Sussex

Just a short hop from the capital, and prime territory for day trips and weekend breaks, Sussex covers a huge area, ranging from hardcore commuter territory to some of southern Britain's most uniquely wild and scenic countryside. A large chunk of its visitors of course head straight for vibrant, artsy, up-for-it Brighton, but there's a great deal more to Sussex than this. It is actually two separate counties these days – East Sussex and West Sussex – over a quarter of which lies within the South Downs National Park, a beautiful landscape of rolling chalk downlands, wildflower meadows and sleepy villages – great territory for hiking and biking and all sorts of outdoor activities and home to some quintessentially bucolic English landscapes. The county's coastal strip is more developed, with some stretches a continuous ribbon of development where only the town signs indicate you've left one place and arrived in another, but even here you’ll find spectacular soaring white cliffs at the Seven Sisters County Park, beautiful estuarine creeks around Chichester Harbour and even a couple of sandy beaches at Camber Sands and West Wittering – though it has to be admitted, most Sussex beaches are of the pebbly variety. Add into this rich mix a handful of crumbling castles, some magnificent country estates and a couple of picture-perfect medieval towns (Rye being pick of the bunch), not to mention vineyards, corking country pubs and great local produce and you’ll see why Sussex deserves to be explored slowly and savoured. It's also got an unusually high quota of great places to stay, from idyllically sylvan campsites to achingly hip B&Bs, that make it far more than just day-trip territory. It's time to explore…


Cool Places aims to celebrate the glorious diversity of the UK, promoting the very best places to visit, sleep, eat, drink, shop and much more. We particularly love the independent businesses that make the UK unique, from the tiniest B&B to the grandest boutique hotel, as well as the extraordinary British landscape and its amazing sights and attractions. Our guides cover most of the major towns and regions of Britain – for more information, visit www.coolplaces.co.uk