Читать книгу Walks in the South Downs National Park онлайн

53 страница из 55

The Tiger Inn overlooks the village green at East Dean

Wander ahead to pass along the right-hand side of an orange-roofed barn, with a beautiful and far-reaching view across the Seven Sisters and towards Beachy Head, with the squat, disused Belle Tout lighthouse a prominent feature on the cliffs southeast of Birling Gap. The grass path takes you down to a gate near the white weatherboarded Seven Sisters Cottage. A few paces after this turn right onto the path of the South Downs Way which goes through another gate to begin the crossing of the Seven Sisters.

Note

Should you need refreshments, do not go through this second gate, but follow the alternative path which very soon brings you to the group of buildings at Birling Gap where there is a café.

Crossing the Seven Sisters is a glorious, often breezy walk, with magnificent views throughout. There are, in fact, eight ‘sisters’ – Went Hill Brow, Baily’s Hill, Flat Hill, Flagstaff Brow, Brass Point, Rough Brow, Short Brow and Haven Brow – separated by steep-sided dry valleys known as ‘bottoms’ formed by ancient rivers at a time when the chalk cliffs extended much further seaward than they are now, but were then cut off when the tides pummelled and pounded the chalk away – a process that continues to this day.