🍂 The Great AndAlso Autumn Wander

Summer may be over, but we’re not quite ready to hibernate.

Join us for The Great AndAlso Autumn Wander – a free AndAlso community event and relaxed Brighton coastal walk from Black Rock to Rottingdean and back.

We’ll wander along Brighton’s beautiful Undercliff Walk, taking in sea views, cafés, rock pools and plenty of opportunities for chats along the way. There might be coffee, cake, lunch, an ice cream, a hot chocolate, a cheeky pint – or possibly all of the above.

You can join us for the whole day, just walk one way, or pop along for part of it.

This isn’t an organised hike, a fitness challenge or a race. It’s simply an excuse to spend a Saturday outside with the lovely AndAlso community.

Current students, past students, future students, partners, friends, children and dogs are all very welcome.

And, for the avoidance of doubt:

No improv involved. Promise.

📍 The Plan

Saturday 3 October 2026

09:00–09:30 – Optional breakfast

We’ll be at The Reading Room, Black Rock for breakfast before the walk.

If you’d like to join us for breakfast, we’d recommend getting there early for a table as it can get busy, and no reservations before 6pm.

10:30 – Meet at The Reading Room

We’ll meet outside The Reading Room and get ourselves organised.

11:00 – Set off

We’ll head along the Undercliff Walk from Black Rock towards Rottingdean, taking things at a relaxed pace.

There’ll be plenty of time for chatting, stopping for sea air, looking in rock pools and generally wandering about.

Lunchtime – Rottingdean

Once we reach Rottingdean, we’ll stop for lunch.

You can:

• bring a packed lunch and eat on the beach
• book a table at The White Horse
• grab something from Molly’s Cafe
• pick up fish and chips, snacks or supplies from one of the nearby shops and cafés

There are several food options just a couple of minutes from Rottingdean seafront, so you can choose your own adventure.

After lunch, anyone who fancies carrying on can wander along the cliffs towards Ovingdean, before heading down the spiral stairs and back along the Undercliff Walk through Brighton Marina to Black Rock.

If you’ve had enough walking by lunchtime, that’s absolutely fine too. There are regular buses from Rottingdean back towards Brighton.

🚶 The Route

Black Rock → Brighton Marina → Ovingdean → Rottingdean → Ovingdean → Brighton Marina → Black Rock

The first section follows the traffic-free Undercliff Walk, one of Brighton’s best-known coastal walking routes. It’s flat and easygoing and stays close to the seafront for most of the route.

After Rottingdean, we’ll head along the cliff top towards Ovingdean before returning to the Undercliff.

Walking distances

One way: approximately 3 miles / 4.8km
Around 1–1¼ hours at a relaxed pace.

Return walk: approximately 6 miles / 9.6km
Around 2–2½ hours of walking, plus plenty of time for lunch, chatting and whatever else takes our fancy.

The Undercliff section is a flat walking path.

The cliff-top section has uneven ground and some steeper parts, plus the spiral stairs down towards the underpass.

If stairs or the cliff-top section aren’t suitable for you, you can return from Rottingdean via the underpass or catch a regular bus back towards Brighton.

🌊 What might we get up to?

Nothing is compulsory. That’s rather the point.

You could:

• 🌊 Enjoy the sea views
• ☕ Stop for coffee
• 🍰 Find cake
• 🥪 Bring a packed lunch
• 🍦 Get an ice cream
• 🪨 Hunt for interesting pebbles
• 🦀 Explore rock pools
• 🧹 Help with a beach clean
• 🏊 Have a paddle if you’re feeling brave
• 🍺 Stop for a pint
• 🐕 Bring your dog
• 💬 Have a very good natter

Or just enjoy one of those lovely walks by the sea in Brighton where you don’t have anywhere particularly important to be.

❤️ Who’s invited?

This is a free AndAlso community event in Brighton for our students and wider community.

Whether you’re currently taking an AndAlso improv course, have done one in the past, are thinking about joining us in the future, or simply know someone who’d enjoy a wander by the sea, you’re very welcome.

It’s also a great excuse to get outside, meet some friendly people and enjoy one of Brighton’s lovely coastal walking routes.

Come for the whole thing or just join us for part of the day.

No improv involved. Promise.

🎒 What to bring

• Comfortable shoes
• Layers (it’s October!)
• Water
• A packed lunch if you’re not eating out
• Waterproofs if the forecast looks questionable
• A net and bucket if you fancy rockpooling
• Dogs, partners, children and friends
• A sense of adventure
• And, ideally, a willingness to stop for cake