Although paths and tracks on the Downs are usually excellently maintained and comprehensively waymarked, it’s still quite possible to get lost. Signposts are occasionally removed or damaged; routes can be changed temporarily or permanently for a variety of reasons and it’s also quite easy at times to go whizzing past a path junction on your bike, oblivious to any waymarkers. There are also a few places where waymarkers are not obvious or clear; where this has been the case, or where there is a good chance of going astray for other reasons, it is noted in the route descriptions below.
The other situation where it’s easy to get lost is when you are riding through managed woodland. Forestry plantations are often criss-crossed with tracks that are liable to be changed and therefore don’t always correspond with the map. It can be quite easy to lose your bearings when all you can see are trees. Hence, as well as a carrying a map, a compass is extremely useful: it can save you going miles off course.
Maps
Ordnance Survey provides map coverage of the South Downs in 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales (see www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure).
The most up-to-date 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey mapping is used for the routes in this guidebook. At the time of going to press, the information on the maps included in this guide was accurate. A note of caution: the status of some rights of way may be changed over time. Most often – but not always – cyclists have been granted greater access rights with footpaths and other rights of way being ‘upgraded’ to permissive bridleways. Older copies of maps may contain information that is at odds with what is included here.
OS 1:25,000 EXPLORER SERIES
132 Winchester, New Alresford & East Meon – Routes 1 and 4–6
120 Chichester & the Downs, South Harting & Selsey – Routes 1, 2 and 7–11
121 Arundel & Pulborough, Worthing & Bognor Regis – Routes 2, 6 and 12–16
122 Brighton & Hove, Lewes & Burgess Hill – Routes 2, 3 and 16–22
123 Eastbourne & Beachy Head, Newhaven, Seaford, Hailsham & Heathfield – Routes 3, 21 and 23–26
133 Haslemere & Petersfield, Midhurst & Selbourne and 119 Meon Valley, Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham – no specific route but cover surrounding areas
Harvey Maps publish a lightweight, waterproof 1:40,000 single sheet map showing the whole of the SDW (see www.harveymaps.co.uk).
Digital Ordnance Survey mapping of the region is available from www.memory-map.co.uk and www.anquet.co.uk.
OS 1:50,000 LANDRANGER SERIES
185 Winchester & Basingstoke – Routes 1 and 4–6
197 Chichester & The South Downs – Routes 1, 2 and 7–16
198 Brighton & Lewes – Routes 2, 3 and 17–22
199 Eastbourne & Hastings – Routes 3, 21 and 23–26
How to use this guide
Each of the three day stages of the SDW and the 23 other routes included in this guide are graded according to the degree of physical effort they require. The grades are:
The grades reflect the length of the route, the number and severity of climbs and the nature of the terrain traversed. There is very little ‘technical’ mountain biking on the South Downs, hence there is no ‘difficult’ grade. The ‘hard’ and ‘very hard’ classifications in this guide focus on how strenuous the routes are. There are no ‘easy’ routes included here and, therefore, there is no ‘easy’ grade.
Distances are given in kilometres and metres throughout the route descriptions. The total distance given at the beginning of each route is given in kilometres with the equivalent in miles given in brackets. All distances given in metres are linear distances and not height gain unless specifically stated. ‘Climb for 200m along the bridleway’ means the climb is over a distance of 200m, as opposed to: ‘…ascend 200m as you climb along the bridleway for 500m’.
The total route distances are also broken down into off-road and on-road distances, with the off-road total given as a percentage. These off-road/on-road distances are as accurate as possible, allowing for a few grey areas where there is some uncertainty as to whether a particular section of a route really qualifies as a ‘road’ or not!
The route descriptions are detailed and map references are given where opportunities for uncertainty with route-finding occur. Once you have ridden the routes a couple of times they will become more familiar and you can spend less time with your nose in this book! Like following recipes from a cookery book, interpreting these routes in your own way and indulging in a spot of improvisation will adapt them to your own taste.
Although the routes in this guide incorporate the most up-to-date Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 mapping available at the time of publication, it is recommended that you also carry the relevant OS map sheets. You may also wish to carry a GPS as a further guide to navigation. Should you get lost or want to find railway stations, pubs, car parks or villages that are off the route, they will allow you to see the wider context.
THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY NATIONAL TRAIL
West to East – Winchester to Eastbourne
Climbing Bourne Hill (Day 3; photo: Andy Dodd)
The South Downs Way
| Start | Winchester |
| Finish | Eastbourne |
| Distance | 160km (100miles) |
The 160km (100-mile) SDW route is set out below in three day stages between 46.5km and 61km in length. These stages are intended as a guide that is very much open to adaptation – subject to your preferred way of tackling the route. You might want to take more or less time to complete the route; you might want to do it all in one go over the course of one, two, three or more days or you might prefer to complete stages at different times.
The length of stages you ride is contingent on several factors: your fitness; available time; the time of year, weather and ground conditions; transport links and where you choose to stay (see Appendix A for camping and accommodation). If attempting to complete the route in two days, Amberley is roughly halfway, has good train links, pubs and a campsite at nearby Houghton Farm. You will, however, have the tougher of the two days to come if riding west to east (there is no law against riding east to west, but you will be against the prevailing winds). Riding as far as Truleigh Hill YHA (101.5km) gets you well on the way, with a tough 56.5km to Eastbourne to tackle the following day. A four-day itinerary might be approximately: day 1: Winchester to Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP) (next to the A3); day 2: QECP to Amberley; day 3: Amberley to Housedean Farm (on the A27 between Brighton and Lewes); day 4: Housedean Farm to Eastbourne.
There are plenty of pubs, quite a few cafés (listed at the beginning of route descriptions) and sufficient water points (see Appendix B) along or near the SDW. However, make sure you have plenty of water and high-energy snacks with you. Make sure also that you have adequate clothing, tools (including spare inner tubes, a pump and puncture repair kit), maps (or GPS) and a first aid kit. A mobile phone is invaluable in an emergency (see the equipment section above).