Anyone been over Beachy Head ?

MattC59

I'm heading down that way over Easter and Mrs C is letting (it was going anyway ) me take my bike.

I've planned a route which takes me off the A259 at East Dean, down to Birling Gap, then up over Beachy Head and back into Eastbourne. I've driven the climb over Beachy Head before, it's about 1.5miles long, but looks particularly spiteful, anyone been over it before ?

john-e-big-guns

Jimmy {AK} Phil Danials did on a Vespa at the end of the film Quadrophina...and 'Yes' he did go over.... stright over the f**k'n edge

Great film ....reminds me of my teenage years in the 60's

watchfire

I don't remember it being particularly steep but it was very very windy.

MichaelW

I prefer the ride from Eastbourne up to Beach Head then down to Birling Gap. You get to climb the only decent switchback this side of the Pyrenees and the big descent is a blast.
At the top, you can turn North for a bit of ruff stuff and try your luck descending Butts Lane.

markos1963

Used to ride it loads as a lad. Raleigh Esquire with a 3 speed! It's even longer if you start on the seafront and work your way up from there. It really kicks up if I remember when you get to the junction near the top and have to turn left to go on the Birling Gap road. We used to ride into and out of East Dean and through to Cuckmere Haven(great descent but watch out for cars coming out of the car park)

MattC59

So would you recommend doing Beachy Head the other way around ? ie heading out of Eastbourne, up the switchbacks and then over Beachy Head, dropping down to Birling Gap ?

i may have to rethink my route if that's the case

markos1963

MattC59 wrote:

So would you recommend doing Beachy Head the other way around ? ie heading out of Eastbourne, up the switchbacks and then over Beachy Head, dropping down to Birling Gap ?

i may have to rethink my route if that's the case

I would, then after Birling Gap carry on through to East Dean, stopping at the Tiger Inn for food and drink. Then up and out of East Dean on the A259, at the top of the hill turn right and take the Friston road to Polegate. After that you can eaither main road it back into town or carry on for a nice flat ride across the marches to Pevensey and back along the coast into town.

pinno

Favourite ride was up Beachy Head through old town (up the switchbacks) then down to Birling Gap, up over the hill exiting East Dean, along towards Seaford, turn right to Alfriston down the 'high and over' ( 1 in 4/1 in 5 descent) , then back along the A27 to Polegate and then into Eastbourne, back to the Seafront - round trip of 27 miles (ish). Would not do it now, went back to Eastbourne for a wedding recently after a long time away and I cannot believe the traffic.
The Descent down into Eastbourne along the A259 is fantastic but you will scrap with idiot car drivers.
Back in Scotland and the only thing I scrap with along the back roads is lazy cows, cattle grids and sheep ! Good luck, get the Ferry from Newhaven and cycle around Northern France.

MattC59

pinarello001 wrote:

Favourite ride was up Beachy Head through old town (up the switchbacks) then down to Birling Gap, up over the hill exiting East Dean, along towards Seaford, turn right to Alfriston down the 'high and over' ( 1 in 4/1 in 5 descent) , then back along the A27 to Polegate and then into Eastbourne, back to the Seafront - round trip of 27 miles (ish). Would not do it now, went back to Eastbourne for a wedding recently after a long time away and I cannot believe the traffic.
The Descent down into Eastbourne along the A259 is fantastic but you will scrap with idiot car drivers.
Back in Scotland and the only thing I scrap with along the back roads is lazy cows, cattle grids and sheep ! Good luck, get the Ferry from Newhaven and cycle around Northern France.

That's the same route that I've got planned, but in reverse and starting at Willingdon. Maybe I'll reverse my route and do it your way. If I get out early, hopefully the traffic through Eastbourne might be better.

pinno

Matt

Would'nt do it at all. Don't know where your living at the moment, but its a traffic nightmare. The A259 is busy enough but you have a problem when you hit the A27 - a lot of it is dual carraigeway and there is a new set of roundabouts outside Polegate making it a nightmare. The 'Old' Beachy head route is a lovely climb until you meet the A259. If you want, PM me and give me your e-mail address and I will give you my friends number - call him up and he will point you in the direction of some quiet roads, may even go for a ride with you (be prepared, he's a nutter die hard).

Mike Healey

Yes, but it blew back in my face

MattC59

pinarello001 wrote:

Matt

Would'nt do it at all. Don't know where your living at the moment, but its a traffic nightmare. The A259 is busy enough but you have a problem when you hit the A27 - a lot of it is dual carraigeway and there is a new set of roundabouts outside Polegate making it a nightmare. The 'Old' Beachy head route is a lovely climb until you meet the A259. If you want, PM me and give me your e-mail address and I will give you my friends number - call him up and he will point you in the direction of some quiet roads, may even go for a ride with you (be prepared, he's a nutter die hard).

