Day tripping to The Seven Sisters

It's now a week on after the first lifting of restrictions and I was finally able to give myself a whole day off and take a friend I hadn't seen in ages on the 2 hour drive from London to Seaford located on the South Coast in East Sussex.

It was so exciting to get out of the city after so long and we had fortunately picked the best spring day we could possibly have hoped for. I didn't know what to expect on such a fine day. Was it going to be busy with sun seekers like us? Would there be places to eat and drink now that outdoor hospitalities are allowed? The answer to the first question - no, and the latter, yes.

Although it was a stunningly beautiful day, it was not nearly warm enough for shorts and flip flops but that wasn't why we went. It was a comfortable 17C with no wind and not a cloud in sight. Perfect for walking and enjoying the spring sunshine.

Arriving in Seaford, we easily found a free parking spot
on Marine Parade. We walked along the seafront past little kiosks selling refreshments and the candy coloured Martello Beach huts, towards Seven Sisters West. It's probably the best place to start if you want to walk the whole coastal trail to Eastbourne. We also discovered 'The Shoal', a community bench designed by local sculptor Christian Funnel, which represents a stream of fish meandering the length of the breakwater. 

We definitely hadn't planned on walking the whole way, so after a stroll back to the car on the deserted pebbled beach, we took the short drive to Birling Gap where a most spectacular view of the chalky cliffs can be seen.

Birling Gap is run by the National Trust and there is a pay and display car park for patrons. Be aware that in busy times it may be full although there is limited space on the road leading up to it where you can safely park for free. 

The beach access was closed due to work on the steps but should reopen in a couple of weeks time.

The cafe is now open again, so we bought lunch and sat on the picnic benches outside in the brilliant sunshine. People came and went and some stayed on, including us, choosing to walk up the cliff and sit high up admiring the gorgeous view and listening to the waves gently lap against the shore below. We must have sat up there for at least 2 hours just chatting and taking in the beauty of the cliffs and feeling the sun's warmth on our faces. The sea was so calm with shades of blue I would never associate with the English seaside. Simply stunning.

Day tripping out of London could not have been better. The one thing the pandemic has made me aware of is the natural beauty we have practically on our doorstep. I had barely heard of Seaford before and I certainly knew nothing about it. 

Here's to many more day trips and new adventures that don't require a passport or long queues to leave and enter the country.