Linked, the Downs Link

Some thoughts on former railways and one in particular.

A way marker on the Downs Link

Say what you will about the Victorians, but they built a shed-load of railways.
Some were very useful and remain, some were less useful and are now heritage railways. Many of the rest are now cycle ways.
We should certainly be grateful that the old guys in top hats were so greedy and set on building tracks throughout the countryside because the result is that we now have some excellent routes linking towns and villages, often enabling people to safely commute to work or school.
As someone who likes to cycle longer distances I do have a love/hate relationship with the old railway lines I often ride along. They can be a bit, well, boring. The sides of the former lines are often banks covered in trees, so you only get occasional views; the railways tended to pass the edges of settlements, so you don't often coast through a lovely village; the routes are mainly level so you don't get much opportunity to vary your pace or effort; the surfaces tend to be similar - a little rough so you don't always get the smooth, fast ride that would be nice.
But, but..the reason for this chain of thought is that I have just returned to the Downs Link, a cycleway/former railway line that I have ridden many times since it was opened in the mid eighties. There have been times I have hated it, the effort of slowly slogging up a railway gradient, the banks and trees that can sometimes make you forget where you have got - all the things I have listed above apply to the Downs Link, and some more. I don't need to use it, it isn't on the way to anywhere I need to get to, but yet I keep coming back.
The map I use is an old leaflet from decades ago that I covered in sticky-back plastic to preserve it, and when I see it and the route as it is now I get a little nostalgic, I see other cyclist pass me by and think 'you don't know'. for a long flat route through some trees a lot has changed. Of course you don't really need a map on a route like this, you won't get lost, but keeping track of how far you've come is always good when all you have seen for a few miles is trees.
It does pass near to some villages, so leaving the route to get supplies is an advantage at Cranleigh, Rudgwick and Henfield. As well as this old railway architecture; platforms, bridges and bits of track side ironware.
At Christ's Hospital the route has changed in very welcome way, it did come out on  a corner of a fast road and require a slog up a couple of roads with cars whizzing by. But in the last year it has been extended all the way to Christ's Hospital station, where it passes under the railway line before joining quieter roads the short distance before joining the old route.
At Southwater the changes are massive, what used to be a track across a field now passes through a housing estate, further along a crossing is used to navigate a busy road that didn't exist a few years ago.
The biggest and most welcome change is the improvement to the surface of the route, places that were muddy, or covered in very uneven stone are now smoother and easier to ride on.
The path used to link the North Downs Way and the South Downs Way, hence its name, and its southern end was a few miles short of Shoreham, but a few years ago it was extended along the river Adur to Shoreham and this track has been improved as well make the Link possible from station to station.

Starting at Shalford means most of the route can be station to station

In the end, for all the moans I have about them, former railways provide good long route. They require little planning, are easy to follow and so allow you to concentrate on cycling, for families and beginners they make a safe place to get on two wheels.
So they aren't perfect, but they are there, and for having a good day out they are often the best option.

By the Seaside, By the Sea

Off the Rails

List: The best stations to start or finish your ride in Sussex

Sometimes you don't want to go cycling near your home. Sometimes you don't want to have to take your bike in the back of your car. Sometimes you want a more eco-friendly way of moving your bike. So trains!
Here is a selection of the best stations for cyclists in Sussex. Picked mainly because they are the ones I have found most useful, there are other stations better suited for dropping off in the middle of nowhere, but far fewer trains stop at these so a visit has to be more carefully planned, which is why I have left them off this list.

Chichester: City and Beyond
Although Chichester is a fairly large city it is still possible to leave the station and be cycling through the countryside minutes later. South heading routes can take you to Bognor, and then eastwards along the coast, or you an head down on a circuit of the remote coastal plains around Selsey and West Wittering. Alternatively route 2 heads westwards out of town to Portsmouth and beyond. Then again head north is the Centurion Way which follows an old rail track 6 miles to West Dean in the middle of downland, where you can plan your own route onwards, or head back to the city. Of course Chichester is a lovely place well worth spending some time in before passing through.


Visit Chichester website >here<
Information about the Centurion Way from Sustrans >here<


Three Bridges: Fast Escape from London
Three bridges sits on a focal point for national trails heading from London to Brighton, or from three bridges on to Groombridge on national route 21. The area around the station isn't the prettiest place you'll visit, but as a starting point into some beautiful Sussex countryside. By linking here route 21 and route 20 Three bridges can be used as the start and finish point of a long weekend cycle around Sussex.

