South Downs Way: Wed 24 Aug; Hurstpierpoint to Eastbourne

The third and final day of the SDW or as Roger who I cycled this over 30 years ago said “ if these are the South Downs I’d hate to be on the South Ups”.

The final stats:

Sun almost all day! Average was actually less at 6.1mph. That it is mainly up or down and not much flat appears in the profile.

Hills walked up: too many to count.

Punctures: none I’m pleased to say. The flints did worry me.

I also did not fall off! It was slow and hot, with great views missing so far.

I passed a total of 112 signposts and went through 134 gates. Here is my favourite signpost(s):

Yes, it’s to the pub. Only one though but millions of the SDW ones.

So what powered me up the downs?

Best fruit salad.

And…

Best presentation of full English. Overall winner of the SDW breakfast award 2022.

I set off via Hassocks to see my gran’s bungalow and the stream we played in as kids. Then the first climb; Ditchling Beacon. I’m glad to say I cycled up it, with a lot of huffing, puffing and some swearing.

On the downs and the sun came out and stayed out. Great views and more typical down land open scenery.

A lot faster on the tracks especially as many were in grass which oddly was still green and not burnt as elsewhere :

The lack of flints made up and down far more pleasant.

Then an odd concrete track through fields:

And the sea in the distance!

The last two hills were tough; steep and poor surfaces . I saw far more walkers and cyclists, almost half of the latter on electric MTBs. Must admit I did envy them!

Then the River Ouse rushing down to Newhaven:

Yes, a flat bit. Which means climbing up again…

Then, after a slog up a chalk track the end in sight:

Eastbourne, in its full err…
glory

I found a good track down to the town and just caught the London train.

A great ride, harder it seems than 30 years ago !

SDW: Tue 23 Aug; SouthHarting to Hustpierpoint

One of the hardest days cycling I’ve done in years; my lack of fitness met my lack of mountain biking experience.

The stats : 45.2 miles (on SDW 34, remainder on tarmac), at an average 6.8mph (just 5.9 on SDW).

Max height just 799ft but 6,972ft of ascent and 7,054 of descent.

Pushing up hills: tons. Even walked down a few difficult descents.

Fell off : twice.

Weather: it only rained once. For 5.5 hours.(I’m not exaggerating ).

This was the slowest off road I’ve done – I was faster each day when I did the Cairngorms Loop. To my great surprise todays route is harder than anything I’ve done in Scotland.

That is down to the constant short sharp hills combined with the rough nature of the tracks, especially the gravel and the chalk, the former shaking me and the bike to bits and the latter being very slippery when wet.

But I had a great meal last night in the White Hart:

Plaice. Or what remains of it.

And breakfast did not disappoint:

I had the healthy option; eggs scrambled not fried.

Forecast was grey but dry. At least they got the grey bit right. I bought lunch and a ‘paper in the village shop and set off about 9.15. A humid ascent back up to the SDW in still air.

All went fine but then the rain came in and stayed in. It took me 2 hours to cycle the first 9 miles as I did 2,000 ft of up and 1,500 ft of down – I’ve never made such slow progress.

The Downs were shrouded in mist and only occasionally it lifted, so no views for ages.

I saw this water bottle- I reckon the owner ditched it to lessen their load up the hill you see – like many it was too difficult to cycle up and tricky to cycle down.

Progress was very slow, not helped by sliding around in the chalk. But the miles ticked by and gradually it cleared.

Another rattling descent.

Then after about 20 miles I hit the flat:

This should have a sign: “Only flat bit for 20 miles “

I saw many more cyclists and walkers today, unsurprisingly as this is far better for both users.

Bedraggled sunflowers looking for the sun. None of us saw it today.

The last long descent.

As progress was slow and I was knackered I decide against more pushing up slopes like this:

Typical downland view.

I had about 7 miles left in the SDW but decided to cycle to the B&B on tarmac – about 11 miles. So much easier!

Clayton Wickham Farmhouse is really special – it dates back to the Middle Ages. The owners, Mike and Susie are very welcoming. Quick shower and off for a couple of pints of my favourite bitter; the locally brewed Harvey’s Best.

The farmhouse is quite remote and as I type this drivel I can hear an owl close by. And so to sleep, looking forward to an easier and faster day tomorrow, possibly even some sun.

South Downs Way; Mon 22 Aug; Winchester to South Harting

Great day, would have been brilliant but for the rain.

Those stats; 29.9 miles at an average of 7.1mph, with 14.1 miles of up and 15.8 down.

5,122 ft of ascent, max 27.6mph.

Stuff that fell off the bike: nothing.

Hills walked up; Salt Hill (almost all of it, see below).

I took the train from Waterloo to Winchester. My breakfast:

Easy to get out of Winchester – I was in country lanes within 10 mins. The climbing started almost immediately, but nothing too onerous.

The SDW is well signposted but this section is rather bitty as it is a mixture of quiet lanes and wide and narrow tracks. But it’s a great route. I was surprised how few people I saw; about 7 cyclists and double that of walkers.

The tracks were very different – open and wide as above and narrow as below:

Then concrete:

Followed by forest:

And then Salt Hill:

Not that steep but very slippery surface so lots of pushing.

It was easier than this track on Skopelos, which Linda and I struggled up last month. V hot and v difficult :

I told Linda it was a short cut. Short cut to a heart attack. I guess she stuck at it as I had the only map.

On the way I passed this natural amphitheatre where General Eisenhower addressed over 100,000 troops just before D-Day in June 1944. The stages and stuff in the pic are from the recent Boomtown Festival attended by 80,000 people a week ago:

I wondered why there were portaloos in loads of fields and tons of rubbish until one of the site staff explained all.

I had lunch on the edge of a field that I then descended on a steep chalk track to find cows everywhere, mainly eating the blackberries:

Anna you would not have enjoyed getting past these bullocks!

Then up Buster Hill, the highest point on the South Downs. Down the grassy slopes:

For years I’ve seen this slope from the A3 and meant to walk it.

On through a country park, in thick forest .

Great track.

What was isolated light drizzle became a steady downpour. Waterproof on and off the Downs to South Harting and the White Hart. This is a lovely old pub and now I’m off to try the beer and food.

A great day. Hopefully better weather tomorrow.

The Dales; Day 6, Mon 27 June; Grassington to Settle

Only half a day – I got little sleep and had a bad cold, so much so breathing was difficult so I bailed out at Settle.

Those stats; 15.5 miles at about 10pm. 2,635ft of climbing in the last 5 miles or so.

And breakfast at the Black Horse Hotel:

OK, but small portions of everything . The winner of this tour’s breakfast is the Fairfax Arms

A grey start in soft drizzle:

Me and Pat looking for blue sky. None found.

The route was relatively (hah – in the sense that nowhere in the Dales is horizontal) flat. Onward through more drizzle turning to rain and back to drizzle. Then the climbing started .

A slog. John not looking enthusiastic.

John patiently accompanied my slow progress to the top. By then I knew I couldn’t sensibly do the same climb and mileage again, so settled for Settle.

A very steep descent and to a large cycle shop/café in the centre of town. I was relieved to get a taxi easily to Kendal. The driver told me that a lot of his jobs were ferrying tired/injured/ill walkers and cyclists around!

I was disappointed not to have finished but it was the right decision. A good meal that evening and off to Scotland the next morning.

I missed seeing this viaduct, and the weather improving.

As before when cycling in the UK the sheer beauty of our country never ceases to impress – as here:

A great tour; scenery, food and company brilliant.