Castles of Sussex Walk

The Castles of Sussex Walk is 302.52 km long with 5,174 m of total ascent, so it is a substantial multi-day route rather than a weekend walk. Most hikers would break a route of this length into roughly 12 to 16 walking days, depending on daily mileage, accommodation planning, and how much time is spent at places such as Pevensey, Battle, Lewes, Bramber, Amberley, and Arundel.

The route is known for linking a long chain of Sussex strongholds and castle sites. Published route descriptions list places including Pevensey Castle, Herstmonceux Castle, Battle, Hastings Castle, Camber Castle, Bodiam Castle, Bolebroke Castle, Lewes Castle, Bramber Castle, Knepp Castle, Cowdray, Amberley Castle, and Arundel Castle, giving the walk a strong historic focus across East and West Sussex.

The Castles of Sussex Walk is generally described as a circuit-style long-distance route across Sussex rather than a simple point-to-point trail. Route descriptions place it from Pevensey Castle eastward through sites such as Battle, Hastings, Rye, and Bodiam, then west through Lewes, Bramber, Petworth, Amberley, and Arundel before linking the wider castle chain back together across Sussex.

The Castles of Sussex Walk is graded easy, but that rating needs to be read in the context of its scale. The terrain is generally more manageable than a mountain trail, yet 302.52 km and 5,174 m of ascent still demand fitness, route planning, and the ability to handle many consecutive days on foot across the Sussex countryside.

Yes. The route connects places in East Sussex and beyond that are served by the county’s rail and bus network, and several of the best-known castle towns on the walk, including Lewes, Battle, Hastings, Rye, and Eastbourne-area access for Pevensey, are practical to reach without a car. That makes it realistic to walk the route in sections as well as as a full multi-day trip.

Spring through early fall is usually the most practical window for the Castles of Sussex Walk. A route this long crosses open downs, farmland, woodland, and low-lying ground near places such as Pevensey and Rye, so long wet spells can make sections muddier and slower, while the longer daylight of late spring and summer makes stage planning much easier.