insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 17 - July 2016 | Page 77

DAYSOUT Where best to stretch your legs in Sussex Birling Gap In research collected earlier this year, The British Heart Foundation revealed that 48 percent of women and 42 percent of men have confessed to being so unfit that they would get out of breath just running for the bus, which isn’t good news, but is news that can be easily addressed. According to research collected from the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the closer you are to nature, the healthier you will be. The research found that people who live within one kilometre of a park, or a wooded area experience less anxiety and depression than those that live further away. The mental, physical and social benefits of getting out in the fresh air and going for a simple walk are huge and Sussex is a county packed with beautiful places to stroll, so why not stretch your legs and lift your spirits at one of these pastoral parklands. 77 Birling Gap Located near Eastbourne in East Sussex, Birling Gap is part of the infamous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, which is a phenomenal stretch of rough and ready coastline characterised by ancient downland and truly spectacular views out to sea that stretch for miles. Directly below the towering cliffs, all sorts of oddly shaped nooks and crannies have created a natural marine nature reserve, which is brilliant for rock pooling, or for picnics on the beach, while inland you can find yourself happily lost amongst 500 acres of open chalk grassland that teems with butterflies and colourful flowers. There’s a three-mile circular walking trail that begins at the nearby Tiger Inn pub in the pretty village of East Dean and follows old drovers’ and smugglers’ routes right down to the sea giving walkers a real sense of the history of the local landscape. Covering mainly farmland and welldrained soil, it’s great for families – and dogs! – and includes some gates, but no stiles and four moderately steep sections. More details can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/ downloadable-walks-in-sussex.