. Heyshott → Washington 26.5 km · +518 m
- Day 4 Stages 5–649.5 km · +1,129 m · ~12h 36m
- 5. Washington → Keymer 24.4 km · +641 m
- 6. Keymer → Glynde 25.1 km · +488 m
- Day 5 Stage 725.3 km · +601 m · ~6h 30m
- 7. Glynde → Eastbourne 25.3 km · +601 m
🚌 Nearby transit: Foot of Beachy Head (not an accommodation recommendation)
Want a downloadable GPX for each day, or a different number of days? Open the Multi-Day Itinerary Builder →
How Long Does It Take?
Comfortable pace with time to enjoy the scenery. 8 days.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (sea level) and high point (251 m)…
Month by month
Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (sea level) and the highest point (251 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Mixed |
| Stages rated good on typical weather | 0/7 | 0/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 0/7 |
| High point, day / night | 7°/1° | 7°/1° | 10°/2° | 13°/4° | 16°/7° | 18°/9° | 21°/12° | 21°/12° | 18°/9° | 14°/7° | 10°/4° | 8°/2° |
| Low point, day / night | 9°/3° | 9°/3° | 11°/4° | 14°/5° | 17°/8° | 19°/11° | 22°/13° | 22°/13° | 19°/11° | 16°/8° | 12°/5° | 9°/4° |
| Rain, mm | 97 | 75 | 58 | 53 | 50 | 60 | 54 | 67 | 66 | 102 | 108 | 110 |
| Snow at high point | Frost | Possible | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Frost |
| Daylight | 8 h 24 | 10 h | 11 h 47 | 13 h 46 | 15 h 29 | 16 h 29 | 16 h 07 | 14 h 38 | 12 h 44 | 10 h 49 | 9 h | 7 h 59 |
Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.
Transit Stops Along the Trail
Bus and train stops within 2 km of the trail, sorted by distance along the route. Tap a stop to see it on the trail map or get directions.
Take South Downs Way offline — free
Most trail guides are just a page to read. TrailSplits is a free app you install straight from your browser — download the whole South Downs Way map to your phone and follow the route with no signal, in multi-day battery mode. No app store, no account, no subscription.
- ✓ Offline map for the full route
- ✓ Turn-by-turn navigation
- ✓ Download before losing signal; carry backup power
Long route — you can download it stage by stage to save space.
Download for offline — pick your stages
Save the sections you'll walk, or download the whole route. Each selection saves its map and GPX in My Hikes. Stages are not necessarily overnight stops. Before leaving signal, reopen and test your downloads on this device.
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The South Downs Way is a 161 km long-distance hiking trail in United-Kingdom. This guide breaks it into 7 stages; 2 of them start and end at a public transport stop.
South Downs Way — frequently asked questions
How long is South Downs Way?
South Downs Way is a 161 km long-distance route from Winchester to Eastbourne, presented as 7 stages with map, full GPX download, elevation profile, Planner handoff, and 4/7 stages with public transport.
How many days do you need for South Downs Way?
The distance-based examples cover 4-8 days for 161 km. They are not verified overnight itineraries. Choose days around your ability, ascent, accommodation and current conditions, not distance alone.
When is the best time to hike South Downs Way?
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on South Downs Way is usually best from March to November. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them and current conditions for your dates.
Can you reach South Downs Way by public transport?
This page lists 4/7 stages with public transport in United Kingdom as planning references. Nearby stops do not guarantee a walkable connection. Check access paths, operating dates and current timetables before relying on public transport.
Can I download GPX files for South Downs Way?
Yes. TrailSplits has a full GPX and 7 stage GPX downloads for South Downs Way — load them on a Garmin, Suunto, COROS, or your phone, or open any stage in the Planner.
How hard is South Downs Way?
South Downs Way is rated epic: 161 km with roughly 3,553 m of total ascent, with a high point near 251 m. The elevation profile, per-stage climb, and surface breakdown on this page help you judge each section.
Ready to hike South Downs Way?
Pick your first stage below and download the GPX. Transit notes are marked on 4 of 7 stages.
More long-distance trails to explore
🗂️ Open data source: South Downs Way on OpenStreetMap (relation 77976). Transit stops from OSM.