Connect Lewes with Slow Ways
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more walks and reviews are needed to fully connect Lewes to the verified network. Can you give a hike and help?
Give a hike!Lewes
East Sussex
Slow Ways linking Lewes and Alfriston, Burgess Hill, Hailsham, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Pyecombe, Uckfield, Woodingdean
England / East Sussex / Lewes
Lewes’s eight Slow Ways are 81% checked
Help connect Lewes
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Lewes’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Lewes from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burgess Hill—Lewes
|
Burlew one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 18km/11mi | Ascent 295m | Descent 337m | |
Burgess Hill—Lewes
|
Burlew two |
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 17km/11mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Lewes—Alfriston
|
Lewalf one |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 15km/10mi | Ascent 358m | Descent 355m | ||
Lewes—Alfriston
|
Lewalf two |
|
4 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 16km/10mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Lewes—Alfriston
|
Lewalf three |
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 19km/12mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Lewes—Hailsham
|
Lewhai one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 23km/14mi | Ascent 322m | Descent 297m | ||
Lewes—Hailsham
|
Lewhai two |
|
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 25km/15mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Lewes—Newhaven
|
Lewnew one |
|
4 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 11km/7mi | Ascent 57m | Descent 59m | ||
Lewes—Newhaven
|
Lewnew two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 12km/8mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Lewes—Uckfield
|
Lewuck one |
|
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U U |
|
Double check | Distance 17km/11mi | Ascent 114m | Descent 130m | |
Lewes—Uckfield
|
Lewuck two |
|
|
4 X |
|
Review me | Distance 16km/10mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Peacehaven—Lewes
|
Pealew one |
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U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 13km/8mi | Ascent 163m | Descent 130m | ||
Peacehaven—Lewes
|
Pealew two |
|
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 12km/7mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Peacehaven—Lewes
|
Pealew three |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 12km/8mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Pyecombe—Lewes
|
Pyelew one |
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 14km/9mi | Ascent 338m | Descent 233m | ||
Pyecombe—Lewes
|
Pyelew two |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 19km/12mi | Ascent 531m | Descent 425m | ||
Pyecombe—Lewes
|
Pyelew three |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 15km/9mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Woodingdean—Lewes
|
Woolew one |
|
4 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 249m | Descent 119m |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Lewes and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
64% of Lewes’s eight route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
18/18
15/18
6/18
7/18
20 people have contributed to Lewes’s Slow Ways
4 people have pledged to walk and review a route
8 people have surveyed a route in Lewes
228km out of 284km have been walked and reviewed
577km of reviews have been shared in Lewes
Latest Updates
Steep up Chapel Hill but otherwise quite gentle. Took 3.5 hours at quite an easy pace....
Jo-Jo
Route is mostly good path and lots of signposts making it easy to navigate....
MPHoplling
From there it's flat walking alongside the river ouse all the way to Lewes....
MPHoplling
The majority of this route follows the Egret's Way, presenting a choice between walking on the raised riverbank or the surfaced cycle lane for all the time you follow the Ouse....
David Sanderson
David Sanderson added Pealew three, a new walk from Peacehaven to Lewes
Walk this routeThe walk beyond through Ditchling to Burgess Hill was varied, enjoyable and mostly offroad. Stops and shops in Lewes, Ditchling and Burgess Hill and links to public transport at either end, but not much en route....
David Sanderson
On arrival in Lewes, the route takes you off the footpath and on to a track which leads to a locked gate at water works. Sadly a failure. I will post a corrected version as I was able to complete the walk...
David Sanderson
This route seems to be the same as PYELEW1 from Pyecombe to Lewes Racecourse then with a different, probably more direct approach into Lewes at the end. The route follows the South Downs Way from Pyecombe to Blackcap, then the well-used bridle path to Lewes Prison. The only down side in January is the bridle path from Lewes Racecourse to the prison which is heavily used by horses and extremely muddy....
Bostal Boy
The stretch east of the B2112 is pleasant but again becomes difficult to follow once you leave the Sussex Border Path....
Helen Frost
Walking on the east bank of the river is quieter and makes it very easy getting into Newhaven and the station....
MPHoplling
Once you leavee the industrial part of newhaven, jumped over the train tracks and connected up to the river this is a really simple, peaceful walk up the river. Once you cross the bridge at southease you join the Egrets way which is slowly being fully paved for easy access....
tomatron
Finding your way out of Hailsham is ok, the footpath from The Diplocks to Diplocks Way could be more obvious and you have to cross the dual carriageway A22, which is not ideal. The footpath out of Ripe seems to have completely disappeared, the path appears to go through someone's garden, potentially the route could stay on the road instead. On the basis that there isn't really an alternative route between Hailsham and Lewes (there are very few footpaths east of Ringmer for some reason), I think this route is just about ok....
MJRW12345
The first section to Ringmer and out along the Broyle was alright, with too much walking on pavements beside the road for my preference. From the Broyle, the next section across to Laughton Place and over to Ripe is quite agricultural with some footpaths cutting diagonally across fields rather than along the edges. Shops, pubs, and refreshments are available at Ringmer, Ripe and Upper Dicker....
Bostal Boy
Great views along the River Ouse and South Downs Way at Firle Beacon! If you want to get more ascent, if coming from Alfriston, an option could be to turn off just after Firle Beacon towards Glynde and then join Lewalf 2 the rest of the way to Lewes....
Ingrina
Lovely, easy, scenic route from Woodindean straight to the heart of Lewes. One steepish chalky section to take care over if it's wet....
