Cuckmere
| Cuckmere River | ||
 The Cuckmere River and its floodplain |
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| Data | ||
| location | East Sussex , England | |
| River system | Cuckmere | |
| River basin district | South east | |
| source | near Heathfield on the southern foothills of the Weald, 50 ° 55 ′ 2 " N , 0 ° 17 ′ 56" E |
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| muzzle | east of Seaford in the English Channel Coordinates: 50 ° 45 ′ 32 " N , 0 ° 8 ′ 54" E 50 ° 45 ′ 32 " N , 0 ° 8 ′ 54" E
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 The Cuckmere River near Whites Bridge |
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The Cuckmere River has its source near Heathfield in the southern county of East Sussex on the southern foothills of the Weald , a limestone ridge in southern England. The name of the river probably comes from the Saxon language and means something like "the fast-flowing one". This refers to the huge 100 m elevation gain over the first four miles (6.4 km). The Cuckmere has many tributaries on its upper reaches, of which the River Bull is the most important. From Hellingly onwards the cuckmere only reaches its final width. After crossing the farmland south of the Low Weald , it flows through the South Downs into its own valley, the Cuckmere Valley, to flow into the English Channel east of Seaford in Cuckmere Haven near the Seven Sisters . The lower course of the Cuckmere River is remarkable for its meandering course, which gives this area its characteristic charm. The Cuckmere Valley Nature Reserve is located here. The community in the Cuckmere Valley is named after its river.
The course of the river has been diverted in the past to improve agricultural use. The artificially created meanders are a consequence of this. Today this area is a big draw for tourists. On the west side of the Cuckmere, where the A 259 crosses the river at Exceat , is the popular Golden Galleon Public House .
