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Heading to Brighton for the weekend and a few of us want to do a good days riding with an overnight bivi.
Anyone recomend anywhere good for this? Was tinking something on the southdowns way? Want it to be fun riding with some nice climbs/ decents where possible as opposed to miles and miles of fireroad type stuff! Have cars so happy to drive for a bit to find some good stuff!
Any suggestions?
Cheers
start out and do an hour or three at Stanmer. Then head over to Friston Forest along the sdw and ride there, camp overnight somewhere local to Friston and then head back towards Brighton the next day? Or ride onto Eastbourne and get the train back to Brighton
not sure if the sdw counts as 'fireroad' though 😉
If it's this weekend bear in mind that anything 'off the tops' is a bit muddy at the moment, so won't be riding its best. Even the tops are sticky with mud.
your close to gatwick......
There's some good climbs and descents in and around Steyning Woods and loads of campsites/woods for the overnight bivi as well. I'm away this weekend, but otherwise I'd have been happy to show you around.
What wwaswas said, the ride from Devils Dyke to Eastbourne is a beauty, the SDW is not bad at the mo, dries pretty quick with the wind, however Friston Forest was pretty muddy last weekend, the muddiest it's been for a long time, still worth a visit, a visit to Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters is a must too, there's also a few campsites in Pevensey Bay worth looking at.
I'd second Devils Dyke to Eastbourne on the SDW and Friston is only a short diversion off the route. As for an overnight stop just make sure it's at the top of a hill unless you want to be washed away.
Thanks for the information guys, it is this weekend yeah, fingers crossed weather wise!
I'll do some digging around on line and see where all these places are, but sounds like theres some good riding to be had!
have a look at brightonmtb forum - may be a Saturday ride going on or someone who can show you around if not.
not sure re: friston - sussex muddy arse may have soemthing going on.
Hey guys been looking in to a few bits and have a couple of questions!
Is Stanmer Park actually in Brighton or would we need to ride/ drive there? Are there marked trails there or is it a case of getting out and exploring!?
Assume from there it would be fairly easy to find the SDW? Even if we had to ask other riders?
Think the plan would be to do Stanmer then head over towards devils dyke was to camp over night then back in to Brighton (we are sea kyaking on Sunday!)
Does this sound doable?
Think the plan would be to do Stanmer then head over towards devils dyke was to camp over night then back in to Brighton (we are sea kyaking on Sunday!)Does this sound doable?
100%
although with the state of the SDW at the moment, you may be able to Kyak on the downs!!!
Excellent! Sounds like a plan is developing! If we were to camp around devils dyke way is it much of a ride back in to Brighton from there, need to be somewhere to do seak kyaking by 12!
Cheers!
Bump for the morning crowd!
Devils Dyke to Brighton is all downhill (downs to sea level) so apart from the Pykies you'll have no probs, 20 mins max
I'd get up there and pitch at about 8:45 just as it gets dark
No 'official' camping on the Downs but loadsa wild spots if you can deal with the mud at the moment
Thanks, plan is to hit a pub for dinner and a few beers in the area then retire back to our chosne location to bivi for the night. Sounds like its all going to work ok then!
No marked trails at Stanmer - they're 'tolerated' rather than official.
Best bet is to go over to brightonmtb and post on their forum to see if anyone's able to guide you. failing that have a look on strava - most of the trails are segments on there now (although translating the gps tracks into trails on the ground can be tricky).
Stanmer to Ditchling Beacon is pretty easy either on or off road - there's bridleway headign North out of stanmer that (via a long steep climb) heads straight up to the sdw and it's only a couple of hills from there to the Dyke.
Do take a map, though, just to be sure.
There's a YHA at Truleigh Hill on the SDW about 2 miles west of the Dyke - given the weather it might be worth heading there for the night?
I rode through the travellers camped on the dyke to hove cycle track a couple fo days ago and other than a few mad dogs yapping at my ankles I wasn't actually pelted with stones this time which is an improvement over previous experiences. I'd cut on to the road alongside for the bit where you see the caravans if I were you.