Beachy Head and Seven Sisters

Just in my second week here in England, I am so excited to have a week of travel and exploration before starting school next week! I decided to take the opportunity to find cheap ways to travel around nearby towns and cool places to see what I could find and discover in England! 

The first day, I went to Seven Sisters, which is a series of chalk cliffs on the English channel. They are the remains of dry valleys in the chalk South Downs, which are being gradually eroded by the sea. The Seven Sisters are part of the South Downs in East Sussex between the towns Seaford and Eastbourne, in southern England. From east to west, the sequence starts just east of Cuckmere Haven. The are seven hills with and eighth one being created by erosion of the sea. The cliff peaks and dips are individually named; listed bellow are the names of the peaks and dips in the seven cliffs. 

Cliff Peaks

1. Haven Brow
2. Short Brow
3. Rough Brow
4. Brass Point
5. Flagstaff Point (eighth formation)
6. Flat Hill
7. Bailey's Hill
8. Went Hill

Beachy Head

Just beyond the last cliff peak is Birling Gap, which is a coastal hamlet within the civil Parish of East Dean and Friston. Coastal erosion has already removed some of the coastguard cottages in 1878, but those that remain are still used today. Birling Gap sits between Seven Sisters and Beach Head, which is a long peninsula-like gap in the peaks that looks like a finger pointing out to the sea. Sitting closely out in the sea is Belle Tout Lighthouse, and if you keep walking you will get to Beachy Head Pub,which is just a short walk from my neighborhood in Eastbourne.

 I spent all day at the Seven Sisters Country Park on Monday. There was so much to see and the entire landscape was breathtakingly magical! I jumped on the 12X Bus from Eastbourne Pier and got off at the Seven Sisters, just before Cuckmere Haven. To get to the beach, I took a long walk (about two miles) through the valley floor, which contained a river with meandors, which are long curvy channels formed when water runs continuously across any flat area. In 1874, a long straight cut which diverted any flow from the meandors and instead sent the water straight up the river.
 This was to allow for managing water levels when the sea level rose an flooded the large valley floor. The whole of the valley, up until 500 years ago, was a salt marsh as a result of a minor rise of sea-level in historic times, which initially turned it into a shallow tidal inlet of the sea at the lower end of the river. 

The scenery was beautiful in the valley, but I also loved the sight from the seashore! I collected so many shells and cool rocks, I even got a crystal that I found that has a swirl in the middle! It looks so cool! After seraching the beach for awhile, I decided to climb up the cliff to the first peak. Just getting to the top of the first cliff was a workout, it took me a few rests to get all the way up, but once I as there, there was such a beautiful sight to see!
 There were so many people having picnics, enjoying the beautiful weather, and using rocks to spell their names. So I did it too!
 

After walking for awhile, I decided to turn around and walk down a different way from which I had came. From the picture with the trail paths above, I saw that there were many different ways to walk back to the main road, without going back through the lower valley. So I stayed up near the top end of the hill and walked following the trail on the grass. There were so many sheep and cattle on the fields, they didn't even flinch when I walked past! The cow I got two feet from just stared me down as I stopped to take a picture, like she was posing for me! 

Even the walk back was a wondrous sight! I could see the whole valley floor as I walked down the hill! I could see all the way to Seaford as I looked to the West and I stopped to picnic at a nearby gate, before getting to the road to take the bus. Even though I had planned to go to Brighton the same day, I didn't realize how much walking I had in store for me until I got to Seven Sisters, so I changed my mind during my lunch, and went to enjoy a nice brew at Cuckmere Inn, which you can see in the picture of the seashore, before going home.

On Wednesday, I spent all day at Beachy Head, which is another breathtaking sight in England! To get to Beachy Head from my host house is actually quite easy. It is a five minute walk to the hill, which starts the walk to Beachy Head. The actual walk to get to the top of Beachy Head is about a 2 mile walk, which is combined of hills and dips, surrounded by open scenery of the sea on your left and Eastbourne on your right. Once I got to the top of the hill,, all I had to do was walk past the Beachy Head Pub, and up to the edge of the cliff, making sure not to get too close or the wind might take me away!

 It is a magnificent sight of chalk cliffs that look out towards the sea! There is even a beautiful lighthouse, called Belle Tout Lighthouse. After walking to the edge of Beachy Head, I went to the pub and enjoyed a delicious lunch and some brews, and then walk down the other side of the hill, towards the beach.

The walk down to the beach was even stunning sight! 

I could see Eastbourne to the left, and the sea around the rest of me! When I got to the edge of the cliffs, I took a quick break before searching for a safe route down the edge of the cliffs. Luckily, I found a tiny path that led down the edge and looked like it was used by animals. I carefully and slowly walked down the edge, trying not to slip or trip on a rock and fall to my death!

When I got down to a lower level of the cliffs, there was a steep staircase and a large sign warning me of the high tides and quick change of weather when I am down at the beach.

When I got to the beach, I was so surprised of the impressive amount and size of the rocks on the beach! As I walked along, I jumped and skipped on top and around the rocks, discovering shells and fossils, looking under rocks and finding clams and mussels. I even traced my name on a rock, although I am sure the ocean would wash it away when the tide rose.
I found tons of shells and rocks to take home, and even found a little telescope made out of rock!

Shell fossil inside of rock

The entire day was a blast and I was so happy to find some shells and rocks to take home, I literally collected at least twenty shells (look at picture above). I absolutely loved the beach, and hope I get to go again before going home!