You’ll probably recognise the view before you visit: the Coastguard Cottages, the river mouth and the Seven Sisters stretching east along the coast. Walking down from South Hill Barn brings you to the western side of Cuckmere Haven, where you can see the cliffs across the water.
There’s more to this landscape than the familiar photograph. Cuckmere was once a landing place for smuggling gangs, while the coastguards who lived here watched over the shoreline. Some of the cottages remain in the families who bought them after they were decommissioned in the 1920s.
The cottages are a short walk down from South Hill Barn, and you can carry on west along the coast to Hope Gap. You get the full view of the Seven Sisters without having to walk them.
