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: 11 mi
Longest day: 14 mi
Total ascent: 10,699 ft

Your itinerary

Day 1 of 9 · 12 mi

Winchester → Meonstoke

12 miles with 991 ft of climb, through chapter 1 of the guide, and sleeps at Meonstoke.

Distance: 12 mi (20 km)
Ascent: 991 ft (302 m) up
Off trail: +0.3 km to the bed

Height, by our terrainHighest 656 ft

Tonight

B&B or inn in Meonstoke.

5 places to stay within 2.5 km on the National Trail’s own list (read 23 September 2026); 1 also on OpenStreetMap. Listed is not booked — check dates and prices in the search below.

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

Food on the way

Food shops: 11 at Winchester, at the start; One Stop (0.7 mi in, 635 m off the path); Tesco Extra (0.9 mi in, 947 m off the path); Meonstoke Post Office & Village Stores at Meonstoke, 640 m off the path, tonight.

33 cafés and 24 pubs along the way.

From OpenStreetMap, read 25 September 2026. A place on the map is not a promise it is open.

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 25 September 2026.

At Meonstoke

Corhampton Park bus · 0.9 km
SDR (Bluestar): none on weekdays, none on Saturday, 6 each way on Sunday. Stop: Stocks Lane, 340 m from Meonstoke. Route 606 (Bluestar): 2 a day on weekdays, at times that vary by day, between 07:00 and 17:04; none on Saturday, none on Sunday. Stop: Corhampton Park, 120 m from Meonstoke. Checked 26 September 2026.

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.

Companies that move bags on this trail:

Luggage Transfers · The whole South Downs WayPrice on request.
South Down Bag Transfers · Winchester to EastbournePrice on request.

Not partners: we earn nothing from these links. Prices as each company publishes them, read 29 September 2026; check with them before you book.

Your plan

Day	From	To	Miles	Ascent	Bed	Transport
1	Winchester	Meonstoke	12	991 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Winchester rail, Corhampton Park bus
2	Meonstoke	Clanfield	11	1,096 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Corhampton Park bus, The Hampshire Hog bus
3	Clanfield	Bepton	12	1,286 ft	B&B or inn · listed	The Hampshire Hog bus
4	Bepton	Houghton Bridge	12	1,086 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Amberley rail
5	Houghton Bridge	Washington	7	791 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Amberley rail, Stocks Mead bus
6	Washington	Poynings	13	1,437 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Stocks Mead bus, Crossways Cottages bus
7	Poynings	Falmer	10	971 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Crossways Cottages bus, Falmer rail, Housedean Farm bus
8	Falmer	Alfriston	14	1,391 ft	B&B or inn · listed	Falmer rail, Housedean Farm bus, Berwick rail, Market Cross bus
9	Alfriston	Eastbourne	11	1,650 ft	Finish	Berwick rail, Market Cross bus, Eastbourne rail, Hampden Park rail

First walking day

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

South Downs Way: build your walk.