Newhaven To Brighton Walk – Complete Guide & Map

Let’s explore the South Coast Path with this walk from Newhaven to Brighton with an optional pub stop halfway through. From the top of the chalk cliffs to a promenade at sea level, make the most of the beauty of the South Coast for an ideal day out for anyone wanting to trade the city for the seafront.

After the Seven Sisters or the Viking Trail from Margate to Ramsgate, it is time to discover another part of the South Coast Path. Designed by the Coastal Access team working alongside Natural England, there are many coastal paths that you can do all across the UK. But as a London dweller just looking for a day out, only the Eastern section of the English Coastal Path is accessible. So let’s uncover another leg of this scenic path!

Disclaimer: London-based hiking groups may offer the same or similar walks to this one. For more information on these groups, please check here.

Logistics of the Newhaven to Brighton Walk

Highlights of the Newhaven to Brighton Walk

Newhaven to Brighton Walk

So now we’ve covered the basics, let’s get to the walk!

Newhaven

Newhaven is a port town in East Sussex, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. It benefitted from the decay of the nearby port of Seaford resulting in the construction of a harbour in the sixteenth century. The arrival of the railway in the nineteenth century and the cross Channel ferry services aided Newhaven in growing in popularity. During WWI, the port was requisitioned for military operation and during WWII, the Canadian troops were based in Newhaven.

We start our walk at Newhaven Town train station. When you come out of the station take the footpath on your right and at the end turn left onto Railway Approach. Turn left to get to the bridge, crossing over the Ouse River.

Continue straight on North Way and turn left onto Bridge Street. You will find public toilets a little further down, at the crossing with Saint Luke’s Lane. It then becomes High Street and you need to stay on it until you reach South Way. Cross over South Way and take Church Hill in front of you. Walk on Church Hill until the street turns into a footpath going through a series of meadows where you can see donkeys.

Walk through this area and exit on the Highway. Continue until you reach Cliff Road, which as the name suggests, leads you straight to the cliffs.

Cliff Top Walk

At the end of Cliff Road, turn right on Clifftop Walk. You then follow the path on the edge of the chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel. On your right-hand side, the coast remains very residential and you can admire the beautiful houses facing the sea.

You then arrive at Peacehaven where you come face to face with the Meridian Monument. Made to commemorate the Greenwich Meridian, which marks the divide between the eastern and the western hemisphere, the monument was erected in 1935, following the suggestion of Commander Davenport RN, a resident of Peacehaven. His construction was made possible thanks to donations from the public.

A little further down on the Clifftop Path, you come across another obelisk monument. But this time it isn’t a memorial but a weather vane.

Brighton Undercliff Walk

Continue walking on the coastal path. As you reach Saltdean, come down the Clifftop Path onto the beach below where you are welcomed by a mural painting. From there, start walking on the Brighton Undercliff Walk.

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How long is Brighton Undercliff walk?

3 miles or 5 km.

The 3-mile walk at the bottom of the tall chalk cliffs is designed to protect the coastline. During stormy weather, the waves come crashing on the seawall instead of the chalk cliffs, protecting them from erosion. However, on a rainy and windy day like the one when I did the walk, I walked close to the cliff to avoid being soaked by a wave coming over the wall.

Related Content: Lulworth Cove To Durdle Door Walk

The Brighton Undercliff Walk runs from Saltdean all the way to the Brighton Marina. As a pedestrian, you need to share the promenade with our friends the cyclists.

Rottingdean

You then arrive at Rottingdean, a village in East Sussex, where we stop for a hearty roast in a traditional British Pub, The Coach House. Divert from the Undercliff Walk and take the footpath leading to the High Street where you find the pub a little bit further up.

Rottingdean was stelled during the Neolithic as shown by the artefacts recovered in the area. The site then fell under Roman domination before William the Conqueror invaded the area. During the Hundred Years War, the village of Rottingdean was ransacked by the French army and the inhabitants who sought sanctuary in the Church were burnt alive when the soldiers set the Church on fire (so it is said).

Rottingdean has a long history of smuggling, and rumours of galleries of tunnels under the village had never been proven. However, another rumour seems more credible. The Old windmill was used to alert the smugglers of potential law enforcement forces in the area by positioning the wings of the windmill in a certain way and in a different way when the path was clear. Clever!

After lunch, go back towards the seafront but this time take the Clifftop Path. Once you arrive at Ovingdean, you find the stairs to go back down to the Brighton Undercliff Walk.

Related Content: Isle of Portland Walk

Brighton

You arrive at Brighton, a seaside resort in East Sussex. Settled during the Bronze Age, the town was under Roman Domination before William the Conqueror took over during his invasion of England. The town thrived during medieval times despite suffering from storms and repetitive attacks from mainland Europe. The development of the road between Brighton and London and later on the one of the railway contributed to the increase in popularity of the place.

Nowadays Brighton is a vibrant town, attracting many tourists and voted the happiest place to live in the UK in 2008 (well that was a long time ago!), but since has been replaced by St Ives.

Brighton Marina

Continue walking on the path at the bottom of the cliffs until you reach Brighton Marina. This artificial complex of apartments, yacht harbour and shopping centre is the largest marina in the UK. You can enjoy a cinema, a bowling alley, retail facilities and restaurants as well as try out water sports such as jet ski or sailing.

Madeira Drive

After the marina, you set foot on the Madeira Drive and arrive at Black Rock, the terminus of the Volks Electric Railway. Opened on 3rd August 1883 by Magnus Volk, this touristic attraction was running for a quarter of a mile (402 m) from the Brighton Aquarium to the Pier. The railway went through many changes over the years but its operation came to an end during WWII. It reopened in 1947 but suffered a massive decline in traffic since the 60s following the increase in the popularity of holidays abroad. The railway runs for part of the year, making it the oldest electric railway still in operation in the world.

From the Drive, you can see the illuminated Brighton Pier.

Madeira Terrace

Continue your walk on Madeira Drive bordered on the right-hand side by the Madeira Terrace, an 865-long Victorian cast iron walkway supporting a terrace on top. Built between 1890 and 1897, the structure is composed of 151 arches and 4 shelters with a roof and benches. Unfortunately, the structure is now at risk of collapsing with the upper deck and staircase being closed to the public.

Keep walking on the promenade and you pass in front of the other terminus of the Volk Electric Railway at the Brighton Aquarium, the mini golf, and the zip line easily recognisable thanks to its illuminated tower.

Brighton Pier

You then arrive at the Brighton Pier. Originally built in 1823 as a landing stage for ferry passengers, it suffered from irreparable damages due to storms over the years. It is not until 1899 that the Pier reopened and was an immediate success with a theatre and amusement machines. This famous landmark of Brighton is still open to this date where you can have a little wonder around the amusement park and, who knows, get some big wins at the arcade machines!

Brighton Station

Shortly after the Pier, you need to leave the promenade to get to the station. Follow East Street until it crosses Duke Street. Turn onto the later and when you arrive at Queen Street, turn right. The Train Station is right ahead of you.

Have a safe trip back to London!

South Coast Path from Newhaven to Brighton Map

Do you want to do the same walk? Simply download the GPS map by clicking on the download button below. If you need some help uploading it onto your navigation app, follow my step-by-step guide here.

Final Thoughts on the Newhaven to Brighton Walk

The South East Coast Path runs from Eastbourne to Shoreham-by-Sea. If you are interested in walking the South Coast from Seaford to Eastbourne, check out my Seven Sisters Walk guide. Alternatively, I also have an inland walk from Hassocks to Shoreham-by-Sea passing by the Devil’s Dyke.

And you, what is your favourite coastal walk? Let me know in the comments below.

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