Car parking - The National Trails

YOUR GUIDE TO THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY
Car parking
For further information about the South Downs Way, visit
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns or www.southdowns.gov.uk

Car parking
The South Downs Way is a sensitive open landscape
and as such has very few car parks along the route.
Those that do exist are generally small in size and it
is therefore recommended that wherever possible
you use public transport or car share. For public
transport information see the South Downs Public
Transport Guide at www.southdowns.gov.uk/travel,
or contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or
www.traveline.info.
Many car parks, including Eastbourne Downland and
National Trust car parks, are pay and display – these
are shown by .
OVERNIGHT PARKING
Some people may wish to park their car at one end
of the trail, walk the South Downs Way or part of
it, and then catch public transport back to their car.
This is possible, but should be arranged in advance.
Details to help you plan your overnight parking are
included in this leaflet.
Horse riders
The size of a horse box can sometimes present
problems, so the list highlights locations where
horse boxes can be parked , plus details of those
with a height or width restriction . Regrettably,
as the trail starts and ends in urban areas, you
can’t park at the very beginning or end of the trail.
Wherever you park, please park considerately, be
aware of security issues and take precautions against
theft.
Where an off trail park is listed, the South Downs
Way is directly accessible by bridleway unless noted
otherwise.
Please also be aware of rural car crime and do not
leave anything on display that might tempt thieves.
Parking Facilities
Key:
parking charges apply
height/width restrictions
suitable for horse boxes
Grid References
Some facilities include their Grid Reference e.g.
SU716203, which can be entered into
www.streetmap.co.uk and other online sites to
locate the facilities.
Winchester city centre (Overnight)
All the public car parks operated by Winchester
City Council have a maximum 24hr stay, however
the Council can arrange payment for longer stays
in advance. Chesil Street multi-story car park is
the closest to the trail – parking costs £6 per day.
Larger vehicles can park at either St. Catherine’s Hill
park and ride or Worthy Lane car parks which have
large bays. Contact Winchester Parking Office on
01962 848346.
Chilcomb Village, near Winchester.
SU 508283
On trail. Please park considerately in the village. Best
suited as a setting down and picking up point only.
This is the nearest unboxing place to Winchester.
Cheesefoot Head, near Winchester.
SU 529277
100 yards / 100 m from trail, on A272. Small
amount of parking with narrow access to trail
via grassy verge.
Beacon Hill Beeches, in the Meon Valley.
SU 598228
On trail. Small with some tree roots and overhanging
branches. Note that Old Winchester Hill National
Nature Reserve, on the opposite side of the Meon
Valley, now has height restriction barriers.
OLD WINCHESTER HILL National
nature reserve. SU 645213
On trail.
Butser Hill, Queen Elizabeth Country
Park, Hants. SU 716203
On trail.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park,
Nr Petersfield, Hants.
SU 718185
On trail. Off the A3, past visitor centre to Gravel
Hill Car Park. Toilets and café. A larger car park can
be reserved for special events.
Halls Hill, Queen Elizabeth Country
Park, Buriton. SU 733197
On trail.
2 Car Parking near the South Downs Way

Harting Down (NT)
SU 790181
On trail. Off B2141, about 1 mile / 1½ km south
of South Harting. Approaching by vehicle from
the north, note that the B2141 is very steep and
winding going uphill towards the car park. From the
south, access is easy.
Cocking Car Park (Hill Barn)
SU 875166
On trail, small. On the A286 Chichester / Midhurst
road about 1 mile / 1 km south of Cocking village
on top of the Downs.
Goodwood Country Park (Counter’s
Gate) SU 898113
About 3 miles / 5 km off trail via Charlton. A good
base for circular rides including a part of the South
Downs Way.
Bignor Hill (NT)
SU 973130
On trail.
Whiteways, north of Arundel, West
Sussex. TQ 002108
About 2 / 3 mile / 1 km south of the trail. At the A29/
A284 roundabout. Café and toilets. Park at the
north end (turn right as you enter). The south end
by the café is where motorbikes meet.
Kithurst Hill, Nr Storrington,
West Sussex. TQ 070124
On trail.
Chantry Post, Storrington,
West Sussex
On trail. A24, A283 towards Storrington for 2 miles,
left towards Chantry Lane Trading Estate. Car park
at end of the lane.
Washington Car Park. TQ 120120
On trail. Best accessed via Washington Village.
N.B. If riding to or from the west, ride across
the A24 via the bridge in the village and follow
the alternative South Downs Way route to avoid
crossing the dual carriageway at grade.
Chanctonbury Ring, Nr Steyning,
West Sussex. TQ 145124
Very small facility. A283 towards Steyning, onto
Chanctonbury Ring Road.
Botolphs, Nr Steyning, West Sussex.
TQ 193093
On trail. West side of A283.
High Trees, north of Shoreham.
TQ 197098
200 yards / 200m from trail. Car park is at the A283/
A2037 roundabout on the east side of the road –
the trail can be reached via the wide grassy verge.
Beeding Hill, north of Shoreham.
TQ 208096
On trail. Approached through suburban Shoreham,
look for signs for Mill Hill and Tottington Barn Youth
Hostel. Small and rough surface.
Devil’s Dyke, north of Brighton.
TQ 259109
On trail. Several car parks along approach, but all
have width restrictions preventing large vehicles.
Main National Trust car park at Devil’s Dyke, large
but busy on summer weekends.
Summer Down, Devil’s Dyke,
West Sussex. TQ 269111
On trail.
Jack and Jill, south of Hassocks, West
Sussex, BN6 9PG.TQ 303134
On trail. Off the A273. Can be busy at weekends.
Ditchling Beacon. TQ 334129
On trail. (NT property).
Stanmer Park, Lewes Rd, Brighton,
Sussex, BN1 9SE. TQ 337096
Off the A27 Brighton Bypass at the eastern end,
2 miles / 3 km off trail. Several possible routes
north. Park in church car park – beware of people,
dogs, ball games etc. at weekends.
Housedean Farm, Nr Lewes, East Sussex.
TQ 368093
On trail. A27 eastbound lay-by. Although this is a
lay-by it is separated from the dual carriageway by
a very high bank and thick vegetation. The main
road cannot be seen by horse or rider and even the
noise is well screened. A bridge gives safe access to
both north and south sides of road.
Newmarket Inn, Ashcombe, East Sussex.
TQ 378091
Off A27 westbound. Lay-by next to pub, about 1 / 3 mile /
1
/ 2 km off trail. Access only to the south and east. Much
busier than Housedean Farm because of the petrol
station and not screened from A27 traffic.
Newmarket Hill, Woodingdean,
Brighton East Sussex. TQ 356064
Off B2123. 2km Restricted Byway link to South
Downs Way.
Car Parking near the South Downs Way
3

