Stage 4 of 7 · South Downs Way
Heyshott → Washington
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Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents, water and huts in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Heyshott
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
26.5 km remaining
+518 m remaining
Water
4.1 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 1h 01m in
22.4 km remaining
+474 m remaining
Climb
6.2 km
108 m climb
1.7 km at 6.5% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-02
About 1h 33m in
20.3 km remaining
+441 m remaining
Water
15.4 km
Amberley SDW Drinking Water Tap
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 3h 51m in
11.1 km remaining
+266 m remaining
Water
24.3 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 04m in
2.2 km remaining
+1 m remaining
Water
26.1 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 31m in
370 m remaining
+1 m remaining
Finish
26.5 km
Washington
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 37m in
0 m remaining
Trail route lab
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Start: Heyshott
No nearby transit stop. Consider getting dropped off or using the previous stage's end stop.
End: Washington
No nearby transit stop at the end. Check the next stage's start stop.
Segment Breakdown
Auto-analyzed from the elevation profile. Each segment shows the dominant character for planning your effort.
| Segment | Dist | ↑ / ↓ | Time | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Heyshott → km 8.8 (218m) 119–240m | 8.8 km | +182m / -191m | 2h 14m | 🏃 Highly Runnable |
km 8.8 (218m) → km 17.7 (97m) 1–222m | 8.8 km | +151m / -272m | 2h 13m | 📉 Descending |
km 17.7 (97m) → Washington 97–203m | 8.8 km | +155m / -149m | 2h 09m | 🏃 Highly Runnable |
| Total | 26.5 km | +518m / -642m | 6h 36m |
Pace & Fuel Calculator
Adjust your flat 10K pace to see personalized finish time, calorie burn, and hydration needs.
Terrain Analysis
Surface & Technicality
Gradient describes steepness, not exposure, scrambling, footing or current conditions. Technical difficulty is unknown where no mapped rating is available.
Surface
Estimated for the full route from the 74% with mapped surface data in OpenStreetMap.
Current Conditions
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on South Downs Way Stage 4: Heyshott → Washington is usually best from March to November.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (sea level) and high point (246 m)…
Weather by month
Typical weather on this stage: at the lowest point (sea level) and the highest point (246 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 |
| High point, day / night | 7°/2° | 7°/1° | 10°/3° | 13°/4° | 16°/7° | 18°/10° | 20°/12° | 20°/12° | 18°/9° | 14°/7° | 10°/4° | 8°/2° |
| Low point, day / night | 8°/2° | 9°/2° | 11°/3° | 14°/5° | 17°/8° | 20°/11° | 22°/13° | 22°/12° | 19°/10° | 15°/8° | 12°/5° | 9°/3° |
| Rain, mm | 95 | 67 | 62 | 59 | 54 | 59 | 63 | 70 | 68 | 106 | 107 | 101 |
| Snow at high point | Frost | Frost | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Daylight | 8 h 24 | 10 h | 11 h 47 | 13 h 46 | 15 h 29 | 16 h 30 | 16 h 07 | 14 h 38 | 12 h 44 | 10 h 49 | 9 h | 7 h 58 |
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.
Averages cannot establish current trail conditions. Check recent local reports, the forecast and restrictions before departure. Snow and ice can persist on shaded sections or arrive outside the usual season.
Planning ahead?
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Safety & Bailouts
We do not have a verified emergency exit plan for this route. A nearby settlement, hut or route endpoint is not necessarily reachable or open. Do not leave the trail based on a straight-line distance or compass direction.
Review possible exits against current local information before your trip. In an emergency, contact local rescue services; this page is not live rescue guidance.
Suggested Gear List
Auto-generated based on 26.5 km, 518m ascent, max altitude 246.4m, ~7h duration.
- 👟 Trail running shoes / hiking bootsRequired for any trail
- 📱 Phone (charged) + offline mapNavigation & emergency contact
- 💧 3L hydration vestEstimated 3.3L; verify refill availability
- 🍫 Trail mix, bars & sandwichEst. 2313 kcal burn
- 🆘 Emergency space blanketCritical for preventing hypothermia if you stop moving
- 🧴 SunscreenBasic sun protection
- 🧥 Light rain jacketWeather changes fast in the mountains
- 🔦 Headlamp7h route — plan for delays
- 🩹 Mini first aid kitBlister plasters, tape, antiseptic
Logistics
This route runs from Heyshott to Washington (26.5 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.
Nearby Points of Interest
🛖 Shelters
- Shelter km 10.1 · 1.1 km off trail
💧 Water Sources
- Drinking Water km 4.1 · 1.2 km off trail
- Amberley SDW Drinking Water Tap km 15.4 · 1.0 km off trail
- Drinking Water km 24.3 · 2.0 km off trail
- Drinking Water km 26.1 · 72m off trail
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