Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • South Downs Way – Winchester > Eastbourne
  • StefMcDef
    Free Member

    How well signposted is it?

    I have a couple of days off tomorrow and Thursday and, since the weather forecast's good and we're rapidly running out of summer, I thought **** it, why not? Something I've always wanted to do. Youth hostel in Arundel is booked for tomorrow night. The missus is happy to come and fetch me from Eastbourne on Thursday, so game on.

    Are there any particularly difficult stretches or un-navigable and badly signposted black holes to watch out for?

    Thanks in advance for any tips.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Well, singletrackmind got lost and he's got a brain like a GPS!
    I'll email him about this thread, see if he has tips for you 🙂

    scu98rkr
    Free Member

    The second half is well signposted or obvious. During the first half there are a couple of points you could easily go wrong.

    Sometimes there are also 2 SDW one more for walker and one for houseriders/cyclists.

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    timwillows
    Free Member

    I thought it was all pretty well signposted, but then I did manage to loose it for a couple of miles – nice fast but and overshot.
    Arundel YHA is nice, but the obvious trail to use to get there skirts a bog that might be grim at the moment

    S_J
    Free Member

    Be really careful with this diversion!

    http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns/uploads/Meon%20Valley%20Feb2009.pdf

    Both routes are still signposted the SDW. We went left at the cross roads instead of straight on. As you can see from the map you basically do a 13 mile loop and end up where you started! Not particuarly funny at the time!

    MrWoppit
    Free Member
    StefMcDef
    Free Member

    Thanks for that guys. Is it do-able without being horrendous in two days? How many hours riding per day would it take the average STW-demographic lardarse who wasn't busting his baws to do it in a record time, in your experience?

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    Hi ( Thanks for the heads up and compliment Dez , well she did have very good legs despite the wellies )
    You will get lost. The signage is crap at best. If you are staying in Arundal are you going to get the train to Winch? You will be too late unless you are speedy fast as the first train does nt get to Winch till gone 0800. Lets pretend your missus is dropping you at Winch at 0530, and you are starting from the statue. Personally I would nt bother unless you are desperate for a timed photo , in the dark. Get dropped at the bottom of Chilcomb Lane , you will miss 500 meters of Tarmac out of Winch then pick up the SDW at the top of the hill.

    Its Ok first off and the areas to watch are the New / Old diversion route ( print the pdf ) . Most of it is obvious , be carefull at the Farm about 5 miles in , cut diagonally right across the feild where the ROW takes in 3 sides of the square . Its a white sign with a diagram on it .
    QE park straight forward and useful tap by kitchen back door
    At the bottom of Harting Down there is a fast grassy decent , which turns to a rutted chalky steep section V fast ( do not crash here ) at the gate take a 45' right track around the hill.

    The next place you will possible FU is a sharp 100' left at the top of a long graded climb at Hooksway . There is a dog leg after a section of rooted near singletrack , then a long climb then the sharp left.

    After that its pretty much follow your nose for miles and miles.

    Care on the drop from Bury Hill to the river at Arundle, and fill at the tap after the river , then its across the road right then left up a stright ish lane to the hell climb that s Kithurst hill.

    Watch the gates The springs are strong and can smash a mech off ( ask Zukemonster coz thats what he did, well bent it anyway)

    There is a fork at Devils Dyke you need , its not signed , where you can see the pub and maybe paragliders the trail goes right and stays flat . Do not climb to the pub and stop for a pint !

    Tricky section off the Dyke fast descent then dog leg left over road and through gate on right towards tea rooms , go straight past tea rooms and up a narrow enclosed section .

    Next section is Black Cap Brighton, there is a sign post to turn 90' right , I missed it and whizzed on for miles past the gallops before turning round.

    Care needed on the descent to One Tree Hill, looks tame but new gate and walking ledges make it the trickiest section . You shoot through a narrow footpath by someones house and there is a new gate at the end

    Tap after Southease train crossing involve going pastthe sign the turning for 100mtrs to a tap / trough combo then turning back for the joy that is Southease hill .

    the SDD webpage is worth a look , as is a search on here.