ITFORD FARM. TQ 434055
On trail. Layby off A26 (southbound). Small informal
layby with brideway access to South Downs Way.
Firle Beacon, Nr Lewes, East
Sussex. TQ 468058
On trail. From A27, follow signs for Firle Place,
Firle Beacon. Horse boxes can park without going
through height restriction.
Bopeep, above Alciston, Nr Eastbourne.
TQ 494051
On trail. Steep approach road and exposed in
windy weather.
Alfriston, East Sussex, BN26 5UP
(various locations)
Car parks in the town centre (free or pay and
display, time-limited).
JEVINGTON VILLAGE, TQ 562013
Small car park 100m south of South Downs Way.
Wilmington Chalkpit, The Street,
Wilmington, Sussex, BN26 5SG. TQ 535037
A small car park about ¼ mile / 300m off trail. Can
be muddy and is a little rough – a large box may find
it difficult. N.B. The car park marked on the OS Map,
about 1 / 3 mile (500m) further south along this road
and apparently directly on the South Downs Way,
does not actually exist.
Butt’s Brow, Willingdon, near
Eastbourne. TV 586979
Near A22, about ½ mile (800m) off trail. Care
needed – the route up to this car park is a
residential lane and is steep and narrow in places.
Non-resident annual permit available for Beachy
Head, Warren Hill, Butts Brow.
Warren Hill, Eastbourne.
TQ 588979
On trail, on the B2103. Surfaced parking area open
all year. A grass car park open from around 9am to
dusk (British Summer Time only). Approx. ½ mile to
start of South Downs Way Bridleway. Non-resident
annual permit available for Beachy Head, Warren
Hill, Butts Brow.
Crowlink. TV 550979
National Trust car park with 1.5km direct footpath
link to South Downs Way and Seven Sisters.
Birling Gap, East Dean, Nr Eastbourne,
East Sussex, BN20 0AB. TV 554960
On trail (footpath section). Sign-posted from A259
at East Dean. National Trust site with café, toilets
and visitor centre.
Seven Sisters Country Park, Exceat,
Nr Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 4AD.
TV 518996
On trail. Parking available on both north and south
sides of A259, between Seaford and Eastbourne.
Horse boxes should use forest car park to north of
A259. Can be very busy at weekends.
EAST DEAN VILLAGE. TV 558978
Large car park 2km north of South Downs Way.
Direct bridleway link to Birling Gap.
Eastbourne Centre
(Overnight)
Most on-street parking in Eastbourne is pay and
display and you are not allowed to park overnight,
apart from on the seafront (£4). No parking
restrictions exist on Upper Dukes Drive, near to
the start of the trail, but space is limited. Contact
the Eastbourne Parking Co-ordinator on 01323
415282 or, for on-road parking enquiries, contact
the Parking Information Office on 08456 801129. It
is always advisable to let the parking authority know
if you intend to leave your car parked overnight.
This information is believed to be correct
at time of writing (September 2013).
No responsibility can be taken for errors.
However if you spot an error please contact the
South Downs Way Team, South Downs National
Park Authority, Stanmer Park Offices, Stanmer
Park, Lewes Rd, Brighton, BN1 9SE.
Tel: 01273 625242
Email: sdw@southdowns.gov.uk
Beachy Head Countryside Centre,
Beachy Head Road, Eastbourne,
East Sussex, BN20 7YA. TV 590958
On trail. A259, Warren Hill/B2103, Beachy Head
Road. Non-resident annual permit available for
Beachy Head, Warren Hill, Butts Brow.
4
Car Parking near the South Downs Way