Build your walk: South Downs Way

Build your walk

01 How many days?

02 Which way?

03 Where will you sleep?

04 Travelling from?

Station search comes in phase 2; only checked journeys are listed.

Average day: 14 mi
Longest day: 16 mi
Total ascent: 10,686 ft

Your itinerary

Day 1 of 7 · 16 mi

Winchester → West Meon

16 miles with 1,463 ft of climb, through chapter 1 of the guide, and ends at West Meon, where beds are not yet checked.

Distance: 16 mi (25 km)
Ascent: 1,463 ft (446 m) up

Tonight

B&B or inn in West Meon.

OpenStreetMap shows no place to stay within 1.5 km of West Meon, which is not the same as none: pubs with rooms are often unmapped. Not yet checked.

Search for a bed around West Meon. Booking links arrive with our partners.

On and off the trail

At Winchester. Winchester (rail, 1.1 km): South Western Railway: three trains an hour to London Waterloo, fastest 61 minutes; CrossCountry hourly to Reading, Birmingham and Manchester. 1.1 km straight-line to the start by the cathedral. Checked 18 September 2026.

At West Meon. [Check local transport] — no checked link here yet.

Travel

Getting there. Journeys from other places are not yet checked; the stations at the start are in the next card.

Luggage

Bag transfer moves your luggage between each night's bed, so you walk with a day sack. Most walkers on this trail use one.

A transfer partner for this trail is not yet set up.

Your plan

Day	From	To	Miles	Ascent	Bed	Transport
1	Winchester	West Meon	16	1,463 ft	B&B or inn · not yet checked	Winchester
2	West Meon	South Harting	13	1,257 ft	B&B or inn · not yet checked	—
3	South Harting	West Burton	16	1,690 ft	B&B or inn · not yet checked	Amberley
4	West Burton	Bramber	16	1,385 ft	B&B or inn · unconfirmed	Amberley
5	Bramber	Mill Laine Barns	13	1,759 ft	B&B or inn · unconfirmed	Cooksbridge
6	Mill Laine Barns	Firle Beacon	14	1,417 ft	B&B or inn · unconfirmed	Cooksbridge, Glynde
7	Firle Beacon	Eastbourne	14	1,716 ft	Finish	Glynde, Eastbourne, Bullock Down Farm, Hampden Park

First walking day

Free to plan. We earn a small commission if you book through our partner links.

Booking checklist

In the order to book, not the order you walk. How far ahead to book on this trail is not yet checked.

Night 5: B&B or inn in Mill Laine BarnsOnly a few places to stay — book this night first.
Night 6: B&B or inn in Firle BeaconOnly a few places to stay — book this night first.
Night 1: B&B or inn in West MeonNothing on the map here yet, which is not the same as no bed — check early.
Night 2: B&B or inn in South HartingNothing on the map here yet, which is not the same as no bed — check early.
Night 3: B&B or inn in West BurtonNothing on the map here yet, which is not the same as no bed — check early.
Night 4: B&B or inn in Bramber4 places to stay on OpenStreetMap, none confirmed yet — book early.
Train to the startAdvance fares are cheapest weeks ahead.
Train home from the finishBook the day you know your last stage.
Luggage transferOnce every night is booked, give the transfer the list.

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