Stanmer Park offers 495 acres of woodland, chalky grasslands and historical intrigue. Situated on the very edge of Brighton, it is a popular gateway to the South Downs National Park.
Enjoy leafy glimpses and uninterrupted views of the chalk valley that runs through the heart of the park, as well as further views of the rolling hills of the vast South Downs. Finish by ambling through the idyllic Stanmer village.
Looking for more walks in the South Downs? Check out our trails at Devil's Dyke, Seven Sisters and the Meon Valley.
Stanmer Park walk
5 miles/8km | 3 hours | 146m accent | moderate
1. Park café
Begin next to Circa in the Park café. Start walking along the Green Drive Trail, past the bench and then take a left to climb the moderate hill towards a clearing in the woods.
Upon entering the woods, go straight ahead to follow the Woodland Trail, signposted in orange on wooden posts. The trail is sidelined by a wide variety of ancient and veteran trees, which provide an aesthetic foreground to frequent views of the valley to your right-hand side.
Discover more South Downs walks
From the chalk streams of Hampshire to the towering cliffs of East Sussex, here is our guide to the best hikes in the South Downs National Park.
2. Upper Lodge Wood
Continue to follow signposting for the trail, going straight ahead through Chalk Hill car park and the crossing at Upper Lodges to enter Upper Lodge Wood. Be aware that tree surgery works may require you to divert from the intended route slightly – when this occurs, as was the case at Upper Lodges at the time of publication, there are alternative routes available from Chalk Hill car park.
Bear right after the big wooden sign, and follow the path down to a field. You can then ascend the left side of the field and exit through a stile. Take a left and walk 50m – Upper Lodge Wood will be on your right.
After a short spell in Upper Lodge Wood, stride out onto open grassland, which offers sweeping views of the sea and the stoic hills of the South Downs to your east and west.
Follow the demarcated path and enter Highpark Wood, continuing to follow the main, wide path of the Woodland Trail as you gradually start to arc back towards the start point. Again, catch breathtaking snippets of the South Downs to your left-hand side.
3. Stanmer Tea Rooms
After following the trail for a couple of kilometres, you will approach a trail crossroads with a large electricity mast. Take a right turn and follow the chalky downhill path through the centre of the valley (in winter it can be muddy, whilst in summer there is a lot of loose rock, so take care).
The path flattens out as you enter the sleepy, quaint Stanmer village, a picturesque settlement comprised mostly buildings constructed by the Pelham Estate in the 18th century.
Stop by Stanmer Tea Rooms for a well-deserved cup of tea and slice of cake if you’re passing before 4:30. Once you’re feeling replenished, take a walk through the rest of the village, which boasts a majestic 19th-century church with a rare stone spire and Stanmer House, a Georgian Manor House built in the 1720s by the Pelham Estate.
4. Stanmer House
Walk past Stanmer House and rejoin the meandering Green Drive Trail for a kilometre or so before returning to your start point.
Stanmer Park map
Stanmer Park walking route and map
Stanmer Park parking
Paid parking is available at two car parks at the entrance to Stanmer Park: Lower Lodges East and Lower Lodges West. Alternatively, the 23, 25, N25 and 78 buses run regularly past the park from the city – failing that, a wider cohort of buses stop along the nearby A27, including the 28, 29 and 29B.
Words: Jago Bayley
