We’re a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s, 30s and slightly older, offering led walks and social events across Herts, Beds and south Cambs.
This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.
An away day walk of great contrasts, beginning with a challenging trek in the South Downs National Park and ending with a stroll along the seafront in the city of Brighton & Hove.
Please note this is a linear walk from Hassocks to Brighton - both stations are easily accessible from Stag Walkers territory.
This route has been designed to practice hill walking in advance of our long weekend in the Lake District, with steeper and more numerous ascents and descents than normal for our group. The walk is open to everyone but please ensure you have a good level of walking fitness if you wish to join us on this walk.
The route begins heading out from Hassocks through woods and fields before our first climb of the day up Wolstonbury Hill. From here there are 360-degree views across the countryside and down to the sea, and we’ll pause for a tea break before heading down towards the village of Pyecombe.
Next we go up Cow Down, descend West Hill and pass through Saddlescombe Farm before reaching the centrepiece of our route, the impressive Devil’s Dyke - a narrow valley said to have been dug by the Devil. We’ll walk along the valley bottom, climbing gradually then very sharply to its apex. We’ll recover with a late picnic lunch then walk round to the Devil’s Dyke pub for a quick drink and another fantastic view.
It’s downhill from here as we follow a long, straight track through farmland towards the city and the sea. Leaving the National Park, we’ll pass through the suburb of Portslade, where there is the option to skip the last five miles of the walk and take a train to central Brighton.
On reaching the seafront at Hove Lagoon we have a three-mile stretch along the promenade, passing the iconic ruin of the West Pier and the i360 or “vertical pier”before coming to the Palace Pier.
Time permitting, we can have a chippy tea on the beach before making our way through the streets to Brighton station and trains back home (estimated finish 8pm at Brighton station; direct trains leave Brighton at xx.14 for Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth etc. or xx.58 and xx.28 for St Albans, Luton etc.).
Please note this walk is not suitable for dogs.
For information about walking with the group, including our dog policy, please visit the Stag Walkers website.
Booking your place: Please book your place using the free Meetup website/app. Join the Stag Walkers Meetup group and click the 'Attend' button on the event page.
Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited.
If the walk is fully booked, click 'join waitlist' to get a place if one becomes available and please check back regularly in case you do get a place. The waitlist gives priority to single bookings so if you wish to bring a guest, we recommend booking separately.
Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.
This is a linear walk.
The start time is when we aim to start walking and the finish time is an estimate.
Walks are graded Easy, Leisurely, Moderate or Strenuous in increasing order of difficulty. Please read the walk description to check it is within your abilities and contact the group if you are unsure.
Please:
We are a Ramblers group, non-members are welcome to try us out for three free walks before joining Ramblers as a full member.
As a charity we ask that non-members consider making a voluntary donation to Ramblers until they purchase membership. We suggest £3-4 per walk. You can donate in person or online.
The Ramblers’ Association is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company registration number: 4458492. Registered Charity in England and Wales number: 1093577. Registered office: First Floor, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE.
Meet in front of The Hassocks pub by Hassocks Station on Station Approach East, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8HN. If driving, parking at Hassocks station is £3.10 and a rail ticket back from Brighton is £5.30. We recommend travelling to this walk by train; the journey should take around two hours from Stag Walkers territory. Buy a return to Brighton and get off at Hassocks. From Stag territory catch the Brighton-bound train arriving in Hassocks at 11.02 from Bedford (08.48), Flitwick (08.59), Luton (09.13), Harpenden (09.22), St Albans (09.27), St Pancras (09.50), Farringdon (09.54), etc. From WGC, catch the 08.51 to Kings Cross then walk to St Pancras. From Hitchin, catch the Horsham-bound train at 09.11, or from Stevenage at 09.17, then change at Farringdon. Check the National Rail website if travelling from other stations.
Brighton Railway Station, Brighton and Hove, BN1 3ZE. For trains back to Stag Walkers territory.
