GreenSpirit Spring Walking Retreat 2026
~ The South Downs Way ~
YHA South Downs, Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JS
Tuesday 26th May from 5pm – Friday 29th May after lunch
The GreenSpirit Spring Walking Retreat will take place from 26th to 29th May 2026. We will be staying at South Downs Youth Hostel in East Sussex (www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-south-downs).
YHA South Downs is a uniquely refurbished Sussex farmhouse in an enviable location right on the South Downs Way. This hostel enjoys substantial grounds of its own and is surrounded by the hills of the South Downs National Park – perfect for anyone wanting to walk in the rolling Sussex countryside.
Guests can make full use of shared spaces in the hostel’s main building – Farmhouse – including a self-catering kitchen and cosy lounge. A café and dining room is available in the Interpretation Centre building, plus a meeting room on the first floor (which we will have for our sole use in the evenings).
YHA South Downs offers bedrooms of varying sizes (shared and private) as well as bell tents, camping pods and Landpods in the grounds. Bedrooms are split across three buildings, with some ground floor bedrooms available in the Granary and Long Barn including an accessible en-suite room with its own entrance. All other bedrooms are located on the first floors of the Granary and Farmhouse buildings.
There is ample parking at the hostel and Brighton is just a 25-minute train journey away, with Southease station just a few hundred yards from hostel’s doorstep.
We will gather for dinner on 26th May and will walk on the 27th & 28th of May and the morning of 29th May, departing for home after lunch together. In the evenings we will gather to do some creative activities and make our own entertainment. Children (under 18) are welcome but they will be the responsibility of a guardian who must also book for this event.
We plan to walk in one main group so please be prepared to walk about 6 miles per day (except for the shorter walk on morning of the last day). Please ensure you are up to walking with the group, if you do need to turn back, that will be at your own risk. The walking is generally easy with stunning views and no steep inclines. The ground can be muddy and uneven so it is strongly recommended that you have good footwear. We always walk with respect for this land of ours, stopping occasionally for some readings/poems/devotional activities.
Booking
Bookings for this event are now closed. If you have already booked and you have an enquiry, please contact Piers Warren by email piers@pierswarren.co.uk
