huckepack

South Downs Way

Length

Stated
160 km, the stated length (National Trails)
Map line
Not used: only 94 % matched on its weakest stage
Search
Compares this trail by the stated length

160km

Ascent · descent

This trail
Estimated from the terrain model (≈): no source states them
How
Every main stage's climbs and drops between samples 100 m apart
Keep in mind
In forests the model reads the treetops, so it reads high there

estimated: 4,020m ↑4,030m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: ModerateClimbing: ≈ 25 m per km
  • Climate: Moderate in Jul–AugWet days: 10 days (July)
  • Effort: HardLongest day: ≈ 10 h 45 (stage 7)

All measures

Terrain: Moderate; Climate: Moderate in Jul–Aug; Effort: Hard
Suggested
8–9days

Per stage

How
The 9 main stages' totals over their number
Source
National Trails, so the averages come from one source
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs

18.1km· about 450 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Grassland and shrubs: 64%
  • Forest: 24%
  • Farmland and villages: 12%
  • Water, snow and ice: 0%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Grassland

Location

Country
United Kingdom
Regions
Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex
Start
Winchester
Finish
Eastbourne
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Winchester1.6 km by road · 5 min
  • Southampton Airport (SOU)18.7 km by road · 16 min
  • London Heathrow Airport (LHR)87.5 km by road · 70 min
Protected areas
South Downs National Park
Managed by
Natural England and the South Downs National Park Authority (National Trails)Official GPX trackOffered by National Trails
Waymarking
The National Trail acorn, or the trail's name, on gates and signposts
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
ascent of the main stages over their length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Moderate

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T1 (our estimate)
    Basis
    Chalk tracks, droveways and field paths along the South Downs ridge, open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders; GOV.UK names several steep sections (Cuckmere Haven to Beachy Head, Amberley Mount, either side of Chanctonbury Ring, Butser Hill, Beacon Hill near Exton), but no rocky or exposed ground. Hiking on good paths (T1).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T1
  • Climbingestimated 25 m per km
  • Steep stretches3 % of the way
  • Natural ground51 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Moderate in Jul–Aug

  • Heat · August20 °C by day
  • Cold · July12 °C at night
  • Wet days · July10 days
  • Snow · July0 days
  • Wind · July20 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Hard

  • Longest day · stage 7estimated 10 h 45

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
8–20°C
Nights in season · highest point
2–12°C
Wet days a month
9–12
Daylight
7.9–16.5h
SeasonDay high and night low−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point51015Daylight8.4 h9.9 h11.7 h13.8 h15.5 h16.5 h16.1 h14.5 h12.5 h10.6 h8.8 h7.9 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January7.9 / 46.4 / 1.511.30.710.78.4
February8.3 / 4.17.1 / 1.710.40.69.29.9
March9.9 / 4.89.1 / 2.510.60.46.311.7
April12.3 / 6.411.8 / 4.110.50.23.313.8
May15.4 / 9.315 / 7.211.100.215.5
June18.2 / 12.318 / 10.29.70016.5
July20.2 / 14.419.9 / 12.310.40016.1
August20.3 / 14.719.7 / 12.410.20014.5
September18.3 / 1317.4 / 10.49.30012.5
October15.1 / 10.713.7 / 8.112.100.510.6
November11.1 / 7.19.5 / 4.411.80.14.18.8
December8.6 / 56.9 / 2.411.50.68.47.9

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Winchester Beacon Hill17.7 km410 m ↑260 m ↓40 → 190 m
2Beacon Hill Old Winchester Hill7.2 km170 m ↑180 m ↓190 → 180 m
3Old Winchester Hill Buriton19.3 km390 m ↑420 m ↓190 → 170 m
4Buriton Cocking Hill16.1 km440 m ↑490 m ↓150 → 110 m
5Cocking Hill Amberley19.3 km390 m ↑490 m ↓110 → 20 m
6Amberley River Adur20.9 km400 m ↑420 m ↓20 → 0 m
7River Adur River Ouse33.8 km880 m ↑890 m ↓10 → 0 m
8River Ouse Alfriston11.3 km270 m ↑260 m ↓0 → 10 m
9Alfriston Eastbourne16.9 km670 m ↑620 m ↓10 → 60 m

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
245m high1m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
14 % (8°), 70 m up over 500 m, stage 5
Steepest descent
−19 % (11°), 96 m down over 500 m, stage 9
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

14% ↑−19% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
2 km up, 2.8 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

4.8km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 51%, 82.4 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 33%, 53.7 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 16%, 24.9 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

51% natural33% gravel16% paved
0 m200 m245 mStage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 78Stage 90 km161 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 46% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest24%Grassland and shrubs64%Water, snow and ice0%Farmland and villages12%Stage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 78Stage 90 km161 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is restricted. There are normally no rights for National Trail users to wild camp in England: ask the landowner's permission, or use the campsites along the trail.

20.6 km without a bedCamping12Huts0Hostels5Rooms14Stage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 78Stage 90 km161 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 12 campsites, 0 huts, 5 hostels, 14 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 75.5–96.1
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
21.1 km without clean water, km 37.4–58.5, stages 3–5
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 28 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 2 places to sleep with drinking water, 14 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

21.1kmScarce

Any water

This trail
21.1 km without any water, km 37.4–58.5
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 2 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

21.1kmScarce

Shops

This trail
38.5 km without a shop, km 20–58.5
Counted
48 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

38.5km
Water · 21.1 km withoutPublic drinking water · 21.1 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 94.9 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 35 km withoutShops · 38.5 km withoutSupermarkets · 90.2 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 38.5 km withoutStage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 78Stage 90 km161 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official sources: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales; NHS
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Cattle ModerateTicks Low

Cattle

Moderate danger

The Way crosses downland and fields where cattle graze; the Health and Safety Executive names cows with calves and walkers with dogs as the two most common factors in incidents between cattle and the public.

If you meet one

  • Give livestock plenty of space: their behaviour can be unpredictable, especially when they are with their young
  • Keep your dog on a lead around livestock
  • Let your dog off the lead if you feel threatened by livestock: releasing it makes it easier for you both to reach safety
  • Follow the farmer's directions when animals are being moved or gathered

Don't

  • Risk getting hurt protecting your dog
  • Feed livestock

Advice: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. Level: ours. Silhouette: Katy Lawler (Bos taurus), PhyloPic, public domain.

Ticks (Lyme disease)

Low danger

Ticks that can carry Lyme disease live all over the UK, in woods and long grass; the NHS names grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands as high-risk areas.

If you meet one

  • Cover your skin while walking and tuck your trousers into your socks
  • Use insect repellent on your clothes and skin; products containing DEET are best
  • Stay on clear paths whenever possible
  • Wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to see and brush off
  • Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool: grasp it as close to the skin as possible, pull slowly upwards, then clean the bite
  • Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if, within 3 months of a bite, you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms or a round or oval rash appears

Don't

  • Squeeze or crush the tick when you remove it

Advice: NHS. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.