Information about the Worth Way >here<
Information about the Forest Way >here<

Polegate: Go a Little Cuckoo in the Country
This little two platform station is a great drop off point just north of Eastbourne. The Cuckoo Trail starts here, which is a satisfying ten mile route up to Heathfield. Once you're heading along the Cuckoo Trail the options to branch off are superb. Head east and the Pevensey Levels offer great quiet and level roads just the thing if you fancy a high-gear blast through some tiny hamlets. To the west are the roads and villages around the Arlington reservoir.

Information about the Cuckoo Trail >here<

Christ's Hospital: Posh School, Country Roads
Situated almost in the middle of nowhere Christ's Hospital station exists mainly to serve the school of the same name. Just beyond Horsham on the London to Littlehampton line, its a good midway station for anyone wanting to split the Downs Link path, rather than making the whole ride from Shoreham to Guildford. The countryside around Christ's Hospital is good too, heading west along country lanes will take you to Billingshurst and Petworth.

Information on the Downs Link >here<


Hassocks: Down South, South Downs
Hassocks is a handy drop off point for access to the South Downs, which are a couple of miles to the south. It is the quickest and easiest way to get access to downland if you are leaving from London stations. Country lanes also run from here out to the quaint little village of Ditchling, in one direction and Hurstpierpoint in the other, both are very photogenic. As well as being  a good station for mountain bikers getting onto the downs for those of us who prefer tarmac  Underhill Lane at the foot of the downs is a lovely ride. There are also good cafes and shops near the station, making it a ideal end of day stop.

Hassocks visitor information >here<


Lewes: A Town to Try
Another large station, Lewes has good connections to London via Victoria or by changing at Haywards Heath or Brighton. It's also a changing place to get to Newhaven and for services to or from the east coast of Sussex. From Lewes mountain bikers can get easily onto the South Downs, or all cyclists can cycle into the countryside through towns and villages like Ringmer and Glynde. Route 90 heads out of the town Eastwards,  running on a track parallel with the busy A27 in places. Sometimes its a little noisy and unpleasant but will get you on your way, though my advice is get off it as soon as possible. If you cycle in East Sussex much you will probably find yourself using Lewes station a lot one way or another. The town is good for a finish point with a good choice of pubs and eating places including a popular cafe on the station itself.

Visit Lewes >here<
Runaway Cafe >here<


Littlehampton: By the Seaside, by the Sea
As seaside as the Sussex coast gets, Littlehampton is the place to start if you want a leisurely ride along proms and seaside roads. It's even better if you want a ride that involves a stop for chips on the way. Its not ideal if you want to test out your new racing bike because if the weather is any good there will be families sharing the cycle paths with you. but start before lunch and you could cycle as far as Brighton or Newhaven with little effort, though at the posh private estate of West Kingston you need to turn inland for a bit before dropping back into Ferring to continue your journey through Worthing.

Visit Littlehampton >here<


Hastings: History and Chips
The opposite side of Sussex to Littlehampton Hastings is another classic seaside town, with rides, arcades and more mini-golf courses than anywhere else. But it also has an age old fishing trade, a fantastic old town of half timbered buildings, and a castle. If you're feeling energetic a ride to the east takes you up the east cliff and onwards toward Rye, a fantastic coastal ride. An easier ride is westward along route 2 onto Eastbourne via Bexhill and Pevensey. If you don't mind sharing the road with a bit of noisy traffic heading north out of town you can visit Battle. Battle is, of course where Hastings' most famous event actually happened.

Visit Hastings >here<


For more information on specific services the National Rail website is good, you can also check if there are any limitations on cycles on a particular train. >here<

Gear Crunched in the Balcombe Triangle

Route: 10 miles

Some things don't go as planned, some cycle rides involve a lot more walking than they should. This was one of them.
The Balcombe Triangle is a route I used to ride a lot, it is a simple three point circuit, creating an outing of about 10 miles. Haywards Heath to Cuckfield creates one side of the triangle, then Cuckfield to Balcombe, finally taking the Borde Hill road  back to Haywards Heath.
Passing through a lot of countryside, taking in a couple of really nice villages and passing one of central sussex' most impressive landmarks make this journey worth the time and effort, for added buzz two long stretches of downhill travel allow the cyclist to go as fast as they want. The nasty surprise on this occasion came on the uphill sections.

It was May and days are hot from daybreak so I decided to leave early, setting off just after 7am, sure of being back by 8.30 at the latest, or so I believed. Even at that time the roads were busier than in the previous weeks of the lockdown, so the early start didn't ensure a peaceful ride There are a couple of roundabouts on the way to Cuckfield, they needed a bit of extra care as cars and lorries rumbled by.

