Stage 7 of 7 · South Downs Way
Glynde → Eastbourne
From Glynde over the Downs to Alfriston, down the Cuckmere valley to the sea, then over the Seven Sisters cliffs past Birling Gap and Beachy Head to the edge of Eastbourne. The Foot of Beachy Head bus stop is by the end; Eastbourne station is about 2.2 km away.
Use this route
Explore this stage
See the route, inspect its climbing, or preview the stage over real terrain.
Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents, water and access in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Glynde
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
25.3 km remaining
+601 m remaining
Water
9.7 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 2h 29m in
15.6 km remaining
+516 m remaining
Water
19.1 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 4h 54m in
6.2 km remaining
+235 m remaining
Water
19.2 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 4h 56m in
6.1 km remaining
+235 m remaining
Finish
25.3 km
Eastbourne
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 29m in
0 m remaining
Water
25.3 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 29m in
0 m remaining
+0 m remaining
Water
25.3 km
Drinking Water
Water
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 6h 29m in
0 m remaining
+0 m remaining
Trail route lab
Turn this trail into your own route
Open a planning copy, adjust the line, then share the version you would actually run or hike.
Start: Glynde
No nearby transit stop. Consider getting dropped off or using the previous stage's end stop.
Getting Out
Foot of Beachy Head (bus stop)
29m from trail end · ~1 min walk
Segment Breakdown
Auto-analyzed from the elevation profile. Each segment shows the dominant character for planning your effort.
| Segment | Dist | ↑ / ↓ | Time | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Glynde → km 8.4 (4m) 4–220m | 8.4 km | +75m / -248m | 2h 00m | 📉 Descending |
km 8.4 (4m) → km 16.9 (51m) 2–65m | 8.4 km | +215m / -168m | 2h 12m | 🏃 Highly Runnable |
km 16.9 (51m) → Eastbourne 16–158m | 8.4 km | +242m / -223m | 2h 16m | 🏃 Highly Runnable |
| Total | 25.3 km | +601m / -706m | 6h 29m |
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 7: Glynde → Eastbourne is usually best from March to November.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (sea level) and high point (226 m)…
Weather by month
Typical weather on this stage: at the lowest point (sea level) and the highest point (226 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° | 9°/3° | 12°/4° | 15°/7° | 18°/10° | 20°/12° | 20°/12° | 18°/10° | 14°/7° | 10°/4° | 8°/3° |
| Low point, day / night | 9°/3° | 9°/3° | 11°/4° | 13°/6° | 16°/9° | 19°/12° | 21°/14° | 22°/14° | 19°/12° | 16°/9° | 12°/6° | 9°/4° |
| Rain, mm | 91 | 67 | 55 | 48 | 46 | 57 | 54 | 62 | 67 | 104 | 108 | 100 |
| Snow at high point | Frost | Frost | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Daylight | 8 h 25 | 10 h | 11 h 47 | 13 h 46 | 15 h 28 | 16 h 29 | 16 h 06 | 14 h 37 | 12 h 43 | 10 h 49 | 9 h 01 | 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.
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?
Checking snow-monitoring coverage... Notifications require permission on this device; on iPhone use the installed Home Screen app. No email alerts are sent.
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 25.3 km, 601m ascent, max altitude 225.9m, ~6h duration.
- 👟 Trail running shoes / hiking bootsRequired for any trail
- 📱 Phone (charged) + offline mapNavigation & emergency contact
- 💧 3L hydration vestEstimated 3.2L; verify refill availability
- 🍫 Trail mix, bars & sandwichEst. 2269 kcal burn
- 🆘 Emergency space blanketCritical for preventing hypothermia if you stop moving
- 🧴 SunscreenBasic sun protection
- 🧥 Light rain jacketWeather changes fast in the mountains
- 🔦 Headlamp6h route — plan for delays
- 🩹 Mini first aid kitBlister plasters, tape, antiseptic
Logistics
This route runs from Glynde to Eastbourne (25.3 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.
Nearby Points of Interest
💧 Water Sources
- Drinking Water km 9.7 · 326m off trail
- Drinking Water km 19.1 · On trail
- Drinking Water km 19.2 · On trail
- Drinking Water km 25.3 · 1.1 km off trail
- Drinking Water km 25.3 · 1.2 km off trail
Share this trail
Send it to your hiking crew — they’ll get the route, elevation profile & GPX.