Hey, what’s up?

My dad came to visit me for two weeks, so I decided to show him around London and take him on a day trip to the Seven Sisters! This will be a short blog about our travels during his first weekend here, and hopefully, I’ll share part two next week—assuming our trip to Edinburgh and York goes as planned!

I booked a room literally next to King’s Cross Station, making it super convenient for us to get around London with the Tube just a stone’s throw away from our accommodation.

When in London, especially for the first time, there are a few must-visit landmarks—London Bridge, Big Ben, and Hyde Park. So, naturally, we went to all of them, mainly just to take photos. My dad is a lot like me—we go to a place, snap a few Instagram-worthy pictures, and then move on to the next attraction.

I also took him to Camden Market, Covent Garden, and Chinatown near Leicester Square. And, of course, I indulged in plenty of Asian food—London has way more halal options compared to Derby, so I made the most of it!

I had always wanted to visit the Seven Sisters, but my friends were either too busy with work or too caught up in their dating lives. So, when my dad came to visit, I thought—why not take him there and enjoy some of the natural beauty this country has to offer?

We took a train to Seaford, where our hike began at Seaford Beach. The journey from Victoria Station took about an hour and a half, with a quick transfer at Lewes.

Luck was definitely on our side because the weather was perfect—sunny and bright the entire day! It was a bit windy, but at least there was no rain, making the hike much more enjoyable. The trail itself was fairly easy, and even beginners could complete it without much trouble. Some hikers go all the way from Seaford to Eastbourne, covering around 20km—a distance that could easily double as a half-marathon route!

However, since my dad had just landed from a 13-hour flight the day before, I decided to take it easy. We hiked up to Birling Gap, then hopped on a bus back to Seaford before catching our train back to London.

Our first checkpoint was Cuckmere Haven Beach. It seemed like a popular spot for people to stop for lunch or even go for a swim, but since we were hiking in winter, we obviously skipped the swimming part.

A river separated us from the main hiking route. If it had been summer, I probably would have just waded across, but with the winter chill, we decided to play it safe and follow the river path instead—taking the longer but drier route to continue our hike.

Throughout the hike, we were treated to breathtaking views of the cliffs, making every step worth it. Our next checkpoint was Birling Gap, where we found a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and—most importantly—a toilet!

For anyone visiting with friends or a larger group, I think this would be the perfect place to take a break. Bringing a picnic mat and some card games would make for a great afternoon hangout with an incredible view!

Birling Gap was noticeably more crowded, as many families stopped here for picnics, and the bus conveniently dropped passengers off right in front of the area. There’s a staircase leading down to the beach, and I imagine this spot must be packed with swimmers in the summer!

While we were resting, we saw someone paragliding, and I couldn’t help but think how incredible the view must be from up there. Maybe one day, when I have a bit more money, I’ll give it a shot!

Some hikers continue all the way to Eastbourne and take the train back to London from there, but we were exhausted, so we opted for the bus and train back to Seaford instead.

This is definitely a hike worth repeating! Next time, I might even try a trail run here—it’s the perfect day trip from London whenever I have some free time.

Alright, that’s all from me for this post—see you in the next one!