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Trips

South Downs Way Half Marathon Trek

Location

England

Terrain

Coastal

Difficulty

Intermediate

Accommodation and Meals

Packed lunch and snacks

Duration

1 day

Meeting Point

Beachy Head

Annual Leave

Weekend walk

Group Size

30 - 40

Seasons

Year-round

Walking Distance

21 km

As trip leaders with Tribal Tracks, we are lucky enough to travel worldwide; it's easy to overlook the beauty of what is on our doorstep. The South Downs is one such location: stunning views and iconic grass-covered chalk-white cliffs, a beautiful day's trekking.
South Downs Way Half Marathon Trek
Gaynor

Meet Gaynor, a director of, and one of the co-founders of Tribal Tracks.

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Simply stunning.  It was just wonderful.

Charlotte B

Travelling with Tribal Tracks is a wonderful experience.  They take care of everything and you don't have to worry about anything!

Gordon G

I cannot praise Tribal Tracks highly enough.  I had a wonderful experience and I cannot wait to travel with them again.

Genevieve S

Trip Highlights

21.2km challenging coastal and countryside trek 

Circular route, starting and ending at Beachy Head

Stunning English scenery and coastline

Support and leadership from Tribal Tracks

All the info you need

Trip Details

Trip Details

At a Glance

A tough half-marathon distance trek across undulating terrain, taking in the beauty of this gorgeous UK coastline.

Experienced Tribal Tracks leaders will support you on this challenging circular trek, crossing paths with the South Downs Way. The South Downs are renowned for its diverse landscapes, cultural landmarks, and energy-sapping terrain. We start and finish at Bullock Down Farm located on Beachy Head Road.

The first 10km of the route is fairly flat, on dirt tracks and through fields, there is one road crossings over a quiet road. At the 5km point there is a trig point and a good place to have the first stop. From here the route heads through fields and south to Friston. The route into the outskirts of the town is along a very quiet residential road. At Friston there is a main road to cross over before joining the footpath, you need to take care here. The route heads down a quiet track towards the National Trust car park, this will be the lunch stop. From the lunch stop car park the route heads south towards the coastline. There is a gentle climb up onto the Seven Sisters, from here it follows the coastline to Birling Gap and onto the lighthouse. The coastal part of the route is a series of ascents and descents with stunning views of the white cliffs. We follow the coastline right up to the edge of Eastbourne and then make a final steep ascent up onto Beachy Head Road and back into Bullock Down Farm.

We will split into groups, determined by your most comfortable walking pace.  

Trip Details

Itinerary

Trip Details

Dates & Prices

Please enquire about the 2024 and 2025 dates. 

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Trip Details

General Notes

  • Tribal Tracks UK qualified mountain leader;
  • Logistical support crew;
  • Virtual pre-departure briefing;
  • Dedicated pre-departure support from a named Tribal Tracks director.

It is important that you read the itinerary carefully, and take account of the rating we have given it.  

Although our challenges are not technical, they do require a good degree of physical fitness. The conditions will require stamina and strength, which you should recognise and train for. This will be a much better experience if you are fit and prepared. You should feel comfortable walking 6-8 hours per day.

Tribal Tracks has 100% Financial Protection and has a trust account with the Protected Trust Service, member number 5566.

This means that all client monies paid to Tribal Tracks are held in our dedicated trust account, which is supervised by an independent trustee. This means that in the very unlikely event that Tribal Tracks ceases to trade, your money is safe. For more information, please visit this link. Any flights booked for you by Tribal Tracks will be ATOL protected under our own ATOL certificate.

Tribal Tracks considers the safety of all of its participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have thorough safety systems in place.

In the event of an injury, we have an evacuation plan in place for all elements of the trek route. We do ask that you look after yourself during the trek in the following way, as this will help avoid unnecessary problems:

  1. Trekking is a major challenge so make sure that you are well hydrated throughout.  You will be provided with plenty of water so please ensure that you fill up your water bottles with at least 2 litres at breakfast and again after lunch.
  2. Don't let a hot spot become a blister! The moment you feel any rubbing, stop and apply some zinc tape.  This will ensure that the tape gets rubbed, not your foot.  If you don't do this, you will get a blister.  While blister plasters are good, it is better not to have a blister in the first place.  Please also tell the Tribal Tracks leader as they are very good with feet and can help you!
  3. Hygiene. It is very important to wash your hands before eating and after going to the bathroom.  If you can't wash your hands, apply lots of anti-bacterial gel.  The 'gold standard' is hand washing, followed by gel.
  4. Communication.  If you are not feeling well, or have any sort of issue, please tell the Tribal Tracks leader.  They are there to help and are very discreet.

We know that the unexpected can happen.

While you are away, things can happen at home and people may need to get in contact with you.  This can be tricky when you are in remote areas.  So, shortly before departure, we provide you with an Emergency Procedure document to distribute to your nearest and dearest.  This sets out how to contact Tribal Tracks and the steps Tribal Tracks will then take to get in contact with you.

It is really important that you are well prepared for your physical challenge and that you are confident that you will be able to fully participate.

Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely partake in the trek, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to step out of the trek. Although this is a very rare occurrence, by booking this trip you agree to section 11 of our Booking Conditions which clearly states that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these circumstances, we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.

At Tribal Tracks, Responsible Travel is enormously important to us, and our commitment to responsible travel is evidenced in every itinerary that we prepare.

Core to our business is the belief that holidays can and should be enjoyable to the traveller but should be conducted in a socially, environmentally and economically responsible manner which brings benefit to local communities. This is implemented through a variety of measures which can be found in our Responsible Travel policy - http://www.tribaltracks.co.uk/responsible-travel-policy. We encourage you to read this and to play your own part in travelling responsibly.

Trip Details

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Call Charlie or Gaynor

01242 895272