The sharp climb up Seaford Head, past the municipal golf course, is hard work, but the reward is one of the finest sea views in England, as you descend towards Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters, with Beachy Head in the far distance. The town opens up behind you as you climb the Head. Seaford was once one of the largest Southern ports, but the silting up of the harbour and frequent attacks by the French took their toll. Today, it is a small seaside resort and dormitory town for nearby Brighton and Eastbourne.
The esplanade is dominated by the most westerly of the 74 Martello Towers, the great coastal defensive system constructed during the Napoleonic wars. It is now a local history museum. The fine sandy beach is artificial, created in 1987 by a massive replenishment scheme after the original beach was lost to harbour works in neighbouring Newhaven at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The cliff-edge seen from the path sometimes seems alarmingly close, and, of course, it is getting closer, as the chalk erodes at the rate of around 40cms a year. The dramatic consequences can be seen most clearly beyond the Seven Sisters in Birling Gap, where several of a row of fishing cottages built in the nineteenth century have already been lost, while another teeters on the brink.
The fine beach at Cuckmere Haven, dominated by the cliffs on either side, is much favoured by makers of the great British film, and features in amongst others Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (1991), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and most recently in the over-rated Atonement (2007).
Turning inland from the beach the river Cuckmere meanders to the sea. It is tidal for up to four miles up-stream, with shingle banks along the main stream with side flows and lagoons covering a wide estuary. Finally, the path reaches the A259 at the top of the estuary, and on the left is the welcome sight of The Golden Galleon. At least, it used to be a welcome sight. Previously run by an Italian family who provided excellent food and good service, it is now part of a chain, over-priced and slow. At 2.00 p.m. no service could be provided for at least an hour, we were told. And bar snacks were not available.
We decided to cut our losses, took one of the regular half-hourly buses back to Seaford, and made for the Old Boot Inn in the centre of town. It was a good choice. There was no wait, the service was friendly and the value was excellent.