For anyone thinking about the SDW in the fine weather, had the following update from the SDW ranger Ben earlier today:

The only two taps that are currently out of action are at Washington and Botolphs. We have organised for these to be replaced whch our contractor will be doing as soon as they can.

Great psa.👍

Happy to help! 😎

In case useful to anyone else, I taped this to my top tube with distances from Winchester in km…

34 Sustainability
40 QECP
56 Cocking (A286)
75 Amberley
86 Washington
98 Botolphs
101 Truleigh Hill
107 Saddlescombe
123 Falmer (A27)
134 Southease
154 Jevington

@susepic thanks for the update, I asked the same question about 5 weeks ago and got the same response, clearly not in a rush ha ha

@sl2000 thanks for that

If anyone is interested also, I have a .fit file that has the taps planted down in it as points if interest, haven’t tried it yet but happy to share if anyone wants it….

@sl2000 that’s helpful – thanks

@donslow a 25 mile gap between Amberley and Truleigh should be easily managed with some planning. I don’t have a thing that reads .FIT files, but GPX waypoints would be good if you can convert?

Is this for hot or cold?

@donslow

I’ll have that .fit file mate, I think it works with Garmin?

@susepic @poopscoop send me your Email addresses and I’ll get the file sent over, will see if I can find a way to convert from fit to GPX although I fear it’s a bit outside of my technology knowledge allowances

I may be able to convert tomorrow if you struggle. Would also be interested in a fit file in any case, so if you don’t mind I’ll pop my email in a DM!

Thanks very much in advance…

a 25 mile gap between Amberley and Truleigh

More like about 10-15 miles between Amberley and Truleigh. For anyone interested, there’s also another cafe that has recently opened up on the SDW just before the Truleigh YH.

https://cadencecycle.club/truleigh-hill

@donslow, @gray, @poopscoop faffing about this morning rather than getting work done, and have added the SDW list from the National Trails website to my MemoryMap and also added to google here:

On google they are numbered in order if you are travelling W to E
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1_Vb1XIlgkARr1__gJlGcneunAa2jlAzP&usp=sharing

and a link to a folder with the GPX tap locations:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoccEIKi1FCoiu8bYkNWEEbBtxUuBg?e=Vi0p4S

This list has 13 taps, so a couple more than @sl2000 toptube list – some are closely spaced so some redundancy.

@muggomagic had seen Cadence had a kiosk over Friston way, so good to see one over this way as well. Might have to pop in over the weekend

Good news, as me and a few buddies are doing it on the 22nd.

Cheers for the info

@v7fmp might see you there, doing it myself on the same day

I found this useful last time I did SDW as it has pictures of the taps – not all are obvious / tucked away so good to check beforehand!

Good news, as me and a few buddies are doing it on the 22nd.

I would be prepared to reschedule that. Its meant to rain here (close to ditchling, 500 yards off the sdw) every day till the 21st, if that bares out the SDW will be a bit of a nightmare

Thanks @susepic! I’ve tried converting donslow’s .fit file but I can’t get it to spit out the tap locations, just the actual route. Sorry!

I would be prepared to reschedule that. Its meant to rain here (close to ditchling, 500 yards off the sdw) every day till the 21st, if that bares out the SDW will be a bit of a nightmare

Yeah if you can push it back a few days or a week then great but if you are set on that date then IME this time of year it generally depends on how much rain we get as everything dries out so quickly. If it’s just daily showers up to then, then I don’t think it’ll be too bad as long as it’s dry on the day. Will just need to keep your eye out for any green chalk in the shaded areas.

Will just need to keep your eye out for any green chalk in the shaded areas

Yep – (stupidly) tried going up Westmeston Bostal on Sunday after some rain on Saturday. It was impossible to get any traction on the chalk. Mostly the tracks on the beacon ridge were in good nick with occassional puddles but no mud, but that greasy chalk is exciting.
I’ll be out over the weekend and during next week in the sunny intervals, and can feedback on the conditions on this bit of the route (Clayton to Blackcap at least, maybe further)

I’ll be out over the weekend and during next week in the sunny intervals, and can feedback on the conditions on this bit of the route (Clayton to Blackcap at least, maybe further)

I’ll be happy to do the same on the Washington to Devil’s Dyke stretch, but unless we get some biblical rain over the next week I don’t think you’ll have much to worry about along that stretch.

cheers for the top tips guys!

