Brighton to London...flat?

ddraver

Hi Guys

On a whim I did London to Brighton yesterday following the BHF route. I did nt have time to ride back yesterday but i'd like to do it again when I do.

Question is, is there a way back that is a bit flatter than going over Ditchling? I ve seen some talk about following NCN-20 along the A23 but does anyone have any experience of that? The other option is over the less ferocious looking Devil's Dike but I'd like the options if poss...

Thanks All

spekky

Cycle route 20 is very easy, runs near A23 often on a cycle route only and I always use this to get back from Brighton. However, at Handcross, I take B2110 High Beeches Lane and at the end either Balcombe Road to Horley or across to Turners Hill. I have not tried the route into Crawley, which looks unnecessarily complicated

davep1

Did the return trip once myself. The route beside the A23 is ok and then you can go through Pyecombe and head north goin. through Crawley and Redhill. Alternatively head alongthe coast to Shoreham then north through Henfield Horsham Rusper
Newdigate Leigh and up Pebble Hill towards Tadworth and Sutton. Can plot routes tomorrowwhen on pc

ddraver

Thanks Guys. No problem DaveP, I ll try it on Strava. Trouble with that though is that it doesnt tell you what the path/road is like so hence my asking

davep1

I live in the area so if you have any specific questions, fire away

ddraver

Yeah, it's more a question of how best to get in/out of London (from Raynes Park) really as that took flipping ages and was more like an extra long commute than a ride...

Tiesetrotter

Hi if you search on ridegps you will see quite a few routes out and back.

In reality you have to cross the north and south downs, so you will climb. The further you go west of London the less the hills are.

But why? The hills are not difficult and it is wonderful riding. My view is if you want a great ride from West London then look on the Audax website for the Ditchling Devil.

ddraver

Well i disagree that Ditchling is not a hard climb...Guess I'm just a bit less amazing than you

Having plotted a route I ve now put Box Hill in though which is nt helpful...

redscouse

there s a bike path alongside the a23 stick to it and don't get tempted to use the a23 ...i've driven along the a23 with lost cyclists and 70 mph cars... devils dyke is easier ...but has a very steep 200 yrd section the gradient reduces but still climbing...easier than ditchling and quieter in terms of cars

Mikey23

Chalk escarpment i remember from geography many years ago...

rolf_f

Pretty easy to dodge the South Downs - just head a little to the East and go via Lewes where the river cuts through the Downs. Hardly any climbing at all through there. I met someone in December last year doing London Brighton London just North of Lewes taking just this route. It must have been 1pm and he had no lights. It's a long way to London from there. To be fair, he was a fast rider but even so....

As for the North Downs - is it the A23 that cuts through those fairly painlessly? I've ridden across them near Biggin Hill and that was hard work.

davep1

ddraver wrote:

Well i disagree that Ditchling is not a hard climb...Guess I'm just a bit less amazing than you

Having plotted a route I ve now put Box Hill in though which is nt helpful...

Boxhill is a lot easier than Ditchling, but if you've got 80 - 90 miles in you by then it might be best to avoid it. Pebble Hill (that I mentioned in my first post) goes up the same escarpment, but east of Dorking and does without the zigzags; the last part is very very steep, but quite short. It really makes Boxhill look like a pimple!

Reversing your route out of Brighton to go up Coldean lane is hard and if it is windy getting back to the top of Ditchling is a long hard relentless slog. You would then have the descent of Ditchling which is magic, but there are a couple of right hand bends you need to brake for, and after that Haywards Heath Ardingly, then the A22 or country roads beside it.

The one time I went on the cycle path beside the A23 I went almost to Bolney, and it wasn't any fun. The surface is ok but there is the usual non-cared for broken glass and other cack to watch out for, and having the lorries and cars steaming past you a few feet away is horrible after a few minutes. That's why I would go via Pyecombe, a bit of long gradual climb but more country roads and you can find yourself on tiny lanes if you look for them.

Not sure about the route via Lewes; if you go east along the coast to Newhaven and then inland it is real switchback stuff, and although none of the hills are that bad, you'll be adding 18 miles just to get to Lewes. After that, it looks like you have to cross the Ashdown Forest and then you're in Kent near Toys Hill etc.

elbowloh

When we do Brighton Return, we come back via Devil's Dyke! Not flat granted, but it's a cool route.

It's pretty "rolling" on the route back though

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2402798

ManOfKent

Rolf F wrote:

Pretty easy to dodge the South Downs - just head a little to the East and go via Lewes where the river cuts through the Downs. Hardly any climbing at all through there. I met someone in December last year doing London Brighton London just North of Lewes taking just this route. It must have been 1pm and he had no lights. It's a long way to London from there. To be fair, he was a fast rider but even so....

I've got back from Brighton to north Kent in 3 1/2 hours and that's further than south London, so barring mishaps he would probably have been OK. The A26/A22 option is pretty good for fast miles at quieter times traffic-wise, although I haven't ridden the section closer to London.

clickrumble

Tiesetrotter wrote:

Hi if you search on ridegps you will see quite a few routes out and back.

In reality you have to cross the north and south downs, so you will climb. The further you go west of London the less the hills are. ......

Err no, the highest point on the South Downs is near the western end at Butser Hill!

superfourben

You can leave Brighton on the A23 London road (cycle lane) and then join the cycle path at the A23/A27 intersection that is basically the footpath alongside the A23 (a little bit complicated ), however if you go to Dyke Road its a steady climb (once you have got beyond Seven Dials) and much better scenery. At the A 27 intersection continue towards Devils Dyke but take the RH fork to Saddlescombe (rather than the LH to DD), then at the next roundabout either turn right and join the A27 cycle path or carry straight on and plan a route north through Horsham. The Devkls dyke route above is much more rewarding, is only a steady climb, nothing too steep and nicer than travelling alongside what is basically a motorway!

rolf_f

DaveP1 wrote:

Not sure about the route via Lewes; if you go east along the coast to Newhaven and then inland it is real switchback stuff, and although none of the hills are that bad, you'll be adding 18 miles just to get to Lewes. After that, it looks like you have to cross the Ashdown Forest and then you're in Kent near Toys Hill etc.

Eh? Who said anything about Newhaven?! Lewes only adds five miles or so to the trip - the payback to avoiding Ditchling being a couple of miles of riding next to the A27 dual carriageway. And I have no idea why you'd think you'd need to end up near Toys hill on that route. You are only a few miles East of Ditchling and on flowing fast roads towards Lindfield taking you on via Ardingley, Turners Hill etc. You need to work on your geography a bit!