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The Seven Sisters (E. Sussex)Despite the dire weather forecasts we decided to risk it for a biscuit and head out of London to the south coast as it was a bank holiday weekend. Although we'd done various bits of the South Downs way around the Brighton / Eastbourne area we hadn't yet tackled the famed "seven sisters" -- seven great lumps of magnificent chalk cliff with great views of the sea and surrounding countryside. We started out at Birling Gap (so called because it's the one place in the area that you can actually get down to the beach). Good sturdy boots / shoes recommended as the walk gets kind of steep in places and there's loads of rabbit holes, loose stones and other potential hazards to trip over (not to mention the sheer drop to the see if you stray too close to the cliff edge - apparently the odd pet dog has come to a sticky end while chasing bunnies or gulls). After a brief-ish rest at Cuckmere, we headed back to Birling Gap this time taking a path that went a bit more inland. This way you get to see loads of bunny rabbits and a bit more of the surrounding farmland. Once back at Birling Gap we went down onto the beach and lolled about in the lovely warm sun keeping half an eye out for boulders falling from the cliffs above. The cliffs are definitely eroding as evidenced by the many chalk rocks on the beach and dire warnings to stay away from the cliff base. To round off the day we had our evening meal at the Tiger Inn in the pretty village of East Dean nearby. The food was fresh, well cooked and really tasty - I can recommend the black sea bream which was just "melt in your mouth" delicious. On our way back to London at the end of the weekend we stopped off to see a friend near East Grinstead. We took the opportunity to walk around the nearby Ashdown Forest which is also really beautiful. |
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