THE ROUTE: Read up on the South Downs Way

START Winchester City Mill FINISH Eastbourne Distance: 160km/100 miles Ascent: 4000m/13,100ft Duration: Andy hiked the whole route in five days, but it can be tackled over more days or in several visits

Maps: Harvey offers a 1:40,000 map of the full route, number XT40. The Ordnance Survey sheets needed are: OS 1:25,000 Explorer sheets OL32 Winchester, OL03 Meon Valley, OL08 Chichester, OL10 Arundel & Pulborough, OL11 Brighton & Hove and OL25 Eastbourne & Beachy Head.

Getting there: National rail services run to and from Winchester and Eastbourne from central London via Clapham Junction. The return rail journey to either trailhead takes around 2.5 hours. Long-stay car parking around Clapham Junction can be booked through justpark.com

Accommodation: Accommodation options include YHA hostels at Truleigh Hill and Southease. The Sustainability Centre at East Meon sits within a few minutes’ walk of the footpath, and offers vegan food and hostel accommodation. Wild camping is feasible, but it can be challenging to find a discreet pitch. Other options, including numerous campsites and B&Bs, are listed at southdownsway.org/staying/ More information: For food and drink guides, other activities and planning advice, visit the official website at southdownsway.org

Water: The South Downs Way is well served by free water taps. A full list can be found at tinyurl.com/ SDW-taps