THINGS TO DO & ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK

Close-up of an arrow pointing downward, with a black background and orange outline.

Alfriston village is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding landscape and wider area of the South Downs National Park.

There are endless amounts of hill climbs, walking paths and cycle trails that can lead you up on the South Downs, to the iconic Long Man Of Wilmington, or onwards into Friston Forest and beyond.

Or explore the chalky coastline of the majestic Seven Sisters cliffs, Birling Gap and Cuckmere Haven, the landscape offers some memorable experiences and great walks.

If you are bringing your dog this is an excellent choice as we have aimed to ensure that Flint Cottage is a dog-friendly holiday cottage, with an outside shower and bath for your furball, as well as a comfy bed and cushion for that all-important nap at the end of the day.

Explore the Seven Sisters cliffs, Friston Forest for its cycling trails, Birling Gap, and the Sussex coast path. Visit the historic villages of Firle, where Charleston Farmhouse is close by, and beautiful Glynde near Glydebourne’s famous opera house. There is also Lewes nearby with its many antique & bookshops.

Paragliders, near Alciston, East Sussex, UK
Cliffs along a rocky beach at Birling Gap, East Sussex with the English Channel on the left under an overcast sky.
A scenic coastal cliffside at Seaford Head with a wooden fence, grassy terrain, and a pathway at sunrise.
A quiet street lined with historic, white-washed and brick cottages, some with flower boxes in window sills, and a small sidewalk with flower pots, in a rural village.
A black-and-white photo of the River Cuckmere in East Sussex with a single swan swimming in it, surrounded by grass and shrubbery, with trees and a church with a steeple in the background.
The Seven Sisters Cliffs at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex.
Two people riding mountain bikes on a dirt trail through a snowy field during sunset, with distant hills and a cloudy sky.
A hillside with a large outline of a skier and ski poles made from rocks or white material, surrounded by grass, trees, and some grazing animals.
A brown horse walking on grassy terrain near a body of water, with the sun low on the horizon creating a bright reflection on the water.
White chalk cliffs on a coast with grassy top and pebble beach in the foreground, and overcast sky.
A brick bridge arching over a small, calm stream with dried grass on the banks and an overcast sky.
A rural scene with a church featuring a tall steeple, surrounded by leafless trees and rolling hills in the background, during late autumn or early winter.
Two men stand on paddleboards in a shallow body of water, using paddles, with rolling hills and grassy fields in the background on a clear day.
Snow-covered rolling hills under a pastel sky at sunrise or sunset.
Cliffs along a rocky coastline at sunset with mist rising over the ocean
Sunset view over cliffs and ocean, with silhouetted houses and a small weather vane in the foreground.
Nighttime scene of a row of houses with chimneys, seen through a blurred vintage street lamp and tree branches in the foreground.
Coastguards Cottages, Birling Gap, East Sussex, UK
Lighthouse, Beachy Head, East Sussex, UK

If you’re looking for a different kind of adventure then head to Cuckmere Haven where there is a kayaking and paddle boarding centre, as well as cycle hire to help you enjoy this unique landscape in other ways that suit your preference. Or if you’re a thrill seeker there is paragliding at nearby Beddingham.

If you prefer to take things more slowly then there are some beautiful walks along the Cuckmere River, or to Berwick Church to see the painted murals by members of the Bloomsbury group, with a choice of great pubs never too far away. For younger visitors there is nearby Drusillas Park, which is one hundred years old this year and is widely regarded as the best small zoo in the country.

Further afield from Alfriston there are lots of options to venture out and discover new places. The village is within easy reach of the Victorian seaside town of Eastbourne; Lewes with its many bookshops and antique markets; Glyndebourne and its famous opera house or Firle and Charleston Farmhouse, with its Bloomsbury heritage. 

The list goes on…whether you wish to spend an energetic week indulging in outdoor adventures or a slower paced walking holiday there are many choices to help you unwind during your time in the South Downs National Park.

The Seven Sisters cliffs at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex, England, UK. These famous cliffs in the South Downs National Park run between the mouth of the River Cuckmere, near Seaford and the chalk headland of Beachy Head, near Eastbourne.
The Cuckmere River meanders its way down to Cuckmere Haven, at Exceat in East Sussex and the English Channel, with Friston Forest in the foreground.
Hilly landscape with golden grass, a fence, a winding road, and white houses near the coast, with the ocean in the background.
Two brown ponies grazing on dry grass in an open field with a gray sky in the background.
View of a small river with two ducks swimming, framed by white wood slats in the foreground.
A winding river flowing through a flat, grassy landscape with rolling hills in the distance under a clear sky.
A couple sitting on the grass at Glyndebourne in Glynde, East Sussex, England, UK.
Row of traditional British houses at Firle in East Sussex, England with brick and stucco exteriors, gabled roofs, and chimneys against a cloudy sky.
A rural landscape with green grass in the foreground, a cluster of trees, and a church with a tall steeple in the background under a cloudy sky.
Display window of a village store decorated with flowers, greenery, and holiday ornaments, viewed through a grid of windowpanes.
A black and white thatched-roof building partially obscured by yellow leaves in the foreground.
A lone tree on a gently sloping grassy hill.
Close-up of pink and white wildflowers with some dried flowers, in a field during daytime.
Wooden signpost with multiple directional signs indicating various trails and facilities, set in a grassy outdoor area with hills in the background.
A person riding a bicycle uphill on the South Downs with hills in the distance during sunset or sunrise, in black and white.