    Zukemonsters 'What food for the SDW' particualy usefull

    You will get lost in a pie shop in Alfriston , and you need to be a bit carefull on the speed humps on the decscnt , into village and a left right combo by the BIG STONE MEMORIAL will see you right

    Jevington , down a long tree covered descent fast and flowing ( your pretty much destryed by now to really enjoy it) and out to a lane , no signs but its a RIGHT turn throught the village for 1/2 mile then up a narrow bridleway to the last oh so long climb to eastbourne.

    I did it and im rubbish at hill bicyling that we do darn sarf

    allthepies
    Free Member

    Arundel is waaaaaay too early a stop for day #1 from Winchester.

    (voice of experience 🙂 )

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    2 Days ! Easy without punctures or mechanicals .

    allow 6 hours riding each day , although Zuke rode for 15. Buzzard did a steady 12 , somoene stated 10 hours was there intention but hes still out there waiting for his pie in Alfriston.

    Ona sunny day its great, smashing veiws rolling hills ( 9000ft of climbs)

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    +1 Allthepies

    Truleigh Hill much better bet

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    I'm an unfitty-fatty and did it in a day (13-14hr). Followed loads of other riders, so can't comment on signage (only got properly lost once)

    My guess is that you'll have no bother on day 1 but may be sore on day 2 so might be quite a bit slower

    allthepies
    Free Member

    >Truleigh Hill much better bet

    Yup, that's the benchmark stop for a 2 day attempt IMO given that the hills get bigger at the eastbourne end

    (I've done SDW multiple times on 2 day schedules and stopping at Arundel was a mistake which I rectified in later years by stopping at Truleigh. I *must* get fit enough for a 1 day attempt 😉 )

    Zukemonster
    Free Member

    If you are aiming on 2 days, will you have to carry gear with you? If that is the case you will probably find it easier in 1 day with no gear, or at least thats what I found.

    My last years 2 day attempt was very painful, and the 2nd day ended up not happening. (although that might have been partly due to beer and getting offered a lift home with a friend who was at the camp site… ) Those hills are a lot heavier even with minimal camping gear.

    This years 1 day was much easier despite me being probably less fit. Just go for it, but start early, and bring a light, in case you are pushed for time in the final section.

    Bring a map. You will get lost…

    dobo
    Free Member

    easy to get lost in places, you can take a really long time correcting navigational mistakes. if i were going to do it from scratch in a day i would definitely recy it first breaking it down into sections, but then i live down here.
    i've met some very unhappy lost people on the downs before and them hills can take a big psychological hit, 2 dayer might not be so bad as you have some time to play with

    kawato
    Free Member

    We, well my friends did it in a day, i quit at Worthing coming from Winchester. One of them was on a Cannondale Gemini, the other on a Giant Faith,a MArin Rocksprings and me on an Intense SS with 6 gears (and not the ones you need) They were knackered but they amnaged it in 15 hours. I reckon over two days on not-such-ridiculous-bikes-bearing-in-mind-task-at-hand its easily done.

    StefMcDef
    Free Member

    Thanks for that singletrackmind, that's the kind of anecdotal commonsense advice I was hoping to get. Just hope it makes sense "on the ground"! :-).

    I won't be carrying that much gear. Just the usual ride kit, a ton of "trail mix" and a spare top and waterproof.

    Probably end up bailing at Petersfield after a round-in-circles malfunction at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. But 'e 'oo dares wins and all that.

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    I suggest you take in the Singletrack at Bury Hill / Whiteways after day 1 . Its alright and pretty easy to find. Just dive into the woods off the car park by the tea hut. Then its not far to Arundal YH.

    DezB
    Free Member

    I'm lost just thinking about it ! 😐

    petestuart
    Free Member

    I'm considering this too – only with a bivvy half way. Any extra tips given that slight alteration to the OP's plan? Kit advice?

    Sorry for the hijack.

    Zukemonster
    Free Member

    Gumber Bothy would make a nice stop near amberly, and would save you having to bring so much gear.

    petestuart
    Free Member

    Bothy looks good, thanks for that, but if the weather is good i'd quite like a wild camp somewhere. Food would be the issue I think. With sleeping kit on the bike squeezing food and maybe a stove feels like a sizable load.

    br
    Free Member

    You might get lucky with signposting, as Trailbreak are running their annual Lemmings Trail on Sat/Sun – they might have markers out early?

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    Is he finished yet?
    Nice weather but stiff headwind all the way would have made Eastbourne – Winch a touch easier.

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