London to Newhaven for a newbie, please.

[Lara]

Hi all, I am new to touring but want to try to push myself a little.

I'm looking for a route from London to Newhaven that doesn't involve the dreaded Beacon

I know you keen cycle clubbers love it but it really would be too much for me.

I'd love to know of a quiet traffic/ direct/ flat route!!!

I'm thinking of camping at the other end and making a weekend of it, so will be carrying a bit of extra weight - besides my own.

Not asking too much am I

This is leading to a London to Paris ride but I want to be confident in completing the first stretch Ok before I move on to bigger things - and hills.

 

[andym]

I'd love to know of a quiet traffic/ direct/ flat route!!!

I think it's one of those problems where you can have any two but not all three.

Between London and Newhaven you have the North and the South Downs. There are gaps in these, but these are obvious routes for roads which are likely to be busy. (I am assuming the A26 into Newhaven will be busy but someone may correct me).

A couple of options to consider for the last leg: the Cuckoo Trail then the Pevensey Levels and follow the coast via Seaford; or the Downs Link and then on to Shoreham and follow the coast. I wouldn't recommend the downs Link if you have really thin (less than 25mm tyres) or if it has been raining a lot.

For researching routes, the National Cycle Network is a valuable resource. You could try the Sustrans website, or look at the Ordnance Survey maps on www.multimap.com. The 'terrain' option on Google Maps is also useful as an overview.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Get yourself as far south as Lewes without crossing the (South) Downs then head south via Kingston, Rodmell and Piddinghoe parallel to the A26 but on other side of the river. Or 'go long' get into Brighton by using the NCN20 route that, broadly speaking, follows/shadows the A23 without ever actually being on the carriageway so it is safe. It runs alongside the A23 to cross the downs, so is a bit noisy and unpleasant due to traffic passing by, but it does the job. When you reach the sea, turn left.

 

[Lara]

Hi Guys, thanks for the replies.

It looks like Meatloaf was right and that 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Going along the Cuckoo trail sounds delightful but getting to it is confusing me - any advice please? It seems a lot further than via Brighton but pressumably flatter?

I have been looking at the L2B routes as there seems to be plenty of info. on them.

Is there any deviation to the usual route that bypasses Ditching and the Beacon - or am i stuck with it if I go that way?

Also is the coast road from Brighton to Newhaven rideable or very busy?

 

[JackE]

We turned sharp left at the foot of Ditchling Beacon and had a lovely ride all the way into Lewes. The A27/26 out of Lewes is a total nightmare, the Rodmell route is much better.
We followed NCR Route 21 from Greenwich to New Addington and then made our own way to join up with the London to Brighton route at Crawley Down. 21 does a huge detour after Addington (even going through Gatwick Airport!!)

 

[rich p]

The coast road between Brighton and Newhaven now can be ridden largely on cycle paths. From Brighton (Palace) Pier travel east on Madeira Drive and at the marina use the Undercliff path. At Saltdean you come up a steep little nip onto the roadside, cliff top cycle path which peters out in Peacehaven. Either do the last couple of miles on the road (it's okay) or follow the NCR signed route.

What is the route that bypasses the Beacon?

There are 4 ways into Brighton other than the coast.
1.From Lewes - cycle path but Greg's route to Newhaven is better and shorter
2. The Beacon - a biggish climb of 1 mile but the nicest route in.
3.The A23 - cycle path but noisy
4.The Devils Dyke road from Poynings - less busy than the A23 but lumpy.

 

[Lara]

Many thanks all, still undecided and fearing it may be the Beacon. GULP!

I'm not sure if I will make it up there fully loaded but if it is "only" a mile then I guess it's only half an hour hike or so to the top.

Thanks for all the advice, should be fun.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

We turned sharp left at the foot of Ditchling Beacon and had a lovely ride all the way into Lewes. The A27/26 out of Lewes is a total nightmare, the Rodmell route is much better.

Underhill Lane and the B2116. One of my favourite lanes in England. That would be my choice of route I guess, unless I had a good reason to go via Brighton; down to Ditchling, turn left, onto Underhill Lane, join the B2116, turn right at the end for the quick drag down the A275 into Lewes, B2193 to bottom of Southover High St in Lewes then Kingston Lane crossing the A27 on the flyover and south to Newhaven via Rodmell.

 

[JackE]

Having "done" the Beacon on my only London to Brighton, I wouldn't recommend it (loaded or unloaded). Greg is right about Underhill Lane, it gives you a stunning view of the Downs.

 

[Ergle]

The Beacon is quite a climb, but you can always get off and push! The views from the top are stunning - and there is a glorious (mostly) downhill run into Brighton.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I think the Beacon's enjoyability, and that of the Ditchling Road into Brighton, is very much determined by the time and day you use it. Peak hours on a weekday can be a miserable experience, too many cars, going too fast, in both directions, and not expecting to encounter slow moving cyclists coming up and in way to much of a hurry to get past the faster cyclists going down.

But on a clear spring Saturday morning around 08:00? Glorious.

 

[TheDoctor]

On a clear Saturday morning at about 6 am? When you've run out of water, your legs are empty and every atom of you longs to be in bed?
It was great once I'd got to the top. The climb up seemed to last about a gazillion years (about 15 mins in reality)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Ah Doctor, sounds like you've been FNRttC-ed! highly addictive stuff you know.