East Dean Round

Martin Heaps

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An easy walk on grassy downland paths and farm tracks; navigation is straightforward and paths are well-marked. The climb up East Dean Hill can be taxing but is certainly rewarding.

England - South England - East Sussex - South Downs

Features

Great Views, National Trust, Pub, Sea, Toilets

10/6/2020 - Douglass David Shadwell

My wife and I are very familiar with the area round East Dean and Birling Gap and walk there often. You might prefer to start the walk at East Dean where there's a large free car par, pub and a couple of cafes. Turn right out of the car park, walk along the road past the church to the sharp right hand bend. Look for a signed path on the left here by the no- longer- there sheep centre. A few yards along this path go left through a gate, ahead through a second gate, and slightly right through a third gate. Keep right here. Follow the grassy path and concrete track past Cornish Farm to the road below Belle Tout. The ascent of Went Hill beyond Birling Gap is easy enough. Beyond the barn with the red roof, now much weathered, veer gradually left and follow along the tree-line with the trees on your right. There's a small gap in the trees with a marker post and a track down hill to the village green at East Dean. This is a decent 3-mile walk in its own right.

7/23/2011 - Judy Brua

This walk was very enjoyable, great views, but a couple of comments might make it better. If you are arriving by car, there is a free public car park near the Tiger Inn in East Dean - you can then finish there with a drink and meal if you want. But I found the directions a bit difficult in places. Waymark 7 currently reads: 'A gradual climb to Went Hill, but be careful not to miss the path on the right leading downhill towards East Dean.' To find this path, look out for a barn in a field which (as at July 2011) has just had its roof painted a bright orange - the path bears right soon after this. If you come to a kissing gate at the top of the hill, you have gone too far to the left. Waymark 8 - To me, these directions are wrong. If you follow them, you end up on a very busy road with no footpath - quite dangerous. I would suggest that you should face Tiger Inn, turn right past the car park and follow that small road for about 100 yards to the road which goes between the A259 and Birling Gap. Turn left on that road and you reach the A259 about 200 yards later. At that point you turn right on the A259 (there is a good footpath) and go uphill for a couple hundred yards when you reach Downsview Lane on the left.

2/7/2006 - Nicola Durant

Nowhere to park your car at the start of this walk - only way to begin at this point is to walk to it or get a bus. If arriving by car, suggest starting at the sheep centre and picking up from there.