The South Downs are the bones of Sussex: the chalk ridge that runs for 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne, the sheep-cropped turf, the skylarks singing overhead, and the view, the Weald to the north, the sea to the south, that has not changed substantially in 6,000 years. Sussex is the most complete holiday county in England: the downs (the walking, the cycling, and the Devil’s Dyke, the deepest dry valley in the UK, the myth that the Devil dug the valley to flood the churches of the Weald, and the pub at the top, the Shepherd and Dog at Fulking, the best pub view in Sussex), the coast (the Seven Sisters, the white cliffs, the Birling Gap, the staircase to the beach, the chalk, and the sea that is the colour of a faded postcard), and the villages (the flint cottages, the village greens, and the pubs that have been serving ale since before the railways arrived). A holiday in Sussex is the British holiday at its best: the walking, the pub, the sea, and the sense that a small county, 3,783 km², slightly larger than Cornwall, contains the entire British landscape in miniature. Here is your guide.

The Best of Sussex

• The South Downs Way, the chalk ridge walk: The South Downs Way is the essential Sussex experience: the 100-mile national trail from Winchester to Eastbourne, the chalk path, the wind, and the views. The essential sections: the Devil’s Dyke to Ditchling Beacon (7 miles, the best day walk on the Downs, the valley, the pub, and the highest point on the Downs at 248 metres), the Seven Sisters (the 13 miles from Alfriston to Eastbourne, the white cliffs, the sea, and the seven undulating waves of the chalk that are the most beautiful coastal walk in England. The walk is exposed, the wind, the sun, and the sense of being on top of the world), and the Cuckmere Valley (the meanders of the Cuckmere River, the oxbow lake, and the view from the High and Over, the most beautiful river valley in southern England). The essential stop: the Long Man of Wilmington (the 72-metre chalk figure on the hillside, the origins unknown, the Bronze Age, the Saxon, or the 18th-century folly, and the view of the Downs from the car park). More UK →
• The villages, the flint and the pub: Alfriston: the most beautiful village in Sussex, the 14th-century church (the “Cathedral of the Downs,” the flint walls, and the view of the Cuckmere Valley), the Star Inn (the 16th-century pub, the low ceilings, the fireplace, and the best pub lunch on the Downs), and the Clergy House (the first building acquired by the National Trust, in 1896, for £10. ~£8, and the thatched roof and the 14th-century hall house, the most beautiful small National Trust property in Sussex). Arundel: the castle (the 11th-century fortress, the home of the Duke of Norfolk, the premier Catholic peer of England, and the most dramatic castle in southern England. ~£27, and the view from the keep, the River Arun, the Downs, and the sea at Littlehampton). The Black Rabbit (the pub on the river, the terrace, and the view of the castle, the best pub view in Sussex). Rye: the medieval hilltop town, the cobbled streets (Mermaid Street, the most beautiful street in Sussex, the medieval houses, the cobbles, and the Mermaid Inn, the 1156 pub, the secret passages, and the best pub in Rye), and the Ypres Tower (the 13th-century castle, the museum, and the view of the Romney Marsh, the flat, deserted landscape that was the haunt of the smugglers in the 18th century)
• The coast, the beaches and the fish: Camber Sands: the 5 miles of golden sand, the dunes, and the best beach on the Sussex coast. The sand is soft, the sea is shallow, and the beach at sunset offers the best beach experience in the county. The fish: the seafood of the Sussex coast, the crab of Selsey, the lobster of Littlehampton, and the fish and chips of Brighton (the Regency, the best fish and chips in Brighton, the haddock is the essential order. £12.50). Brighton: the Royal Pavilion (the Indo-Saracenic folly of George IV, the most extraordinary royal palace in Britain. ~£17), the Lanes (the antique shops, the jewellery, and the best shopping in the south), and the pier (the deckchairs, the candy floss, and the seaside at its most joyful)