A week in the South Downs

Stay in Lewes. Day 1: Hollingbury Hill Fort, Queen's Park and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery; day 2: Firle Place, Charleston House and Drusillas Park; day 3: Newhaven Fort, Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (nurses' quarters) and Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club; day 4: Lewes Castle, Anne of Cleves' House and Glynde Place; day 5: Barbican House Museum, The Priory of St Pancras and Lewes Railway Land Local Nature Reserve; day 6: Alfriston Market Cross, St Andrew's Church, Alfriston and Long Man of Wilmington; day 7: Get Wet!, St Mary and St Peter's Church. and Bates Green Garden.

Make it yoursstart from your town, pick the month, swap any stop

Day 1 · the South Downs

Hollingbury Hill Fort 9.7 km from Lewes
Queen's Park 11 km from Lewes, just outside the park 3 km from the last stop
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery Grade II* listed, 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park 1 km from the last stop

Lunch: Park Crescent Grade II* listed, 11 km from Lewes, just outside the park
If it rains: Preston Manor Grade II* listed, 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park
On the way: Church of St Bartholomew near Lewes Grade I listed, 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 1 in Google Maps

Night 1 · Lewes

train station: Lewes Rail Station; 13 bus stops within 400 m

Day 2 · the South Downs

Firle Place Grade I listed, 6.1 km from Alfriston
Charleston House Grade II* listed, 4.8 km from Alfriston 2 km from the last stop
Drusillas Park 1.8 km from Alfriston 4 km from the last stop

Lunch: The Sussex Ox 1.6 km from Alfriston
If it rains: West Blatchington Windmill Grade II* listed, 14 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 2 in Google Maps

Night 2 · still in Lewes

Day 3 · the South Downs

Newhaven Fort Scheduled monument, 11 km from Lewes, just outside the park
Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (nurses' quarters) 6.7 km from Alfriston 1 km from the last stop
Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club 6.3 km from Alfriston, just outside the park 1 km from the last stop

Lunch: Old Boot Inn 5.6 km from Alfriston, just outside the park
If it rains: Brighton Toy and Model Museum 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 3 in Google Maps

Night 3 · still in Lewes

Day 4 · the South Downs

Lewes Castle in Lewes
Anne of Cleves' House Grade II* listed, in Lewes 1 km from the last stop
Glynde Place Grade I listed, 4.1 km from Lewes 5 km from the last stop

Lunch: Lewes Arms in Lewes
If it rains: Saltdean Lido Grade II* listed, 8.9 km from Lewes, just outside the park
On the way: Ruins of Lewes Priory Grade I listed, in Lewes

Open day 4 in Google Maps

Night 4 · still in Lewes

Day 5 · the South Downs

Barbican House Museum Grade II* listed, in Lewes
The Priory of St Pancras Scheduled monument, in Lewes 1 km from the last stop
Lewes Railway Land Local Nature Reserve in Lewes 1 km from the last stop

Lunch: The Patch Café & Bar in Lewes
If it rains: Sea Life Centre 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 5 in Google Maps

Night 5 · still in Lewes

Day 6 · the South Downs

Alfriston Market Cross Grade I listed, in Alfriston
St Andrew's Church, Alfriston Grade I listed, in Alfriston Next door to the last stop
Long Man of Wilmington 2.3 km from Alfriston 2 km from the last stop

If it rains: The Brighton Dome 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 6 in Google Maps

Night 6 · still in Lewes

Day 7 · the South Downs

Get Wet! 1.7 km from Alfriston
St Mary and St Peter's Church. Grade I listed, 2.6 km from Alfriston 2 km from the last stop
Bates Green Garden 5.6 km from Alfriston, just outside the park 4 km from the last stop

If it rains: Booth Museum of Natural History 12 km from Lewes, just outside the park

Open day 7 in Google Maps

How this plan is made

No one picks these by hand and no one pays to be in them. The planner's rules take the places and roads the South Downs's pages rank, for anyone, any month: one town to stay in, and each day its best stop with the best ones close to it, three a day, with lunch nearby and an indoor stop if it rains. Distances are as the crow flies, so the road is longer. Check opening times on each place's page before you go. How the ranking works.

Questions

Where should I stay for a week in the South Downs?

Lewes. It is the town with the best stops within 15 km for this trip, so you don't pack up every morning. Lewes: train station: Lewes Rail Station; 13 bus stops within 400 m.

What should I do first?

Day 1 is Hollingbury Hill Fort, Queen's Park and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery: the best stop for this trip, then the best ones within 5 km of it.

Who picked these places?

Nobody. The same rules make every plan from the places and roads the site ranks with one open formula, and no place pays to be in a plan.

How it works, in full