But even though I was having to share the road with more motorised vehicles than I had hoped I wasn't perturbed. I knew that once I was through Cuckfield the road would be wide, and slope in a way that allows a smooth, fast ride until it reaches the Ouse Valley.

It was just as much fun as I remembered it, I pulled out of Whitemans Green, clicked my way up through the gears, until I was speeding along at 25mph through Brook Street. An occasional car roared by and the wind blew through the vents in my helmet. The little hamlet whizzed by, the road got a little steeper and the handlebars rattled in my hands. finally the bottom of the slope lay ahead, a little road, Cherry Lane, splits of to the left here and the main road starts to climb back out of the Ouse Valley. In order to  get back out of the valley with the least effort I put on an extra spurt of speed, hit the dip and began to climb out the other side. As the road began to climb I clicked the gear controls down, ready to feel the bike slow and the effort hit in. Hit in it really did, suddenly my push on the pedals produced little result, the easy speed of the downhill vanished and an almost impossible effort took its place. I pulled over as a lorry growled by. Looking down at the rear wheel I could see I was still in top gear, yet the gear changer on the handlebar showed five. The thin cable that runs to the derailleur was limp,whereas it should have been taut. In frustration, a little anger and also puzzlement I realised I would have to push to the top of the hill, there was not enough space at the side of the road to attempt a repair where I was and it was safer to keep moving.

My hope was that I could at least move the gear to a middle setting, once I could pull over and find a place to work on the bike. Unfortunately the verges were all thick with long grass making them useless for the purpose of roadside mechanics, so I spent the next couple of miles pushing the bike slowly uphill and then speeding on any downhill stretches. It was a hassle and I looked forward to ending it.

But it didn't end. I was able to take advantage of the flat tarmac of Balcombe station car park. I soon established that the derailleur was fine. Its good news, except that usually gear change problems are down to the derailleur, so my problem was not going to be simple to solve. The wire that linked the derailleur to the shifter was slack, I followed it back to the handlebar, but it wasn't caught and was unbroken. Then I turned my attention to the shifter itself, and the problem became immediately apparent, the little lever that is used to change the gear down had a distinct wobble to it, instead of moving crisply side to side it was flopping up and down. It was, in short, knackered. 

I would have to make my journey home in the same way I had done the last couple of miles, walking the bike up the hills and making the most of the chance to go fast on the downhill bits.

So I walked the bike through the centre of Balcombe village, where everything was closed due to lockdown, though it was too early for things to be open in normal times. The little tea room, which is a favourite of my parents, had the usual covid-19 signs in the window, there is a nice pub too, the Half Moon, and a well stocked village store. At a normal time of day, in  a less catastrophic era, Balcombe has a lot to make an attractive stop for cyclists.

From Balcombe the road back to Haywards Heath is a long downward sloping ride for a few miles into a different part of the Ouse valley, passing the fantastic viaduct which carries the London to Brighton railway. You've probably travelled over it, you've probably seen photos of it, but cycling by it is the best way to see the viaduct. Then the uphill kicks back in, and the remaining mileage home is up and down, push and ride. But finally and hour later than I had planned I got back.

Even with the difficult mix of walking and cycling and even with the irritation of having drivers buzz by as I tried to push the bike uphill, it was a good trip. And the gear shifter that bust? Once I had opened it up a little twist of a bolt was all it took to get it working again, a far simpler solution than I have experienced in a shifter ever before.

You and me will do the Balcombe triangle again sometime, and nothing will go wrong, and it will be simple worthwhile pleasure , I promise.

Balcombe website >here<

Half Moon Pub >here<

Ouse Valley Viaduct at Transport Trust >here<

START: Haywards Heath, head west - South Road, Muster Green, Tylers Green; Cuckfield - Broad Street, (right turn) London Lane (B2184), head north (right turn) - London Road (B2036), carry on at Whitemans Green roundabout for a couple of miles, sticking to the main road until you reach Balcombe, Bramble Hill, head north-east (right turn), Haywards Heath Road, head south-east (right turn); Haywards Heath, Penland Road, west (right turn), Turners Mill Road, east (left turn), Harlands Road, east (left turn), past station, commercial square roundabout, north (right turn) - Perrymount Road (2028), East (left) - South Road: FINISH

Cycling in the Age of Lockdown

There is a lot I am missing about cycling in these drastic Covid-19 days.