DLeggatt
Fantastic route that takes in some of the best of the Sussex countryside....
Joanne
Just after passing the windmill, there are dual rights of way inside and just outside of a wooded strip. The lane is chalky and quite slippery but easy to navigate up the steepest part of the Slow Way. Thank you to these volunteers for maintaining important rights of way in this part of the world, as without them, Slow Ways such as this would be a lot more difficult and less enjoyable....
everydayduffy
Fantastic varied route through the fields around Burgess Hill, past an old water tower , a stunning windmill and then and eventually up onto the downs for panoramic views over Lewes and Mount Caburn, walking down past the old race course and into Lewes, where there are lots of food and drink options and a train station with regular services to London, Brighton and Eastbourne. Ditchling is 5k in and has some quaint cafes, pubs and public toilets. Would recommend this route....
Ricky Coleman
I walked this route from Lewes to Newhaven. It's a great route without any major issues or obstacles. The stretch along Newhaven Road is safe - there's a short stretch of pavement followed by enough of a verge that you're out of the way of speeding cars - but it's not the most comfortable!...
mtormey
I've done most of this as it's mostly the South Downs Way except at the Lewes end....
JohnMyerson
Really straightforward route from Lewes to Newhaven with 90+% on the path next to the river so very easy to follow, once you've found the footpath at either end!...
MJRW12345
In Alfriston some locals told us that this route used the old ways that people used to complete this journey....
danravenellison
There are some woods when you approach Black Cap which make for a great shaded picnic spot....
Saira
There are a couple of pop up cafés along the way, one on Mill lane near Windmills then the pink pitstop after Ditchling Beacon....
Bennybish2
The route out of Lewes is fairly quiet and then you're rewarded with great views of the South Downs when you get to Black Cap and Ditchling Beacon. If it's hot you can even get a little treat from the ice cream van at the top. Great time out if you want a walk with good views and a decent distance....
Ingrina
The section from Firle to Alfriston is along farm tracks which are surfaced with chalk and stones and completely free of obstacles. The lane between Firle and Alfriston is traffic-free, but is used by horses, cyclists and the occasional motorbike scrambler....
Bostal Boy
From here follow the river bank all the way into Lewes, crossing from the East bank to the West bank at the Southease swingbridge. The East bank of the river is quieter and less well walked, so the path is through long grass....
Bostal Boy
It passes through the attractive villages of Southease, Rodmell and Iford. There is a drinking water tap by Southease church and a pub (the Abergavenny Arms) on the main road at Rodmell....
Bostal Boy
The upper path along the levee bank is more overgrown. A new cycle path called the Egrets Way has been laid below the levee bank for part of the route....
Bostal Boy
I walked this route on 24-05-2022, and I would agree with the previous reviewer's comments though I found my way with no difficulties. However this is a lovely, scenic route along the banks of the rivers Uck and Ouse and also uses the route of the old railway line....
Bostal Boy
A series of straight lines from point to point. Use LEWUCK Two...
Bostal Boy
The first mile or so of the walk is along the busy A26 followed by a short walk through an industrial estate leading to a level crossing across the railway to get to the east bank of the River Ouse. Take care on the level crossing, then you are immediately on river bank and a glorious walk following the meander of the river Ouse though fields, flood plains and past any number of sea birds. The bridge and road to Southease is also the route of the South Downs Way. However, if you turn right the route follows the Ouse and you walk across a field and then through a park, coming out at Cliffe High Street....
Charlie K
It then starts its descent past the old Lewes racecourse and Landport Bottom into Lewes. Looking down into Lewes from above the slope of Landport Bottom you can visualise the events of the Battle of Lewes in 1264 when Simon de Montfort defeated Henry III....
Bostal Boy
In doing so one is taking the path people have followed between Brighton (previously Brighthelmstone) and Lewes for centuries....
Bostal Boy
A newly resurfaced path alongside the railway line from Burgess Hill station quickly leaves the town behind, and leads to the fields at Batchelor's Farm. For me this route trumps BURLEW One because it leaves Burgess Hill by the most direct route, avoiding the need to trudge through interminable estates of new housing around Folders Lane...
Bostal Boy
Route follows the river Ouse for the majority and then follows a tarmacked bridleway over the hill into Peacehaven....
MJRW12345
Expect to find all kinds of livestock on the route, I had to walk through fields with Cows, Sheep and Horses2...
MJRW12345
A very pleasant, almost completely off road walk that follows the River Uck and the River Ouse....
MJRW12345
This is a pleasant, direct and easy to follow route from the edge of Brighton into the centre of Lewes. Quite muddy when wet though!...
MJRW12345
Really loved this walk - combined it with the Brighton to Woodingdean route with a small amend to that one to pick up the Drove Road earlier on Warren Road. Great views and no real challenges, though the chalk path downhill section from Castle Hill can need a little bit of care depending on the weather....
funky
MJRW12345 added Burlew two, a new walk from Burgess Hill to Lewes
Walk this routeI think this route needs a complete rethink between Barcombe Mills and Uckfield - probably best to join it up with Buguck. Will try and walk it myself and provide a .gpx at some point soon....
MJRW12345
johnadler added Burlew one, a new walk from Burgess Hill to Lewes
Walk this routeLewes’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
TQ4161409815
Lat / Lon
50.87049° / 0.01125°
Easting / Northing
541,614E / 109,815N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Lewes and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Lewes's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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