watched about 2/3rds. Grew up in the area and it was nice to see, brought back a lot of memories. Somewhat disappointed my belief all the yews were planted to make bows for Agincourt was wrong though.

With all his talk of neolithic hill forts, he forgot to mention what good mtb jumps they make (for a 15 year old self, I would naturally be more responsible now 😆 )

Very nice Sir, very nice indeed.

If the programme inspired anyone to get out and live the Downs, then thats great.

FWIW I loved the presenter, a Guy from the area with great local knowledge of his bit East, and discovering our bit West. Loved his accent, a direct tone and clear and precise.. (unlike the plethora of complaints the Beeb are getting for the over embellished, hard to hear what the actors are saying, “epics” of late)

Glad the programme didn’t focus on just one bit, glad it featured some sections that are rarely seen from a car window at 60mph. Some broad history enough to make you think..Oh, whats down there..

Definitely should be more “regional” programmes like this.

bikebouy – Next time I’m down at our kids in London, I’m definitely taking the bike, and I’m going to get out on the downs. Fancy volunteering for guiding duties?

I’m half way through it. We there be advice concerning the best tyres for wet chalk?

Nice photography and clearly a beautiful place

Found the presenter a little odd. Struck me as somebody from a privileged background (Africa hence accent perhaps?) and was a bit to ‘head in the clouds’

No mention of difficulties for young folk in the area (which I’m sure are there) etc

6/10

Confused, what am I supposed to do if I meet someone that I assume is from a privileged background on the SDW?

I feel privileged to live literally within a stones throw of the SDW, within a National Park. I’m not from Africa though.

No mention of difficulties for young folk in the area (which I’m sure are there) etc

This confuses me more though. In a ‘WTF?’ kind of way.

No mention of difficulties for young folk in the area

They have it tough, no uplift at Steyning. That hill is a killer climb back to the top 🙂

Try riding up Bostal every ride as a ‘warm up’..

I could do with the fitness boost but….no thanks 🙂

They also neglected to film all the fridges dumped on Windover Hill. Those yew trees were awesome though.

The South Downs on a hot sunny mid summers day is just wonderful. The views just go on and on and on.
Need to get over there from the Island this year, overdue a ride on the SDW!

Binners , be a pleasure. Let me know near the day/date.

I know of some decent pubs too.

Thats them Northern Surrey Hills Binners, not the South Downs. 😉 They’re both splendid riding though the appeal is different for each.

Get in touch if you’re down, I’ll join in.

#BuryBinners
I’ll join in. I have a lovely loop that starts by the masts above Fishbourne Roman Palace and heads out North to the TV mast not far from Rogate , then back via Midhurst

OooWee, a STW bimble in the Downs.. 😀

I have a nice *flat* scenic route at the Eastern end, with such strava segment names as “OMG are you serious”‘, the B’stard, Windover Express Elevator and Fight Club. Be happy to show you round.

*flat* may well be a lie.

Me Me! I wanna come!

Oh and @Twiglet Monster, “no more hills, just a few cheeky lumps…….”.

Shit, what have we started ?

In true fashion I went to the pub tonight, grabbed a pint of Hampshires finest and reached over for a book, this looked perfect..
Like most of the country, we were blasted by it, hard.

When Storms were “Storms” and photographs were on film..

I’m just off the east end of the SD too! Often ride from Jevington, up the long man, through Alfriston, up Firle Beacon, down to Seaford and finish in Friston.

I live a 100m or so from the south downs national park and while I appreciate my local area I am certainly guilty of taking it for granted. This programme just made me fall in love with this place a bit more. Can’t wait for summer now!

Binners get the map / Google out … very roughly North Downs runs from Guildford (or maybe Hascombe) to Dorking … the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne.

just started watching it now (as someone from the North Downs)
I think I need a new map. Can’t find Waynechester or the Himarliers. Must read up on aquifiers too. That accent might get annoying soon.

PS and the North Downs run way beyond Dorking all the way to the White Cliffs of Dover

Enjoyed the programme……… thought the presenter a bit quirky, but that actually was a plus……it would have been a lot less interesting if they had Titchmarsh or Humble f’instance.
However, no mention of the nutters who do the SDW Double
I ride up Plumpton Bostall sometimes, but Streat Hill Farm lane is a bit steeper!

Just caught up on it. Now I know nothing about the South Downs and being a Northerner I like proper big hills so I wasn’t expecting much.

