The best walks near the East Sussex
East Sussex has an underrated walking landscape. Everyone knows the Seven Sisters (and rightly so!) but the countryside immediately around the cabin is good enough that you don't have to drive anywhere to have a proper day out. Ancient footpaths connect the fields, the villages and the pubs in a way that makes almost every walk feel like it was designed to end somewhere worth ending up.
Here are the ones we send guests to most.
From the cabin door
- To the Six Bells, Chiddingly (1 mile / 20 minutes)
The easiest walk from the cabin and often the most used. Half a mile each way on a footpath through the farm to the Six Bells pub in Chiddingly (we'll share the Komoot when you book). It's flat, it's quick and it ends at a beer garden with live music at weekends. Do it in the evening when the light is low and the fields are quiet.
- To Gun Brewery and Taproom (8km out and back / about 2.5 hours)
This is the main walk from the cabin and the one worth building a morning around. Head out through the East Sussex countryside on a mix of footpaths and quiet lanes, arriving at the Gun Brewery and Taproom (a working craft brewery with views across the hills). Get a drink, sit in the sun and walk back the same way. The full route is 8km and takes around 2.5 hours at a comfortable pace. Check the brewery opening times before you go and note it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Arlington Reservoir loop (19km / about 4.5 hours)
A bigger day out. Park at The Dene near Arlington Reservoir and walk the 19km loop, which takes you through the South Downs National Park with views out towards the coast. Arlington Reservoir is a designated Local Nature Reserve and a good place to see birds — it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest home to a wide range of species. This one takes most of a day so go early, bring lunch and don't leave it for the afternoon.
Worth the drive
- Beachy Head to Seven Sisters (7km one way / about 2 hours)
30 minutes by car to the south coast, and then one of the best walks in the south of England. Park at the Beachy Head pub and walk the 7km along the clifftops to the Seven Sisters — the series of white chalk cliffs that drop straight into the English Channel. Either catch the bus back from Seaford or walk the full 14km round trip if you've got the legs for it. Go on a weekday if you can; it gets busy at weekends. The views are worth every version of it.
- Birling Gap and Beachy Head (coastal, flexible distance)
If the full Seven Sisters walk is more than you want, Birling Gap is a good starting point for a shorter coastal walk in either direction. Park at the National Trust car park at BN20 0AB and walk as far as the day allows. Good for dogs, good for any fitness level and the beach access at Birling Gap is one of the few places on this stretch of coast where you can actually get down to the sea.
A note on the local footpaths - The network of footpaths around the cabin is well-maintained and connects most of the surrounding villages and pubs on routes that are walkable year round. Download the Komoot app and follow our profile for the specific routes - we've mapped the main ones from the cabin entrance. Bring wellies or proper walking boots if there's been recent rain as the fields get (very!!) muddy and the paths stay wet longer than you'd expect.
FAQs
What are the best walks near Chiddingly in East Sussex?
The Gun Brewery walk (8km out and back) is the main one from the cabin door. The Arlington Reservoir loop is 19km and takes most of a day. Beachy Head to the Seven Sisters is 30 minutes by car and one of the best coastal walks in the south of England.
Can you walk to a pub from the East Sussex cabin?
Yes. The Six Bells in Chiddingly is half a mile on a footpath from the cabin (about 20 minutes each way). The Gun Brewery is 4km in each direction and also walkable.
Are the East Sussex walks dog friendly?
Yes. All the walks from the cabin are dog friendly. Keep dogs on leads near livestock and between March and July near nesting areas.
How far is it to the Seven Sisters from the East Sussex cabin? About 30 minutes by car. Park at the Beachy Head pub and walk the 7km coastal path to the Seven Sisters. You can catch the bus back or do the 14km round trip.