I will share the thoughts with the group. Although i suspect they will say ‘it will be fine’.

I live near worthing, so if it is that bad, i will bail around the half way point 😀

I live near worthing, so if it is that bad, i will bail around the half way point 😀

Living in Shoreham I’ve never made it past Devil’s dyke on my few SDW in a day attempts because it is just so tempting to call it a day after 60 miles and head home via the pub 😀
One day I’ll do the whole thing maybe.

There’s another tap on the sdw. Near Exton at a farm, past the pub called the Millburys

Not many people know about the tap in Alfriston Church Grounds (left of the church door – ignore non-functioning water fountain water device on church perimeter wall) which is just off the SDW near the footbridge across the River Cuckmere. Alfriston is about 30 mins or 5 hilly KM ride before Jevington going west to east.

Thanks @dirkdestijl, not many people know that! do you have a grid ref and I can add it to my Google maps isting
Cheers

@singletrackmind thanks, do you have a grid ref and I can add it to the Google maps list. Cheers

^^Didn’t know about either of those taps just posted above.

@singletrackmind

There’s another tap on the sdw. Near Exton at a farm, past the pub called the Millburys

Is the farm before or after the pub if going west to east mate?

This threads for me looking at my pics of the last few years of my SDW failed attempts and successes. What an absolutely beautiful landscape it is. It always inspired me during the dark winter months. Wish I lived there.

Getting my juices flowing for the double attempt I hope to make this year…though NOT in under 24 hours, so not an “official” double. Hell, it took me 17 hours just to ride one direction last year!

Its at Lomer Farm , Past the Milburys Pub . Before the 100 mtr of tarmac where you do 90′ left through a gate and dive down through some woods.
Ive never used it mind , always been topped up as its not that far from winch

Also , the tap on the back of the cafe at QECP , it might be me but its tasted musty the last few times ive topped up bottles there. The standpipe they had before in the feild was lovely so i wonder if theyve changed the feed during the rebuild to harvested rainwater or some other oddball supply

a 25 mile gap between Amberley and Truleigh should be easily managed with some planning.

That’s kms

https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/50.806748794039294,0.15834532004282664,12/pin

The tap is mainly used for watering plants flowers etc in the graveyard so recommend that you run it a bit before use as I’m not sure how often the water is run thru, I have used it quite a few times and the water seems fine.

There are a couple of taps not on the above lists at the Winchester end (which can be useful if doing the double…)

They’re right on the SDW so no detours necessary.

Meon Springs
Grid Ref: SU 65567 21593 – 50°59’24.4″N 1°04’01.1″W

Lomer Farm (as mentioned by singletrackmind)
Grid Ref: SU 59115 23721 – 51°00’35.6″N 1°09’31.6″W

Thanks for the extra info folks, I’ll update that google maps list a bit later this afternoon

More great info coming in, cheers for all the info guys, ditto for the Google update susepic.👍

Usually id not be interested in the taps towards Winchester but if I manage to get that far on the double I’ll definitely need them… as well as new legs and lungs.

The Meon Springs fishing lodge also sells beer should water not be sufficient…

@specialisthoprocker – even for those of us used to lockdown drinking that might be a bit too close to the start. But just in case – is it open at 6 in the AM for those setting off early?

Hi folks,

Updated Googlemaps with additional locations from @singletrackmind @richP @dirkdestijl

On google they are numbered in order if you are travelling W to E
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1_Vb1XIlgkARr1__gJlGcneunAa2jlAzP&usp=sharing

and a link to a folder with the GPX tap locations:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AoccEIKi1FCoiu8bYkNWEEbBtxUuBg?e=Vi0p4S

Great stuff, cheers!👍

@v7fmp you might want to checkthis thread too

Calling anyone who lives on/near South Downs Way