Sussex

Bounding up to Belle Tout at Birling Gap

Take a wander up to Mad Jack Fuller's folly on this relaxing circular walk and enjoy some sweeping sea and downland views, as well as wonderful flora and the Beachy Head lighthouse.

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Total steps: 5

Start point

Birling Gap car park by the coastguard station, grid ref: TV554960

Step 1

From the bus stop follow the fingerpost with a yellow arrow saying 'South Downs Way'. Walk up the path and through the gate with the National Trust 'The Lookout' sign and follow this path up the hill to another fingerpost. Follow this fingerpost and take the path bearing left along the clifftop or through the scrub.

Etching of the shipwreck Nympha Americana on the beach at Birling Gap in 1747 | © National Maritime Museum

Step 2

At the top, head towards the lighthouse either along the clifftop path or through the scrub.

Step 3

Follow the path to the left of the lighthouse. Continue to follow the old access track down the hill. This will afford wonderful views towards Beachy Head and the candy-striped lighthouse. At the bottom of the path turn left to head back towards Birling Gap.

Family walking along the clifftop at Birling Gap, part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs range, East Sussex — A family walking up towards Belle Tout lighthouse | © National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

Step 4

Continue walking along the track around the base of the hill. This will take you through a small dappled woodland known as the Horseshoe Plantation, much loved by dragonflies and migrating birds.

Wonderful wildlife

The grassland to the sides of the grassy track leading to the Horseshoe Plantation are a carpet of wild flowers in the spring and summer. Look out for the spotted leaves of early purple orchids in the spring, and if you're very lucky you might see the delicate green flowers of an early spider orchid. Dropwort bursts into puffs of white in the summer and the black and white checkerboard wings of marbled white butterflies can be seen as they feed on the nectar of the wild honeysuckle.

Purple and yellow bee orchid against set against the fresh green of the meadow — Bee orchid | © Morwenna Egan

Step 5

Continue along the track and this will take you back to the car park from where you started.

Ancient settlements

As you leave the Horseshoe Plantation look up to your left and you can see a mound running parallel to the path. This is the remains of an ancient rampart which would have once encircled the entire hill. Birling Gap itself is named after the Baerelingas: a group of Anglo-Saxons who settled here in 489AD. This rampart was excavated in autumn of 2016 as part of the Seven Sisters Archaeology Project.

End point

Birling Gap car park by the coastguard station, grid ref: TV554960

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East Dean, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 0AB

01323423197

birlinggap@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Bounding up to Belle Tout at Birling Gap

Total steps: 5