I really want to go for a cycle along the seaside promenades of Sussex on a sunny April day; I wish I could load up my panniers with my camping gear and spend a long weekend cycling between campsites; most of all I miss being able to get on a train and start a cycle ride somewhere new and still be home for tea.

But we have to make the most of things as they are. The rules say we can leave the house once a day for exercise and that ideally that exercise should start from our own front doors. Its not the worst time to be a cyclist, we can do a good 10 mile cycle ride and stay in the spirit of the current rules.

I have started cycling a regular route from my house - a 10 mile circuit of local villages. Usually I prefer to vary my rides more, but this is the nicest one in my neighbourhood, and doing it regularly allows me to monitor my fitness and try to improve my speed.

Leaving my house I head through the middle of Haywards Heath. The town is not the obvious choice for the cyclist looking for somewhere attractive to ride, its buildings were mostly built from the Victorian era onwards, with bursts of development in the later decades of the 20th century resulting quite a lot of unappealing modern architecture. But when you cannot get away you do learn to appreciate what's around you, and the few older buildings and interesting places in the town shine all the brighter for their dull setting.

Heading west out of town I cycle by Beech Hurst, one of the town's three main parks, it was the formal garden of a large house and given to the council in 1950. The best thing about it is the miniature railway, which was one of the joys of my childhood. 

I carry along the old A272, which would be busy in normal times but hardly has a car on it on these virus-age mornings. At Cuckfield I pass Warden Park School, where I studied for my 'O' Levels. Richard Osman off of Pointless studied there too, a couple of years below me. Which accounts for my greater success.

Then right up the top end of the High Street and right again I cycle by another major landmark in my life. I  was born at Cuckfield Hospital in 1967. It isn't a hospital anymore, now it is luxury flats which is an irony as when it was first built its role was as the local workhouse.

Next I turn off the road on to the long track and driveway that passes through the grounds of the Borde Hill estate.

The next few miles are the real reason why I find this ride the most enjoyable one in the area. I can scoot along the track at 20mph of easy riding by a gate house, then the main building and gardens, and exit by the main gate house and onto the road. Then more miles of fast riding along a country lane to the edge of Lindfield. It flies by, and is beautiful and exhilarating and delivers a real buzz. And for those brief miles its a reminder of rides before Corona virus, with green fields and cattle either side.

After the burst of countryside I loop through suburban houses then cycle down Lindfield High Street. 

Lindfield is often described as one of the prettiest villages in Sussex. Normally its beauty is slightly marred by traffic, and even now parked cars take the edge of its olde charm, but if ever there was a time to cycle through it this is that time. The pond at the southern end of the high street shines in the sun and the ducks splash across it. I turn off the high street by the village green.

A cut across backroads brings me out by Haywards Heath station and then wheeze and puff my way up the slope to the middle of town, back where I began.

There is a lot that's good about cycling at the moment, low traffic on the roads roads makes it safer, faster and more enjoyable to get on a bike. But these are nothing compared to the high cost of the virus, the loss of loved ones and, for too many, pain and uncertainty. Stay fit, get out but also be glad when its all over.

The Route:

If you fancy a crack at this short route, once the rules allow here are the details:

Maps: Ordnance Survey  Landranger 198 1:50,000 scale

or    : Ordnance Survey Explorer 135       1:25,000 scale

START: Haywards Heath, head west - South Road, Muster Green, Tylers Green; Cuckfield - Broad Street, (right turn) London Lane (B2184), head north (right turn) - London Road (B2036), head east (right turn) - Ardingly Road, head North (left turn) - bridleway at sign 'Borde Hill Estate, Lullings Farm, Stone Lodge, Orchard Cottages', Turn north (left) at exit into road then west (right) - Copyhold Lane, turn south (right) on High Beech Lane; Lindfield, turn east (left) - By Sunte, north-east (left) - Hickmans Lane, south (right) - Lindfield High Street (B2028), south (left) Backwoods Lane, south-west (left) - West Common, roundabout 3rd exit, west (right) - Queens Road, south (left) - Church Avenue, west (right) - Sydney Road, Roundabout 1st exit north (left) - Perrymount Road (2028), East (left) - South Road: FINISH

Links:

Beech Hurst: more about the park here. https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/leisure-sport/parks/beech-hurst/ and about its miniature railway here. https://www.beechhurst-railway.org.uk/

Cuckfield: The village website is here. http://www.cuckfield.org/home.php

Borde Hill: More about Borde Hill and its gardens here: https://www.bordehill.co.uk/

Lindfield:The parish council has lots of information about the village on its website: http://www.lindfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk/default.aspx