Challenging South Downs routes

sam_anon

Hi,

Can the enlightened point me in the direction of any nice quintessential South Downs routes with some good climbs?

nellie72

I live on the Sussex coast and regularly ride the Steyning Bostal, Devils Dyke and Ditchling Beacon.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27867999

Makes for a nice ride, mix of countryside and coastal roads with three reasonable climbs to keep you warm.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Are you looking to go end to end in either direction, or simply ride some hills in the South Downs?

I covered a fair few of the popular cat3/4 climbs to the west of South Harting last month, albeit the route lost "flow" around South Harting, as I wanted to try all three principle climbs on my first visit.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1595555040

davep1

I live in Steyning, so should have lots of routes. Nellie's is a good route, watch the junction going towards Devils Dyke on Saddlescombe road, its unsighted and you can hit it at a huge speed. If you're in the area of Ditchling head a bit further east and try Streat Bostal. It's hard to find the start as it looks more like a footpath (just past the turning to Streat itself) and on a slight rise to the right. A dead end at the top, but the last part is over 20% I think.

My favourite area is just to the north of the Downs, between Petworth, Lurgashall and Midhurst. Beautiful quiet roads, nice pubs in little villages, one stinker of a climb at Bexley Hill.

https://www.strava.com/routes/6585933

Here's another ride in that area, which includes the highest point in Sussex at Blackdown, and the hardest climb I know in the south at Bignor. The Blackdown climb isn't too bad, but Bignor is 25% for quite a stretch. There's a rough farm track at the bottom which will have you questioning the use of a road bike, and although the road up the hill is fairly ropey it is better. It'a also a dead end, as is Chantry Lane, they both hit the South Downs Way. Horsebridge is pretty tough, there are two other climbs up this hill in the area, it feels quite remote. The road from Tillington to Lurgashall is a stunner.

https://www.strava.com/routes/7422648

Further east you Firle Beacon, Bo Peep Lane, Beachy Head, and Cuckmere Haven. This route doesn't have Butts Brow on it (I hadn't heard of it then) but it is in Eastbourne and worth looking up - https://www.strava.com/segments/644039. 3 dead end roads though! The descent from Beachy Head going west is stunning, you could also do HighnOver in Alfriston. The coast road is busy though, and some of the driving around the Newhaven area frightens the life out of me.

https://www.strava.com/routes/4669020

I sometimes go into Brighton early, lots of climbs to be found there. Bear Road and Colddean Lane are good, and there are a lot of others, slightly easier.

sam_anon

Thanks all, will be heading down in that area soon so will let you know how I get on!

cgfw201

If you have a CX/MTB the south downs way is some of the best cycling I've ever experienced.

The roads round there are also great, if you're riding at a weekend and the sun's out be mindful of the hoardes of angry people in metal boxes heading towards the beach in the morning.

davep1

cgfw201 wrote:

If you have a CX/MTB the south downs way is some of the best cycling I've ever experienced.

The roads round there are also great, if you're riding at a weekend and the sun's out be mindful of the hoardes of angry people in metal boxes heading towards the beach in the morning.

I think you'll find you have to be mindful of the hoards of angry people in metal boxes heading anywhere...although Bognor is a particularly bad spot, in my experience.

mrfpb

cgfw201 wrote:

If you have a CX/MTB the south downs way is some of the best cycling I've ever experienced.

The roads round there are also great, if you're riding at a weekend and the sun's out be mindful of the hoardes of angry people in metal boxes heading towards the beach in the morning.

Is South Downs way doable by CX? I'm thinking of trying a bit of it and the Downs Link at some point over the summer. The impression I got on other threads is that it's tough on an mtb, so a CX might be harder.

davep1

A few years ago a friend tried some of the SDW on a cx as part of a Wriggle ride that was supposed to be suitable for cx bikes. This was near Bignor and he shredded his tyres and had to abandon. It's possible he didn't have tyres that were really suited to it, but in my opinion, large parts of the SDW are just too tough on a cx bike. Others will probably disagree...

The Downslink should be about perfect though, especially the bit near Shoreham. They keep improving it, you could almost get your best road bike over it now!

mrfpb

DaveP1 wrote:

A few years ago a friend tried some of the SDW on a cx as part of a Wriggle ride that was supposed to be suitable for cx bikes. This was near Bignor and he shredded his tyres and had to abandon. It's possible he didn't have tyres that were really suited to it, but in my opinion, large parts of the SDW are just too tough on a cx bike. Others will probably disagree...

The Downslink should be about perfect though, especially the bit near Shoreham. They keep improving it, you could almost get your best road bike over it now!

Thanks. Tough no doubt means slow as well. I'll look at routes from Downs Link back to the Meon valley. I could go Fleet - Guildford - Shoreham - Coast to Portsmouth or Southampton - train home, but that might be a bit much for me for one day.

davep1

There are some quiet roads that run along the north edge of the Downs; I think you can get from Storrington to South Harting that way, maybe further. Would have to have a look to be sure. Steyning to Storrrington you can go along Spithandle Lane to Ashington, then there is a quiet route round the back of Ashington to Warminghurst Church and on to Storrintgon.

I'm happy to average 8 mph along the South Downs on my old hardtail mtb. A CX bike would probably be quicker but it would be taking such a battering it wouldn't be any fun and I'd be concerned about something breaking or falling off.