Crossing the South Downs

[st599_uk]

Hi all,

Hoping to do a few new rides over the summer. One I would like to try is from West London down to the coast near Chichcester for some time bimbling around the nature reserve.

Does anyone know of a nice route through the South Downs? Cycle.travel seems to be suggesting a path alongside the A3? I've seen time triallers in the slow lane, but hopefully this isn't what's been suggested.

[mjr]

Hi all,

Hoping to do a few new rides over the summer. One I would like to try is from West London down to the coast near Chichcester for some time bimbling around the nature reserve.

Does anyone know of a nice route through the South Downs? Cycle.travel seems to be suggesting a path alongside the A3? I've seen time triallers in the slow lane, but hopefully this isn't what's been suggested.

No, I think I've read of a cycleway beside the A3 on this site, although it is not perfect. If you zoom in, you should be able to see red-edged roads which means cycleways (cycle.travel layer - they show up as solid blue on the cyclosm layer). Isn't the A3 rather far west for most of your route?

https://cycle.travel/browse makes me think that your best routes are either NCN 223 the Downs Link Chertsey-Guildford and then either follow it to Shoreham and head west on the coastal NCN 2, or take NCN 22 to Havant and then a shorter stretch east on NCN 2. The 223 is more demotorised and much flatter, but listed as much gravel and less direct for you.

[matt_twam_asi]

The Centurion Way is a great way to get into Chichester from top of the downs. The ride from Cranleigh -> Loxwood -> Kirdford -> Lurgashall -> Lodsworth -> Selham -> Bex Lane is almost entirely on quiet, scenic lanes. Then pick up the Centurion Way at West Dean.

The Downs Link is almost entirely off road, it's good but a long way east for what you're trying to do.

[mjr]

The Centurion Way is a great way to get into Chichester from top of the downs. The ride from Cranleigh -> Loxwood -> Kirdford -> Lurgashall -> Lodsworth -> Selham -> Bex Lane is almost entirely on quiet, scenic lanes. Then pick up the Centurion Way at West Dean.

But between Bex Lane and Centurion Way is A286 Cocking Hill or is there an avoiding route?

[matt_twam_asi]

The Centurion Way is a great way to get into Chichester from top of the downs. The ride from Cranleigh -> Loxwood -> Kirdford -> Lurgashall -> Lodsworth -> Selham -> Bex Lane is almost entirely on quiet, scenic lanes. Then pick up the Centurion Way at West Dean.

But between Bex Lane and Centurion Way is A286 Cocking Hill or is there an avoiding route?

Not really... There's a road from Heyshott to Cocking, but it's not great. AFAIK there's no paved alternative to going up Cocking Hill. The A286 isn't bad for an A road traffic-wise.
[edit] ok, there are alternatives - e.g. the B2141, but I can't speak from experience about coming from the north-west.

There are bridleways that go straight up the north face of the Downs and lead to West Dean but I've never tried any of them.

[dondelion]

I seem to remember the climb up the bridleway at Treyford is in pretty good condition but I've not ridden it in a couple of years. Once you're up there's a few other good bridleways down to Hooksway and it's a nice ride over to West Dean via a couple of lanes. Depends on your tyre size and appetite for some bumpy stuff really.

[AndyK]

The Centurion Way is a great way to get into Chichester from top of the downs. The ride from Cranleigh -> Loxwood -> Kirdford -> Lurgashall -> Lodsworth -> Selham -> Bex Lane is almost entirely on quiet, scenic lanes. Then pick up the Centurion Way at West Dean.

But between Bex Lane and Centurion Way is A286 Cocking Hill or is there an avoiding route?

Not really... There's a road from Heyshott to Cocking, but it's not great. AFAIK there's no paved alternative to going up Cocking Hill. The A286 isn't bad for an A road traffic-wise.
[edit] ok, there are alternatives - e.g. the B2141, but I can't speak from experience about coming from the north-west.

There are bridleways that go straight up the north face of the Downs and lead to West Dean but I've never tried any of them.

The road from Heyshott to Cocking is OK, it just forgets that it's a road for a few hundred yards in the middle but it soon remembers again.

The A286 going south out of Cocking is initially an unpleasant climb with traffic squeezing past you frequently, but that only lasts half a mile. After the summit near Hill Barn, where the South Downs Way crosses, it's a long steady downhill to Singleton, most of it with good visibility so you don't get too many vehicles doing suicidal overtaking dashes past you.

There is a byway just to the east of the A286 and running parallel to it, from Cocking up to Hill Barn: this is steep and deeply-rutted with patches of loose stones and smooth chalk, so it's probably get-off-and-push territory unless you're on a mountain bike and good at handling it. There's another byway running parallel on the west side of the A286, but last time I tried that a few years back, a landowner at the top had allowed their hedges to overgrow until they blocked it completely. However that one has recently been earmarked to be part of the planned Centurion Way Extension, so the national park authority may be taking more of an interest in its upkeep.

