Hoping to do the Wessex way, Weston Super Mare to Eastbourne. Where does the South Down Way actually start, hoping to carry as little as possible so will only tote the maps up to the start of SDW. I can follow signs from there.
Anyone know bike friendly B&B en route?
Well the actual SDW starts in Winchester City Centre! I've done the Wessex Way before and we didn't detour to Winchester but picked up the SDW somewhere between Winch and Butser Hill.
Starts in Winchester.
Whilst its waymarked I wouldn't do it without a map, in case you need to bail/detour for some reason eg mechanical.
If you have a smart phone you could take electronic maps of the route for way less than the cost of paper maps.
You can get one map with whole route on it
http://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/South_Downs_Way.html
Well worth taking
Cheers, I ride fixed and SS, so don't do technology. Planning to ride REALLY light, so will take a map to get me to Winchester then post it home.
The signage on the SDW is woeful .
If you dont recce it , or ride when its waymarked for another event , you will probably get lost .
starts at the King Ælfr?d statue at the bottom of the high street. I'd strongly reccommend taking the walkers path out of town - east hill & persfield road.
The cyclist/ horse path takes you up the a31. i wouldn't cycle up the a31 for love nor money.
😀
+1 on signage being poor. you need a map ime.
Careful with the signs. I've missed loads on newer sections. The end in Eastbourne has changed too
Cheers, map it is then.
Eastbourne's no problem......I'll just head for Fabulosa's for a well earned mega ice cream sundae.....
How long do you reckon it will take and whats the distance? Would make a good bivi route. Thomthumb up there ^ did some of it a couple of weeks ago I think.
The Harveys map is great, all you need on one sheet, and waterproof to boot. It also shows water points on the route, which can be very hard to find otherwise.