London to Brighton Off Road (lots of pics)

A few of us from Bristol did the BHF London to South Coast Off Road ride this Saturday (They can't call it the London to Brighton as it would cause confusion with the big summer event). The route is set by STW member Singletracksurfer, and we tagged along with him at the back to gather up the signage.

It seems to be overshadowed by its on-road counterpart, but it's a great little event nonetheless, uses the minimum of road, and it's nothing like as oversubscribed!

The ride starts at Roedean University and sets off through Richmond Park, with its tame deer:

As well as other slightly less domesticated animals:

It then heads out along the Thames Path, past Hampton Court Palace:

And then hits some entertaining bits of sandy singletrack, including a climb and descent of Winterfold Hill:

We also went past this awesome pocket-sized outdoor velodrome, which we played on for long enough to feel thoroughly sick:

Before heading down a cracking bumpy descent to the pub at Shere:

Shortly after that it joins the Downs Link, which is flat as a pancake and a tad dull compared to the stuff before. It does keep the ride a bit more do-able though, and shoe-horning in more technical stuff would turn it into a proper epic that I suspect would defeat a lot of the participants.

We attempted liven it up a bit by giving ridiculous greetings to passers by ("What ho!" being the clear favourite) and abusing civic sculptures:

Then it began to get dark:

We completed the final climb (an off-road equivalent of Ditchling Beacon) just as the sun set:

And then there was a nice bashy descent to finish, with a few cheeky drop-offs thrown in.

Overall it was a good mix of mildly techy singletrack (made "interesting" in places by very sandy conditions) and scenic pootling along towpaths. I rode my CX bike and didn't suffer too badly, although a hardtail with whizzy tyres might make the descents more enjoyable. We took about 10 hours to do it due to having to collect all the route signs, but the fastest bloke apparently did it in something like 5 hours!

"an off-road equivalent of Ditchling Beacon"

ooh, where was that?

Oh and sorry if you can't see the pics – they're hosted on a widely hated social networking site…

wwaswas, I'm trying to remember but I'm afraid my brain was pretty fried at that point! I think we descended into Brighton a bit further West than the on-road ride, and we also went pretty near to the YHA.

truleigh hill and through to the dyke?

there were cyclists everywhere on Saturday – there was a 100mile sportive from Hove as well.

Could well have been Truleigh Hill – we definitely went through Upper Beeding, I remember the name making me laugh! The descent wasn't that steep but was pretty rutted and had a couple of wooden steps in it.

it's a climb up from somewhere neaer upper beeding, up to the top of truleigh hill. it's a bit loose, and pretty steep (as are most of the climbs on that side of the downs)

Couldn't do that ride this year – did it last year and remember it being sunny and lovely then too – saw lots of people with red BHF t shirts around in the early evening.

A good day out with some buddies and for a good cause too. Downs link is a bit boring though but I don't think there is any real option of doing it any other way without making it ridiculously long.

MR Agreeable but the local joke (for locals) is that Lower Beeding is upper than Upper Beeding which is lower…

that's amazing, and i can't believe i didn't know it existed – doing that next year!

anyone got the route on pdf/jpg or something?

Be warned the downs link is a bit dull and is 37 miles to Shoreham then a further 8 or so miles to Brighton, got a nice pub on it for lunch tho.

I don't think it uses all 37 miles of the Downs Link. We got that section over and done with in a couple of hours, including stops for punctures, food and general mucking about. 🙂

Where did you join up with the link, I did the link the other week on me ten ton Pashley not bad but a bit of a shlep, first few miles were a right laugh bouncing down the bridleways, that ride looks a much more fun tho, I live close to Hampton Court so could start it there, as above do you have a route map?

The pub on the Downs Link (can't remeber the name) – does great food btw!

Familiar, that "velodrome" – http://picasaweb.google.com/BrightonmtbClub/SurreyHillsLoop22ndJun08#5215163971368178210

Bax Castle

Catfood, I don't have a map I'm afraid. Someone might have put it up on Bikely, and it's also basically a variant of the Rough Ride Guide route that someone on here had a go at a few months back.

DezB, I got the feeling we weren't the first people to have that idea, it looked pretty well used!

Pub's The Bridge & the climb's the one off the Henfield Rd – arrives in the same place as 2 other climbs at the top of Mill Rd, both of which are much nicer ;o)

Hiya

That was a great little write-up. How many miles is it? Surely something like 60 miles? At least you really had the weather on your side.

Hi Si. All in all it was 75 miles, plus a bit of a schlep to the start. Weather was great, to be honest some of the route was a little bit too dusty if anything. I think even the proper off-road stuff would hold up OK whatever the conditions.

Nice write up Mr A.

yeah 75 miles in all, 25 on the Downs Link. Can be boring on your own, but get into the roadie mind set with a group of you & you can hammer it along to get the miles in quickly & have a natter. Its pretty in places too. Not really any other options without making it too difficult for many riders.

If anyone wants the route e-mail rough ride guide (and promise to go along next year).