Is Beachy Head one of the Seven Sisters?

No. Beachy Head is a separate headland immediately east of the Seven Sisters, beyond Birling Gap. The Seven Sisters are seven distinct chalk hills between Cuckmere Haven and Birling Gap; Beachy Head is the higher headland next to them and is not counted as an eighth sister. The two sit on the same stretch of protected coast and are usually visited together.

How high is Beachy Head?

Beachy Head rises to 162 metres (531 feet) above sea level at its highest point, which makes it the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain. The sheer chalk cliff face itself stands up to around 160 metres. Both figures are correct: 162m is the height of the summit above the sea, while the vertical face measured from the beach is a little lower.

What are the two Beachy Head lighthouses?

The famous red-and-white striped Beachy Head Lighthouse stands in the sea at the foot of the cliff and was built in 1902. The older Belle Tout Lighthouse sits on the cliff top; its construction began in 1831 and it was decommissioned in 1902 because mist and low cloud too often hid its light — which is why the replacement was built lower down, at sea level.

How do you get to Beachy Head from Eastbourne?

By bus, the seasonal 13X Coaster (Brighton & Hove Buses) is the only bus that stops directly at Beachy Head, on its route between Eastbourne and Birling Gap — the same service that reaches the Seven Sisters. By car, there are Beachy Head car parks run by Eastbourne Borough Council. The nearest railway station is Eastbourne. Check the operator for current timetables and fares before you travel.

Can you walk from Birling Gap to Beachy Head?

Yes. It is roughly 4km one-way along the coastal path from Birling Gap east to Beachy Head, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours. The path climbs steadily to the Beachy Head summit at 162m with wide views back over the Seven Sisters. It is very exposed to wind — avoid it in strong gusts and stay well back from the cliff edge.

Beachy Head Guide | Cliff Height, Lighthouse, Walks & Getting There

Last updated: July 2026 · Written by Alen Marrick

162 m

Height above the sea

531 ft — highest chalk sea cliff in Britain

1902

Beachy Head Lighthouse

Red & white, standing in the sea

South Downs

Easternmost point

Edge of the National Park

1973

Sussex Heritage Coast

England's first, defined here

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The Headland Next to the Seven Sisters

Beachy Head is the great chalk headland immediately east of the Seven Sisters, beyond Birling Gap. Rising to 162 metres (531 feet) above the waves, it is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain — noticeably higher than any of the Seven Sisters themselves. It is a separate landmark, not an eighth sister, but the two belong to the same sweep of protected coast and most visitors take them in together.

From the clifftop the view runs west over the full rhythm of the Seven Sisters and east across Eastbourne to the pier. Far below, the red-and-white Beachy Head Lighthouse stands in the sea, while the older Belle Tout lighthouse sits back on the grass. It is one of the most recognisable coastal scenes in England.

Beachy Head sits at the eastern tip of the South Downs National Park and forms part of the Sussex Heritage Coast, the first stretch of Heritage Coast defined in England, back in 1973. That protected coast runs Eastbourne → Beachy Head → the Seven Sisters → Cuckmere Haven → Seaford, tying this headland and the Sisters into one continuous walk.

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Height & Geology

Two height figures get quoted for Beachy Head, and both are right. The headland rises to 162 metres (531 feet) above sea level at its highest point — the number behind its title as Britain's highest chalk sea cliff. The sheer cliff face, measured from the beach at the foot, stands up to around 160 metres. One is the height of the summit above the sea; the other is the drop of the vertical wall.

Chalk that is 66–100 million years old

Beachy Head is pure chalk, laid down in the Late Cretaceous — between roughly 66 and 100 million years ago — when this whole area lay beneath a warm sea and the remains of countless tiny marine organisms settled as lime mud. Later earth movements lifted the chalk, and the opening of the English Channel cut the profile you see today.

The uppermost, gleaming-white band is the Seaford Chalk Formation, threaded with bands of hard flint nodules — the same chalk that forms the Seven Sisters. It is soft, porous and jointed, which is exactly why this coast erodes and why the cliffs stay so brilliantly white: fresh chalk is constantly exposed.

