Hi,

Would anyone be so kind as to share a link for a SDW full length GPX file for a Garmin/Wahoo?

Route would preferably be from Winchester to Eastbourne.

Many thanks, Ben

There is a double one starting from Winchester on the south downs double site. Just trim it. Or get the BHF one, also easy to find.

I’ve got one, I’ll sort it out sometime tomorrow evening for you 👍

Sdw.

This should link to one.
Pm me if it doesn’t.

Op, for the GPX file and more importantly some great info (taps that still work or have been removed etc plus a load of other stuff) there is a great site made by a guy that has ridden the SDW a lot.

I was pointed to it from here a few years back but I’m buggered if I can find it!

Someone will know the sites name though, I’m sure.👍

Found it!

The site is a bit diy but it doesn’t matter. It’s the best riding reference for the sdw imo. It whets the appetite just to read it and look at the pics.😁

I love the SDW and I’m gutted I possibly won’t be able to ride it this year for various reasons.

http://www.bikedowns.co.uk/

Does anyone know if all the taps are still working with coronavirus around? Unlimited daily exercise has got me thinking..

Got the 2015 BHF SDW GPX file if you want it.
Sent you a message with email contact on, happy to pass on.

I rode down to Jevington then over to Firle last Sat. Tap at the church was working

Both taps at Amberley werent working last Wednesday, so be prepared to ride from cocking to Washington with no water stops. Should be fine though.
I did a practise ride on Wednesday, qecp to Amberley and back to qecp. Weather was fantastic and I’m hoping for more of the same this Wednesday when I’m riding the lot, but starting in Eastbourne as it’s easier logistically (am aware the wind will be against).
Good luck!

I found the sdw double map excellent as it has all that taps on it and made them very easy to find thtough Google maps.
Would like to give it another go maybe without the 11 mile detour this time.

Tap just past the Adur bridge crossing was working fine when I went past last week.

Many thanks all. This should do the trick!

Try this, if it doesn’t work due to privacy DM me and i can email the gpx.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/south-downs-way-8f125da?u=m

And, OMG, what have they done to GPSIES now that its AllTrails, its utter shite now, i loved using it before!

GPX here on the official website.

The winds for the second half of this week and into the weekend appear to mostly be easterlies, so starting at eastbourne might be better

Did it yesterday! Perfect weather, starting from Eastbourne at 07:20 on pier. I think this is a better way assuming no strong wind, I was shattered with 15 miles left, so facing the 2 last big come to Eastbourne would be horrible! All water stops bar Amberley open, but cafe in Amberley was open. 9:57 moving time. 5 punctures from 2 bikes ☹️

Nice and dry up there at the moment. I’m thinking of doing it on the rigid Singlespeed later in the month, having completed it last year on the full suss. Just need to get my head around what the deal is with getting a train back from Eastbourne to Winch in the current situation or if ‘the double’ is the way to go…

I didn’t want to finish with a train journey just in case nothing available (as Eastbourne back were expensive or very few), that’s why I chose to stay with train, after leaving my car in Winchester night before. I’m not far from Winchester

I got the train back from Eastbourne last year changing at Brighton but not sure what the service/protocol is like at the mo. Am also near Winch so can get onto the trail fairly easily…

Double for me – can’t face the thought of a train atm.
The tap between the river and the railway was dead last Monday for sure. Just stick a spare 2l floppy bottle in the backpack for that section? Was up on the Glatting beacon zone today and its running so fast. if you’re struggling with the sdwx2 gpx, I can let you have my sdwx4…..that was 5 years ago last week! Thanks to Facebook for reminding me.
Where did the time go?
I took a look at one of the gpx’s offered above and it finished at the old Paradise Drive rather than the new Kiosk, but by the time you get there, who cares? They are so close to eachother.

I’m doing it on saturday, spent last night spinning the 70 miles back from winchester to Keymer on my road bike having dropped the car there. Was a nice warm up but the downslink (just followed gmaps) was rough..

It looks like the double gpx takes the wheely down and road route up Winch hill rather than going down the Beacon Hill road along the old railway and then up Old Winch Hill. Is this the ‘official’ one? I’ve always taken the Old Winch Hill route….

OK. So I just read the notes to the gpx which explains it….

Been a few changes over the years. A couple of years ago the route didn’t go down beacon hill road, it went down through some fields into the farm at warnsford. You could then took rd up to old winch or go up the same off road path to old winch hill.

BHF route was wheely down to warnford then up the road to old winch hill. I’m local and that route makes sense to me if going eastbound.

Westbound I’d do old winch hill off road descent then road route up beacon hill.

I’ve done the old classic route but there’s something to be said for keeping things as ‘off road’ as possible. You also miss the challenging ilttle steep section up to the hiltop if you take the road 🙂

I know its maybe not in the spirit of it but I prefer my climbs on road and descents on the bumpy stuff. 😀

For ‘ease’ of riding, and the fact that it is the Traditional route and totally rideable, I’ve always turned left at Beaconhill Beaches, across some fields that the landowner does a good job of signing the correct route (and during the lockdown propped many of the gates open to be helpful) and ridden down into Warnford past the shark, then up the road climb that is Hayden Lane.
The OWH climb is ugly and between wire fences.
Whilst I appreciate its is the South Downs Way and not the South Downs Road, this is the only place I feel is worth taking a road.

what do folks generally do (heading westwards) at qecp? it looks like the SDW is exactly parallel (and about 20 yards from) their red decent – is avoiding the 30th featureless grass decent for something more fun cheating?

Rode it yesterday with a mate. Conditions are lush, but quite a lot of road at the winchester end (didn’t remember that from before). The bogs are open at the yha near shoreham, which was. Ahem. Handy..

Didn’t see anyone else look like they were trying to ride the whole thing. In fact other than round brighton it was all pretty quiet

Holy thread resurrection Batman,

Myself and a couple of mates are planning to ride the SDW this weekend overnighting.

We’re coming from different directions so plan was to meet in Winchester Saturday morning.

However trains from home are in Rail Replacement Hell Saturday now, so I’m thinking of traveling late Friday and Bivi’ing near Winchester (Weather is looking ace!).

Does anyone have a recomendation of a decent spot to throw down my Bivi bag within say 10K of Winchester on/near the SDW? Preferably mosquito free….. and if an (open) cafe is nearby in the morning whilst I wait, I wouldn’t complain….

Did it last weekend in a day, ideal trail conditions at the moment, take spare tubes though for the flint slashes. (I only took one and that was nearly a big mistake)

The Winchester end isn’t that remote and has quite a bit of agriculture if I remember correctly, might struggle for a good bivvy spot.

I bivved within about 10 metres of the very first SDW sign in Winchester a couple of years back.😁 Only issue was traffic noise tbh.

It was a little area of grass just at the end of Petersfield road, just after the first stw sign as mentioned above. Just before the bridge over the M3. You can’t miss it. Saw a few riders and dog walkers. No one minded a damn about me settling up “camp” there. Got a few “good lucks” in fact. Lol Can’t guarantee no mozzies of course.

Just give back into Winchester for your choice of cafe then.

That was brave! Shows it’s a nice area, do that where I live and you’d regret it fairly quickly.