I was enormously impressed, some wonderful and very varied terrain. I think I shall have to visit. Oh and I liked the programme too.

South Downs bimble? I’m in! 🙂

bikebuoy – remember that well. I was in secondary school – 2 classrooms lost their roofs and we had a week off. Bonkers amount of trees down.

Wonderful programme.
The chap’s passion for the area was fantastic and I really warmed to him as the programme went on. Having just read up about him he really does seem like a good egg.

I’m also in for the Binners Bimble.

Well I’m somewhere in the middle, I could set up a refreshment/cake pit stop en route

I enjoyed that – thanks for the PSA. Did I miss the bit where they explained why the presenter was wearing a cowboy outfit?

Really enjoyed the programme but have to admit my slight local bias with the national park being about 5minutes ride from my front door. I’ve heard the whole of the South Downs described as “flat” “rolling” and “no real hills” . True there are no real mountains but obviously people who say it’s flat haven’t gone riding with Ming the Merciless on one of his Imperial Tours or “Long Mans revenge” rides 8)

As for singletrack, Friston? Stanmer? Whiteways? Kingsley Vale? QECP? Nothing to see there, move on 😉

roughly North Downs runs from Guildford (or maybe Hascombe) to Dorking

Very roughly – North Downs are generally regarded to go from Farnham to Dover.

Reeth, N. Yorkshire…

Reeth, North Yorkshire.

Posted by Paul Clark on Sunday, September 6, 2015

Hope you can see the video.

Cheers
Paul

Very roughly – North Downs are generally regarded to go from Farnham to Dover.

This – we’ve even got a little sculpture in Farnham noting the fact it’s the start of the NDW.

And living in Guildford, I can easily testify from regularly riding either east or west onto the North Downs that although lacking the absolute height of their southern neighbours, there’s still enough steepness to count as a decent a warm up.

Apparently the ND to the east of London aren’t so good, either in terrain, scenery, or under tyre conditions. A mate and I have hypothesized several times about a ND/SD circuit – but the obvious link is the Downslink and that means you use hardly any of the NDW, so maybe picking up some of the offroad LTB route and hitting the SDW at Brighton before heading west, leave the SDW at somewhere around maybe Kingley and head back North……. some time and a map is needed. Maybe in a pub.

Depends what you mean by “isn’t so good”. They’re certainly not flat, at least at the Surrey/North-West Kent end. And the highest points in North and South Downs are the same to within about 3 feet afaik.
Certainly a long old slog riding up the steep side of the escarpment.
All the best bits as an MTBer are footpaths, with no cycling signs. I used to be a roadie around there before defecting.
Might not be as hilly as the Peak District or somewhere, but it’s not flat. The Fens are flat.
Dover to Farnham to Winchester to Eastbourne would be a fun ride.

As a local to the South downs national park i think it captured the essence of the park perfectly.

The south downs are a soft landscape in terms of the views being easy on the eye and the hills gently roll and fold over and into each other. There aren’t any rocks, we don’t have any water falls, there are no hard edges, so its not like some of the other national parks in the country. It’s different and as such stands up to scrutiny on its own.

I think the programme fairly reflected that it’s mostly a managed landscape and the look results from the agriculture taking place. Yes there are pockets of ‘wilderness’ but it’s mostly a worked landscape, but still magical.

I would sum up the downs as windy and wet in the winter, hot and dusty in the summer but always a big view landscape.

will look back here for bimble updates, am in the area 18th of march and sad i am missing the epic echappee because of it. a bimble would quite make up for that.

What i mean is:

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/north-downs-way/information

Can I ride or cycle on the Trail?
The North Downs Way is predominantly for walkers. However of the 153 miles (246 kilometres), 31 miles (50 kms) are public bridleway, 21 miles (33 kms) are Byway or Restricted Byway and 30 miles (48 kms) are metalled road. Horse riding and cycling is not permitted on footpaths.

So only half of it is actually accessible (officially) and a chunk of that is on roads. Also that IME it can get very muddy in places which makes cycling on it a chore. At least on the SDW it isn’t so prone to mud (although there are sections) – they get green chalk which is some trade-off!!

Lovely views & underestimate those hills at your peril.
Btw ,If you do a #burybinners south downs ride , I”d be happy to come along and translate for the Lowlanders. 😀

I’d be up for a show binners the Downs jolly.

Bit of wooded singletrack at Stanmer too?