Beyond Brighton
The South Downs: the back story
Beyond Brighton
About The South Downs: the back story
The South Downs National Park begins at the edge of Brighton & Hove. The Breeze buses climb from the city to Devil’s Dyke (77) and Ditchling Beacon (79); the South Downs Way runs along the ridge; Chanctonbury Ring crowns a hill to the west. Below the scarp lie villages such as Ditchling; its Museum of Art + Craft is temporarily closed for the rest of 2026. The chalk also grows English sparkling wine: Ridgeview, near Ditchling, and Rathfinny, near Alfriston, have their own estates.
The South Downs National Park Authority (southdowns.gov.uk) and the National Trust care for much of the landscape.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © mattbuck (category) · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsUp on the Downs
Devil’s Dyke and Ditchling Beacon are both National Trust viewpoints, reached by car or by Breeze bus from Brighton.
Check opening times and trains on the official sites before you travel.
The South Downs Way
The National Trail follows the ridge between Winchester and Eastbourne (nationaltrail.co.uk).
Villages and vineyards
Ditchling sits below the Beacon; Ridgeview and Rathfinny make English sparkling wine on the Downs: check their own sites for visits.
Our advice: take the Breeze bus up and walk back down to the city.
Why it's on our list
- Up on the Downs
- The South Downs Way
- Villages and vineyards
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The South Downs: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The South Downs: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Preston Park4.4 miCycle 28 minCar or taxi 23 min
- The North Laine5.4 miCycle 35 minCar or taxi 28 min
- Brighton Dome5.6 miCycle 36 minCar or taxi 28 min
- Royal Pavilion5.6 miCycle 36 minCar or taxi 29 min
- The Lanes5.7 miCycle 37 minCar or taxi 29 min
- Brighton i3605.9 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 30 min
- Palace Pier5.9 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 30 min
- Hove Lawns5.9 miCycle 38 minCar or taxi 30 min
Railway stations
- Preston Park station4.4 miCycle 28 minCar or taxi 23 min
- London Road (Brighton) station4.7 miCycle 30 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Brighton station5.2 miCycle 34 minCar or taxi 27 min
- Hove station5.3 miCycle 34 minCar or taxi 27 min