Seven Sisters and Birling Gap: A Guide from Eastbourne

What are the Seven Sisters?

The Seven Sisters are a run of rolling white chalk cliffs along the East Sussex coast between Seaford and Eastbourne, formed over millions of years from the compressed remains of tiny sea creatures. The “sisters” are the cliff-top hills themselves — traditionally named Haven Brow, Short Brow, Rough Brow, Brass Point, Flagstaff Brow, Bailey’s Hill and Went Hill (you’ll see the names given slightly differently from place to place), with a “little brother”, Flat Brow, among them. Together they form one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline on the south coast.

The classic postcard image of the Seven Sisters — the one you’ve almost certainly seen — is actually taken from Seaford Head to the west, looking back across the mouth of the Cuckmere with the white Coastguard Cottages in the foreground. It’s a view that has made the cliffs a favourite on screen, appearing in films from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to Atonement and, more recently, Wicked.

Birling Gap: the visitor hub

Birling Gap is the obvious base for exploring the cliffs from the Eastbourne side. Cared for by the National Trust, it has a clifftop café serving everything from hot breakfast baps and homemade soup to cream teas, cakes and even wine and beer, plus a shop, a small visitor centre and bookshop, and toilets. From the viewing platform, a metal staircase of around 50 steps (four flights with landings and handrails) leads down to the shingle beach below — a wonderful spot for rockpooling and fossil hunting, and for seeing the towering cliffs from a completely different angle.

One of the most striking sights here is the row of old coastguard cottages perched on the cliff edge. Eight were built in 1878; only four remain, and they’re still lived in. The chalk here erodes remarkably quickly, and it’s likely that within a few decades these cottages — and the gap itself — will have changed beyond recognition. It’s a vivid, slightly poignant reminder of just how alive this coastline is.

Good to know: the beach staircase is occasionally closed after storms or cliff falls, so check the National Trust website before you travel if getting down to the sand is the main aim of your visit.

Walks around the Seven Sisters

This is walking country at its very best, and there’s a route for every level of energy:

The classic Seven Sisters section (Exceat to Birling Gap): the quintessential walk up and over the seven hills, between the Seven Sisters Country Park at Exceat and Birling Gap. Allow around two hours one way.

Birling Gap to Eastbourne via Beachy Head: from Birling Gap, climb up to the old Belle Tout lighthouse, on to the red-and-white Beachy Head and its lighthouse, past the RAF Bomber Command memorial, then down to Holywell and the Italian Gardens on Eastbourne’s seafront. It’s roughly 6.5km along the South Downs Way and takes about two hours.

The full traverse (Seaford to Eastbourne): a world-famous 14-mile clifftop trail along the South Downs Way, taking in the whole sweep of cliffs over around six to seven hours, with several steep climbs.

Shorter circulars: the National Trust runs lovely circular routes from the hamlet of Crowlink, taking you through meadows and over a few of the sisters with optional detours to a village pub.

A word on terrain: the sisters are genuinely steep, the ground is uneven, paths get muddy in winter, and you’ll meet stiles, gates and grazing livestock along the way. Sturdy footwear, layers and water are essential — facilities out on the cliffs are very limited.

Wildlife and nature

The chalk grassland here is rich and rare. Look out for the nationally scarce, cucumber-scented salad burnet in the turf, and on warm days the air fills with the coconut scent of gorse. Skylarks hover and sing overhead, wheatears flit through the coombes, and in summer clouds of butterflies rise from the grass. Kestrels hunt along the cliffs, and at low tide you might — if you’re very lucky — spot seals basking near Birling Gap. To the west, the wetlands of Cuckmere Haven are a haven for herons, egrets and migrating birds; the river’s mouth was straightened into a canal back in 1847, and you can still see the old looping meanders as quiet lakes.

Getting there and parking

Birling Gap is signposted from the A259 at East Dean, between Eastbourne and Seaford (satnav postcode BN20 0AB; the Crowlink car park is BN20 0AY). There’s a National Trust pay & display car park on site, with charges (at the time of writing) of around £2 for up to an hour, £4 for up to two hours and £8 for longer; minibuses and motorhomes pay more. National Trust members, motorcycles and Blue Badge holders park free — members should scan their cards at the machine. Charges can change, so do check the latest before you go.

By train, the nearest stations are Eastbourne (about 5.5 miles away) and Seaford, with London Victoria to Eastbourne taking around an hour and a half. Brighton & Hove buses (the 12, 12X and 13X) run between Eastbourne and Brighton via East Dean, Birling Gap and Exceat — the 13X serves Birling Gap directly, daily in summer and on Sundays and holidays in winter — and an open-top sightseeing bus runs along the coast in the warmer months. There are cycle stands at Birling Gap, though note the South Downs Way across the sisters is for walkers only.

Local tip: the Birling Gap car park is small and fills very quickly on sunny days, with cars and coaches spilling onto the verges. Arrive early, or save yourself the stress and take the 13X bus from Eastbourne seafront.

Staying safe on the cliffs

The Seven Sisters are stunning, but the white chalk is fragile and can collapse without warning — both from the top and as rockfalls onto the beach below. Always stay well back from the cliff edges and bases, keep behind any roped-off areas (which also protect rare plants and nesting birds), and take particular care in windy weather, when gusts can catch you off balance near the edge. Keep children close and dogs on leads near the cliffs and around livestock. It’s the single most important thing to get right on a visit here.

Where to eat nearby

Beyond the National Trust café at Birling Gap, the pretty village of East Dean, just inland, is home to The Tiger Inn on its green — a classic Sussex pub and a lovely detour — as well as the Beehive on the Green. Up at Beachy Head, the Beachy Head pub serves food with grand views towards Belle Tout, and back on the Eastbourne seafront, Bistrot Pierre looks out over the Channel towards the cliffs — a fine way to round off a day’s walking.

Seven Sisters and Birling Gap: FAQs