Is traffic really that bad now ? I did a similar route when I was down there a couple of years ago and traffic was fine (admittedly, it wasn't Easter weekend !) the A259 was fine, and it's only a short section. As for the A27, I might just cross srtaight over it and head into the lanes North of Eastbourne.

Thanks for the offer I'll drop you a PM shortly.

Cheers.......... Matt

markos1963

This has got me all nostalgic again(not for the Raleigh Esquire mind) might get the bike on a train and head down there in the summer.

Hoopdriver

pinarello001 wrote:

Matt

Would'nt do it at all. Don't know where your living at the moment, but its a traffic nightmare. The A259 is busy enough but you have a problem when you hit the A27 - a lot of it is dual carraigeway and there is a new set of roundabouts outside Polegate making it a nightmare. The 'Old' Beachy head route is a lovely climb until you meet the A259. If you want, PM me and give me your e-mail address and I will give you my friends number - call him up and he will point you in the direction of some quiet roads, may even go for a ride with you (be prepared, he's a nutter die hard).

You don't really need to mess with the A27 at all.

I live in Hastings and on summery weekends I very often go over Beachy Head. I ride to Pevensey (through Bexhill, Cooden and on a narrow lane that goes to the Pevensey roundabout on the A259) From the roundabout I go through Pevensey village, on to Westham and sticking on that back road go to Polegate. Down through Polegate, past the train station, across the A2270 and follow the backroad to Filching and Jevington (look this up on Google Maps)

This will take you to Friston and the A259. Cross it and follow the backroad to Birling Gap and then back around to Eastbourne. Very simple really and very pleasant. A bit of climbing, but not as much or as hard as you might think. My impression is that it would be considerable steeper coming up to Beachy Head from Eastbourne rther than going via Polegate as I do.

markos1963

Hoopdriver wrote:

pinarello001 wrote:

Matt

Would'nt do it at all. Don't know where your living at the moment, but its a traffic nightmare. The A259 is busy enough but you have a problem when you hit the A27 - a lot of it is dual carraigeway and there is a new set of roundabouts outside Polegate making it a nightmare. The 'Old' Beachy head route is a lovely climb until you meet the A259. If you want, PM me and give me your e-mail address and I will give you my friends number - call him up and he will point you in the direction of some quiet roads, may even go for a ride with you (be prepared, he's a nutter die hard).

You don't really need to mess with the A27 at all.

I live in Hastings and on summery weekends I very often go over Beachy Head. I ride to Pevensey (through Bexhill, Cooden and on a narrow lane that goes to the Pevensey roundabout on the A259) From the roundabout I go through Pevensey village, on to Westham and sticking on that back road go to Polegate. Down through Polegate, past the train station, across the A2270 and follow the backroad to Filching and Jevington (look this up on Google Maps)

This will take you to Friston and the A259. Cross it and follow the backroad to Birling Gap and then back around to Eastbourne. Very simple really and very pleasant. A bit of climbing, but not as much or as hard as you might think. My impression is that it would be considerable steeper coming up to Beachy Head from Eastbourne rther than going via Polegate as I do.

That's the route I was suggesting/thinking of but the other way around

mrc1

MichaelW wrote:

I prefer the ride from Eastbourne up to Beach Head then down to Birling Gap. You get to climb the only decent switchback this side of the Pyrenees and the big descent is a blast.
At the top, you can turn North for a bit of ruff stuff and try your luck descending Butts Lane.

I did the Eastbourne Half Marathon a couple of years ago. Didn't realise the route covered this until it was too late! Not sure which was the hardest, climbing the one side or trying not to fall flat on my face on the other!

MattC59

Well, the Garmin is loaded with a few routes in the area, so I've got a few to choose from depending on the traffic.
(I've also got a sports Massage booked for Sunday afternoon, so I might tackle Beachy Head on Sunday morning )

natrix

john-e-big-guns wrote:

Jimmy {AK} Phil Danials did on a Vespa at the end of the film Quadrophina...and 'Yes' he did go over.... stright over the f**k'n edge

'No' he didn't go over!!! Watch it again, the vespa goes over, but not Jimmy. Without going all arty-farty, the scene represents a 'moving-on' phase of life, the mod aspects of Jimmy's life have gone (the scooter is in a heap at the bottom of the cliff), but he carries on living - 'Life goes on' and all that.

Gazzaputt

natrix wrote:

john-e-big-guns wrote:

Jimmy {AK} Phil Danials did on a Vespa at the end of the film Quadrophina...and 'Yes' he did go over.... stright over the f**k'n edge

'No' he didn't go over!!! Watch it again, the vespa goes over, but not Jimmy. Without going all arty-farty, the scene represents a 'moving-on' phase of life, the mod aspects of Jimmy's life have gone (the scooter is in a heap at the bottom of the cliff), but he carries on living - 'Life goes on' and all that.

If you remember the start of the film opens with him walking away from the cliff edge.