Anything similar to the Downs Link?

I bikepacked the DL on Mon/Tues on my gravel bike and loved it. I was coming from north London so didn’t arrive in Guildford until midday, then camped near Henfield. There were some interesting side missions to tag on also. It was relatively empty and fast riding.

So, do you know of anything similar in England for long distance, smoother, uninterrupted off road riding?

Thanks

That’s the longest single one I know of in the south, but there are others around. Have a look for the Beechings Way (might be just on Facebook) which is something a guy mapped out using a number of disused railway lines that were closed as part of the Beechings Report. That does have elements of the North Downs and South Downs in it though so certainly not all flat.

No idea of what the Downs Link is like but Cycling UK have a few off-road routes mapped out around the UK. Perhaps something like the King Alfred’s Way might appeal?

Not ridden it yet but as a 350km circular off-road route, it sounds like fun :o)

Perhaps something like the King Alfred’s Way might appeal?

Funnily enough I did the KAW for the first time last week over a couple of days and, if you’re after smoother & faster, Id say take the section from Amesbury to Reading…really enjoyed the Ridgeway, big views like the SDW but without the ascent (or as steep climbs) and the surfaces were smoother

I’d suggest the King Alfred’s Way is not very smooth running in places, quite off-road at times and susceptible to the weather a lot more than the Downslink 🙂

The newish riders version of the North Downs Way is easily accessible from London and the second half after Sevenoaks is easier going (the first half has some technical moments), it has some tarmac sections in it though but they’re generally quiet lanes, a lot hillier than the Downlink mind you

The Rebellion Way in East Anglia is flat (obvs) and easy but again not continuously off-road and traffic free

Not continuous, but long chunks of the TransPennine Trail are traffic free old railway line. For instance from the east of Stockport through to Doncaster only about four or five miles of road, none busy.

Thanks. I did the Rebellion Way last summer. It was fun but quite road-heavy.

I’ll look into the NDW. It is on my radar for something to do.

I plan to do the KAW at some point. I think it’s more gnarly from what I understand.

In London, Epping Forest is our best for continuous gravel riding on nicely surfaced ground, but it’s not that long. I loved the DL for hour after hour of this.

Has anyone done the Shipwright’s Way which also crosses the Downs?

Much of national cycle network route 21 is off road on similar disused railway lines to the Downs Link. But it does have more frequent stretches on road. I’ve only done Redhill to Eastbourne, so don’t know what it’s like further north.

Surely the South Down Way – a much more hardcore proposition but if you are self sufficient can be broken up in to 2 or 3 easier relaxed days.  Plenty of wild camping opportunities just look out for tractors looking to spread slurry.

I suggest linking the Worth Way from Gatwick to the Forest Way and then the Cuckoo trail to Eastbourne.

A long way from London but the ‘railway’ trails around Tyneside and County Durham.

i suggest linking the Worth Way from Gatwick to the Forest Way and then the Cuckoo trail to Eastbourne.

If you end up doing this route give me a shout and I’ll make you a brew as you pass through my village ?

Middlesbrough to South Shields is 90% off road on mainly old rail tracks and the sea front path from Sunderland. Quite a nice, if slightly boring in places. Some nice countryside some interesting suburbs, particularly weird round the back of the gaol in Stockton.

We did St. Bees to S. Shields on the Hdrians Cycleway. Mainly quiet lanes and cycle paths (less gravel) but a good route, some great scenery and some interesting suburbs in West Cumbria and Tyneside at each end.

C2C also on lanes and cycle paths is supposed to be a good route.

Edit: Cinder track from Scarborough to Whitby is also good, can link with the other gravel routes round N. York Moors for a longer trip.

Surely the South Down Way – a much more hardcore proposition but if you are self sufficient can be broken up in to 2 or 3 easier relaxed days. Plenty of wild camping opportunities just look out for tractors looking to spread slurry.

Exactly my thoughts. Although definitely over at least three days if you want a relaxed adventure.

Worth Way I do on a road bike, it gives an interesting quirk to a road ride. But it’s short, quite boring, and not really suitable for wild camping like the SDW. The Cuckoo Trail to Eastbourne I have only done once but  as I remember it it was also a bit tame and fairly boring, although longer than Worth Way.

I am heavily biased to the SDW though, one of my favourite places on earth. I love the challenging climbs, the long downhills, coastal views, and idyllic villages in the valleys for refreshment stops. Give SDW a go!

Another one to consider in the south east is the Cantii Way around Kent. It has much less elevation change than KAW or Rebellion Way, and is an interesting route in it’s own right but isn’t solely a traffic free point to point like the Downs Link.

It can be linked to the North Downs Way if you wanted to ride in, or it has good train links to London so easy to pick up sections of it.

Re: SDW, I did a small section to the Chanctonbury and Cissbury rings. The paths are lovely, but a bit harsh on a loaded gravel bike. I picked up 2 punctures in quick succession. I think that would be more enjoyed on an MTB (I don’t have my hardtail set up for multi-day yet). It’s definitely up there for the future though as it was stunning up on the Downs.

I grew up in the north east so know the area well, but not so much for cycling.

Route 21 looks promising.

Thanks everyone.

In a similar vein to the Downs Link is the Shipwrights Way . There’s also a few routes knocking around which combine the two.

Train to Luton airport parkway

National cycle network right outside

Harpenden

Wheathampstead

Welwyn Garden City

Ware

Lea valley navigation, all the way to the city

A mix of NCN tarmac tracks, forest trails, quiet roads and canalside paths.

Shipwrights way is far more interesting than the Downs Link in terms of variety, but depending on the time of year there are sections of either nice muddy bits or deep sandy bits at various points and a lot more singletrack so although I wouldn’t say it’s very technical in the grand scheme of things, it’s not a ‘leave your head in the clouds and pedal along’ type of trail like the Downs Link. Would thoroughly recommend it though, I think you can quite easily nip along the coast once you’re down there too and train back up London direction (or combine it with something else as suggested above, I’d probably do Shipwrights down to the coast and then Downs Link back up as it’s quicker/easier going).

@belugabob
Thanks, I’ve done the ones around there a month or two ago. I enjoyed them.

@fjab
Thanks for the update. I was after a recommendation from someone who’d done it. I’m thinking of heading onto it this week, with perhaps, a pop over onto the Isle of Wight while I’m at Portsmouth.

It’s easy enough at this time of year if you don’t mind a bit of sand in places! I’ve ridden it on a hardtail and a gravel bike, they were both fine but overall I’d pick lighter/faster and just deal with the odd squirrely bit of sand.

The other option would be to get across to the New Forest (although that’s easier from Southampton than Portsmouth) as there are miles of nice gravel tracks there. If you use Komoot have a look at the Woods Cyclery (Lyndhurst) page as they put all their Sunday morning shop ride routes on there for free use. Should have recommended that earlier actually thinking about it… but they’re mainly loops rather than rides to somewhere.

Re: Woods Cyclery and the New Forest
I’ve got those bookmarked for another trip specifically down there. I want to do their Woods Rat Run route.

Same, I’m thinking of doing it in late September/early October in the hope that’ll be when it’s closest to being dry!

Try and get down once a month-ish for the Sunday morning “Shop Rides”, I’m about a 50 minute drive away so I try not to do too much “driving to ride” but a change of scenery is nice.