Seven Sisters and Birling Gap: getting there and what parking costs

The Seven Sisters are a run of chalk cliffs on the East Sussex coast, and they are the England that does not appear on London postcards. The easiest access point is Birling Gap, at East Dean, near Eastbourne, BN20 0AB.

Safety first

The National Trust opens the page for this place with a warning, and it is not a formality: the white cliffs are very fragile and can collapse without warning. Stay well away from both the edges and the bases. A photograph from the lip of the cliff here regularly ends in a rescue operation.

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What it costs

Access to the land is free; you only pay to park. The tariff is £2 for up to an hour, £4 for up to two hours and £8 for more than two hours. Minibuses and motorhomes pay £10 for up to two hours and £20 all day.

National Trust members, motorcycles and Blue Badge holders park free. Payment is through the JustPark app or the machines; the property codes are 80513 for cars and 77822 for motorhomes. Overnight parking and camping are not permitted. There is no longer any coach parking or coach drop-off here.

Opening times

The countryside itself is open dawn to dusk. In November the café, shop and toilets run from 10:00 to 16:00.

The external toilet block opens 9.30am to 6pm from April to October and 10am to 4pm from November to March. All toilets are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There is an accessible toilet inside the main building, open while the café and shop are open.

Getting there

By road: Birling Gap sits south of the A259, midway between Eastbourne and Seaford, and is signposted from the A259 at East Dean.

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By train: the nearest stations are Eastbourne, 5.5 miles away, and Seaford, 6.5 miles, both served by Southern. There are taxi ranks outside each.

By bus: services between Eastbourne and Brighton call at East Dean all year round, a mile and a half away, and some run directly to Birling Gap at weekends and seasonally.

On foot: Birling Gap lies on the South Downs Way between Exceat and Eastbourne and forms part of the Seven Sisters route. The most direct way from East Dean follows Birling Gap Road, which has no pavements or walkways — the Trust points walkers to the Highway Code guidance for pedestrians.

What to expect on the ground

The shingle beach is reached down a staircase of 50 steps, in four flights with level landings between them. The terrain generally is hilly and unmade, with stiles and kissing gates. It is hard going with a pushchair or a wheelchair.

Dogs on leads are allowed on the beach, in the shop and in the café. Leads are required around livestock, wildlife and the cliff edge.

On accessibility: there are designated Blue Badge spaces in front of the building, level access to the shop and café over a small 3cm trim, an induction loop in both, and seating inside and out.

When to go

Winter means a short day and a café that shuts at four — but also an empty cliff, and chalk looks its best in low sun. In summer, queues for the toilets and the car park are routine in good weather. If you are coming without a car, check the bus timetable first: it is a mile and a half from East Dean along a road with no pavement.