Once you're at the summit where the A286 crosses the South Downs Way, one option is to go about 3/4 mile west along the SDW then cut SW on bridleways through Westdean Woods to reach the tarmac lane by Staple Ash Farm. I've done those bridleways on a touring bike with 32mm tyres when the ground was slightly damp and they were manageable. The tarmac lane then leads SE down into West Dean - and in fact it takes you under the northernmost bit of the Centurion Way just before you reach the village. There's a flight of steps from the lane up to the Centurion Way, with a (steep) bike wheel channel alongside it so you can push your bike up.

[tatanab]

Does anyone know of a nice route through the South Downs? Cycle.travel seems to be suggesting a path alongside the A3?

Taking that part in isolation - look a little to the east and you will see a lanes climb through Buriton, or slightly further east the B road climb from South Harting.

[AndyK]

Does anyone know of a nice route through the South Downs? Cycle.travel seems to be suggesting a path alongside the A3?

Taking that part in isolation - look a little to the east and you will see a lanes climb through Buriton, or slightly further east the B road climb from South Harting.

From South Harting specifically, I'd recommend going to east to Turkey Island first (just near East Harting) then taking the minor road climb up to Harting Down. Much quieter. The B2141 is, unfortunately, quite busy and has sharp bends so it can be intimidating. It's OK coming down but a right pain going up. (Either way, make sure you're in a low gear...)

[tatanab]

From South Harting specifically, I'd recommend going to east to Turkey Island first (just near East Harting) then taking the minor road climb up to Harting Down. Much quieter. The B2141 is, unfortunately, quite busy and has sharp bends so it can be intimidating. It's OK coming down but a right pain going up. (Either way, make sure you're in a low gear...)

Agreed. That little lane climb is called Down Place. it used to be used for club hill climbs.

[st599_uk]

Many thanks all.

Will look at the roads mentioned and see what it look like.

[Queens Park Pete]

But between Bex Lane and Centurion Way is A286 Cocking Hill or is there an avoiding route?

Not really... There's a road from Heyshott to Cocking, but it's not great. AFAIK there's no paved alternative to going up Cocking Hill. The A286 isn't bad for an A road traffic-wise.
[edit] ok, there are alternatives - e.g. the B2141, but I can't speak from experience about coming from the north-west.

There are bridleways that go straight up the north face of the Downs and lead to West Dean but I've never tried any of them.

The road from Heyshott to Cocking is OK, it just forgets that it's a road for a few hundred yards in the middle but it soon remembers again.

The A286 going south out of Cocking is initially an unpleasant climb with traffic squeezing past you frequently, but that only lasts half a mile. After the summit near Hill Barn, where the South Downs Way crosses, it's a long steady downhill to Singleton, most of it with good visibility so you don't get too many vehicles doing suicidal overtaking dashes past you.

There is a byway just to the east of the A286 and running parallel to it, from Cocking up to Hill Barn: this is steep and deeply-rutted with patches of loose stones and smooth chalk, so it's probably get-off-and-push territory unless you're on a mountain bike and good at handling it. There's another byway running parallel on the west side of the A286, but last time I tried that a few years back, a landowner at the top had allowed their hedges to overgrow until they blocked it completely. However that one has recently been earmarked to be part of the planned Centurion Way Extension, so the national park authority may be taking more of an interest in its upkeep.

Once you're at the summit where the A286 crosses the South Downs Way, one option is to go about 3/4 mile west along the SDW then cut SW on bridleways through Westdean Woods to reach the tarmac lane by Staple Ash Farm. I've done those bridleways on a touring bike with 32mm tyres when the ground was slightly damp and they were manageable. The tarmac lane then leads SE down into West Dean - and in fact it takes you under the northernmost bit of the Centurion Way just before you reach the village. There's a flight of steps from the lane up to the Centurion Way, with a (steep) bike wheel channel alongside it so you can push your bike up.

Lots of good advice here Andy- you sound pretty local!

The western A286 "bridleway-bypass" was passable and the hedges were less of an issue last autumn- not been on it since lockdown 3. The lanes south of Haslemere are mostly gorgeous through to Cocking. I would avoid the A286 like the plague (oops) when there are so many lost lanes to play on.

Further west the King Alfreds Way on the main website outlines a clear route up near South Harting- and it breaks the escarpment into two chunks- first half is quiet tarmac then a final chalky ramp which is nice and shady for me to push up to the SDW! This summit puts you close to several Chichester leading byways with just a short downhill stretch of the B2141 to tolerate to get on them. Don't miss a tiny detour off it to the fabulous boozer at Hooksway.

If you change your mind you could use the downslink as far as Rudgwick and then follow lanes to Loxwood, Kirdford, through the Mens Forest and then head west of Petworth to Bignor. There is a direct tarmac lane to the top of the Downs with good bridleways and green lanes through to Slindon and Fontwell where there are signed cycle lanes through to Barnham, Bognor and Chichester. Alternatively you could head east to Houghton/Amberley where there are bridleway routes through the Arun gap - rideable May to October without floats! There's also a train bailout here!