South Downs Way 100^®

Road

THE START

The race start and location of race parking is at Matterley Bowl. The race starts in the natural amphitheatre that sits within the grounds of the Matterley Estate. Please reference the map below. Cars may only enter and exit the estate via the gate at the Avington Cross Roads on the A31. The postcode to use is SO21 1HW but, you will need to also use the map below to find the correct gate. Two Centurion feather flags will fly at the entrance directly on the A31. 

Below is a map showing the ONLY vehicular entrance to the Estate. Please note runners should under no circumstances TURN RIGHT across the A31 to turn into the Estate. Cars approaching from the west must go up to the roundabout and return via the eastbound carriageway, making a left turn in. Similarly upon leaving all cars must again TURN LEFT. Remember - Left to enter. Left on exit. 

The map below shows the route through the estate (around 2 mins of driving), as well as the parking and start/ registration location. Marshals will be on site to direct you from the entrance.

Parking is available on site and is free of charge. 

THE FINISH

The race finish is at Eastbourne Sports Park, Cross Levels Way, Eastbourne, BN21 2UF. The ground is behind Eastbourne District Hospital, but there is no access through the hospital itself. The Sports Park is adjacent to Sussex Downs Vocational Sixth Form College and Park College. It is clearly marked on Cross Levels Way. Parking is free of charge.

Air

For runners coming from further afield, the nearest airport is Southampton which is 30 minutes drive from the race start. London Gatwick is the closest major international airport around 1 hour and 30 minutes drive away.

Rail

The nearest rail station to the start is Winchester which is around 4 miles or 12 minutes in a taxi/ car from the start point. The nearest rail station to the finish is Hampden Park (Sussex) which is 1.5 miles from the finish. Eastbourne Station is 2 miles from the finish.

Accommodation

There are plenty of options for accomodation in both Winchester and Eastbourne.

There is camping at the startline, which is free of charge. Tents can be pitched from 1600 on Friday and must be cleared before 0530 on Saturday. There are plenty of options for hotels in Winchester which can be found by entering Winchester Hotels into google or other search engines. Taxi's from most hotels within Winchester city to the start line on race morning will take around 15 minutes. We STRONGLY recommend you pre-book a cab as availability is limited and many runners choose this option.

The closest hotel to the start line is the Holiday Inn which is within walking distance of Matterley Bowl.

The race finishes in Eastbourne and there are a number of hotels in close proximity.

The Langham Hotel a lovely Eastbourne establishment is owned by the family of our 2016 SDW50 and SDW100 winner Neil Kirby. Because of their close affiliation with the race, they are offering rooms to runners at 10% off of standard rates. To book, please visit their website here and use the discount code SDW

For a budget option, The Premier Inn at Eastbourne is just over a mile from the track.

Transport 

A shuttle bus will leave from the finish at Eastbourne Sports Club at 1215 on Sunday following the race finish. The shuttle will make one stop only, back at Matterley Bowl for runners to collect their vehicles. Competitors who wish to take the shuttle can do so at a cost of £30 and tickets can be purchased during registration. For 2020 the shuttle is now full and no more tickets can be offered.