Sussex (Slow Travel) : South Downs, Weald & Coast

Bradt's much-praised guide, now in a thoroughly updated third edition

Sussex may be less than 50 km from London's fringes and minutes from Gatwick airport, but it's a world apart. This beautifully detailed guide reveals an irresistible blend of history, archaeology, seaside towns, thatched villages, centuries-old buildings, world-class gardens, literary connections and quintessentially English scenery that deserves to be savoured slowly.

Written by expert residents Tim Locke and Emma Gregg, this guide takes a leisurely, deeply personal approach to uncovering Sussex's special qualities. You'll discover ten meticulously described walks, pottering routes for bikes, steam trains, volunteer-run buses, and even a solar-powered boat in Chichester harbour. The authors direct their expert eyes toward places and experiences that deserve lingering over—from the heights of the South Downs to the primeval landscapes of the High Weald and the best of the long coastline. Expect easily-missed gems: a full-size replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in an obscure modern church, a unique Hastings factory creating cloth flowers for films and theatres, and so much more.

This new edition features expanded coverage of the Tolkien-like ancient yew forest of Kingley Vale, stoolball (Sussex's answer to cricket), Sussex viniculture and champagnes, Roman baths and mosaics, the world-class gardens of Leonardslee, Brighton's Royal Pavilion's restored saloon, the WWII Wings Museum, East Brighton beach renovations, and Knepp's groundbreaking rewilding project. From beaches to castles, cathedrals to modern art, this is the essential guide for discovering what makes Sussex truly special.