Two Lighthouses, One Headland

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Beachy Head Lighthouse

The famous one: the red-and-white banded tower standing in the sea at the base of the cliff. It was built in 1902 to replace the older clifftop light, and it is still the image most people picture when they hear the name Beachy Head. You see it best from the clifftop path a little west of the summit, or from a boat trip out of Eastbourne.

Set on the wave-cut platform at sea level, so its light sits below the frequent hilltop mist.

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Belle Tout Lighthouse

The older light, sitting back on the cliff top to the west. Construction began in 1831, but it was decommissioned in 1902: too often mist and low cloud settled over the high ground and hid its beam from ships. Its replacement was therefore built down at sea level. Belle Tout survives today as a private clifftop building and a landmark on the coastal walk.

A neat lesson in why the newer lighthouse went low rather than high.

Cliff Safety & Erosion

Beachy Head is beautiful and genuinely hazardous. The chalk is riddled with vertical joints, and large sections fail without warning as deep cracks open and slabs slide away. This is an actively retreating cliff — not a fixed edge.

Recent major cliff falls

Jan 1999: A very large landslide of roughly 128,000 cubic metres of chalk came down, its debris reaching within about 65 metres of the lighthouse and cutting power and telephone cables.

Apr 2001: The collapse of the Devil's Chimney rock stack, following three days of visible subsidence and movement beforehand.

Stay back from the edge — and the base

The grass can overhang thin air, and there is no fence along most of the top. Keep well back from the edge, keep children and dogs close, and never sit with your legs over. At the foot, falling chalk makes the cliff base equally dangerous — do not stand directly beneath it. Read the full cliff-safety guide →

If you or someone you know is struggling

Beachy Head is, sadly, also known as a place people come to in crisis. The Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team patrols the headland day and evening, and the Samaritans can be reached any time, free, on 116 123 — you do not have to be suicidal to call, and no problem is too small.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Getting to Beachy Head

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By bus

The seasonal 13X Coaster (Brighton & Hove Buses) is the only bus that stops directly at Birling Gap and Beachy Head; the year-round 12/12X Coaster run the coast road to Seaford, Exceat and East Dean. One bus links Beachy Head, the Seven Sisters and the coast road.

Always check the current Brighton & Hove timetable before travelling — services are seasonal and times change. See Getting There for full bus details.

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By car

There are Beachy Head car parks run by Eastbourne Borough Council, the main one closest to the headland. Pay-and-display charges start from around £1.50 for an hour up to a few pounds for the day.

Charges change — check the on-site signs for current rates. Overnight parking is not permitted.

The nearest railway station is Eastbourne, a short bus or taxi ride away. Coming from further afield, see getting here from London.

Walking Beachy Head with the Seven Sisters

The classic way to see Beachy Head is on foot, as the eastern bookend of a Seven Sisters walk. The path links the two seamlessly along the clifftop.

Birling Gap → Beachy Head

CLIFFTOP

Distance~4km one-way

Time1.5–2 hours

DifficultyModerate

From Birling Gap the path climbs steadily east, over the grassy hump of the old Belle Tout lighthouse, up to the Beachy Head summit at 162m, then down towards the lighthouse viewpoint. The views back over the Seven Sisters are the reward. It is very exposed — dangerous in strong wind, and best avoided in fog.

See all Seven Sisters walking routes

The Name & a Very Old Resident

It has nothing to do with a beach

Despite how it reads, Beachy Head is not named after any beach. The name is a worn-down version of the medieval French beau chef — "beautiful headland." Norman-French settlers described the great white promontory, and English tongues slowly reshaped the words into something that only sounds like "beach."

The Beachy Head Lady

Human remains found near here in the 1950s belong to a woman who lived in Roman-era Britain, around 200–250 CE. She is often called the "Beachy Head Lady." For years she was described as being of sub-Saharan African origin, but DNA analysis reported in 2021 pointed instead to a southern European ancestry, most likely from Cyprus — a reminder that even long-settled "facts" get revised as the science improves.

Plan the Rest of Your Visit

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Beachy Head

The Headland Next to the Seven Sisters