26 July - Holmbury St Mary
After a short train journey I arrive at London St Pancras station where, on the basis that he is not going anywhere for a while Sir John Betjamin looks after my bike.
The other interesting (and controversial) bronze sculpture at St Pancras is 'The Meeting Place' by Paul Day. It is nine metres high and represents an English boy meeting a French girl. The size has upset several people, but I like it! Around the plinth are several small images depicting scenes of a railway and travel theme. One shows a lady with a dog. In towns and cities around the world it is often considered lucky to rub the foot, hand or other body part of a particular statue - the dog already has a bright nose - is it acquiring a mythical air? As I come out of the station and prepare to ride down the cobbled cab road I am approached by four young Koreans, they are videoing and interviewing travellers who enter and leave the station. I have my 15 minutes of fame, being asked questions about my journey, why I enjoy cycling, the safety of UK roads and many other topics. For my reward I am given a Korean lucky charm - I hope it works. All part of the unexpected experience of travel.
I leave the station to ride through central London, over Waterloo Bridge and look out for signs to take me to Clapham Common, I find one for the 'London Cycle Network, Route 3'. I am unaware that London has such a network, but what a great route it proves to be, passing parks, industrial units under railway arches, through streets of houses from two-storey terraced to five-storey villa's, untended to neatly kept front gardens, in need of repair to fully restored, the whole spectrum is here. I pass the Oval cricket ground, through the grounds of a private block of flats and arrive at Clapham Common. What a relaxing start to the ride this is, an alternative site-seeing tour of London, unknown to other visitors - London traffic, what London traffic? It is almost car-free. From here to Leatherhead I plan to use the main A24 road, something I am not looking forward to. On this road I find myself on the controversial 'Cycle Superhighway' Route 7. This is designed to take travellers from A-to-B as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it is not always a segregated lane and as it passes bus stops or other narrow pinch-points it is marked with only a number on the road. It also passes through parking bays so in practice vanishes under parked cars. Perhaps 'Designer CS' should talk to 'Designer LCN' for a few ideas. Still the Lard Mayor Boris Mop-head likes it and apparently sees no problems. It's not a bad ride all-in-all but as I pass through Leatherhead the North Downs start to kick-in and the hills begin. Not steep hills (yet) but long, leg tiring drags. Passing through Fetcham I turn through Effingham and join a single-track road towards Holmbury. Although it is a narrow road through woodland it is the land of enthusiastically driven 'Chelsea Tractors' narrow roads and lots of dead rabbits. Considering a lot of the road has two metre high earth banks on either side tyre tracks often go half-way up the banks.
Holmbury St Mary hostel is a wonderful period-piece. Opened in 1935 it was the YHA's first purpose-built hostel. I read a facsimile of a newspaper report from the opening that says '. . . built with a flat roof to facilitate sun bathing, a swimming pool may be added at a future date'. It is not clear if this will be on the roof or in the grounds but either way it has not yet materialized. Apart from changing the original steel window frames for plastic double glazed units the building retains many features from the original opening, including a hand-painted frieze around the dinning room walls showing a sketch of the building, the architect, the client, the builder and his apprentice, plus local scenes from the period through to the first hostelers arriving. A wonderful piece of work.
I leave the station to ride through central London, over Waterloo Bridge and look out for signs to take me to Clapham Common, I find one for the 'London Cycle Network, Route 3'. I am unaware that London has such a network, but what a great route it proves to be, passing parks, industrial units under railway arches, through streets of houses from two-storey terraced to five-storey villa's, untended to neatly kept front gardens, in need of repair to fully restored, the whole spectrum is here. I pass the Oval cricket ground, through the grounds of a private block of flats and arrive at Clapham Common. What a relaxing start to the ride this is, an alternative site-seeing tour of London, unknown to other visitors - London traffic, what London traffic? It is almost car-free. From here to Leatherhead I plan to use the main A24 road, something I am not looking forward to. On this road I find myself on the controversial 'Cycle Superhighway' Route 7. This is designed to take travellers from A-to-B as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it is not always a segregated lane and as it passes bus stops or other narrow pinch-points it is marked with only a number on the road. It also passes through parking bays so in practice vanishes under parked cars. Perhaps 'Designer CS' should talk to 'Designer LCN' for a few ideas. Still the Lard Mayor Boris Mop-head likes it and apparently sees no problems. It's not a bad ride all-in-all but as I pass through Leatherhead the North Downs start to kick-in and the hills begin. Not steep hills (yet) but long, leg tiring drags. Passing through Fetcham I turn through Effingham and join a single-track road towards Holmbury. Although it is a narrow road through woodland it is the land of enthusiastically driven 'Chelsea Tractors' narrow roads and lots of dead rabbits. Considering a lot of the road has two metre high earth banks on either side tyre tracks often go half-way up the banks.
Holmbury St Mary hostel is a wonderful period-piece. Opened in 1935 it was the YHA's first purpose-built hostel. I read a facsimile of a newspaper report from the opening that says '. . . built with a flat roof to facilitate sun bathing, a swimming pool may be added at a future date'. It is not clear if this will be on the roof or in the grounds but either way it has not yet materialized. Apart from changing the original steel window frames for plastic double glazed units the building retains many features from the original opening, including a hand-painted frieze around the dinning room walls showing a sketch of the building, the architect, the client, the builder and his apprentice, plus local scenes from the period through to the first hostelers arriving. A wonderful piece of work.
Holmbury St Mary Youth Hostel
27 July - Eastbourne
Now well into the North Downs I begin climbing as soon as I am on the road this morning. The road is wider than yesterday but still takes me through woodland with high earth banks on either side, meaning not a lot to see. I skirt the foot of Leith Hill and join the main Dorking to Worthing road. There is a cycle path going left – I am going right, but for only a short stretch before turning off again into the lanes to Rusper and Faygate. At last I am out of the woodland and on open roads with views across the downs. Crossing the Crawley to Horsham main road I start the long drag of a hill to Colgate, this is one to get my teeth into. I am soon into the town of Balcombe.
By now I am heading for the North Weald and the views are extensive as I wind my way to Sheffield Park and take a break at the preserved Bluebell Steam Railway. At this point I imagine I am over the longest part of to-day's ride but a look at the map tells me, as the crow flies, I am only half way, let’s hope the crow can do better.
Over the Low Weald – is that a bit of a contradiction of terms? My route takes me close to Glynebourne at which point I begin to see vertical cliff faces ahead of me – the South Downs, to make my way towards Alfriston. When I arrive it is solid with traffic (I had forgotten the narrow roads) so I cut through the back streets and out of the other side without seeing the village. I had also forgotten the steep climb out towards the coast. I spot the Lillington white horse cut into the cliff side, before long I am level and then looking down on it. From here the run down to Seaford is a welcome relief. Turning left to Eastbourne I join the A259 main road, which is busy, not particularly wide are very, very hilly. Flying downhill towards Friston at over 30mph I clip a pothole and puncture the back tyre. On this occasion I am lucky it is the back tyre, had it been the front I would most likely have lost control, and probably a lot of skin from my knees and elbows. Having replaced the inner tube I spot a cycle trail sign for Eastbourne, this seems a better option than the big hill I am facing. The first quarter of a mile of this trail is on concrete slabs and is very good, this then changes to rough stone and before long I find myself on a pebble beach – I give up and return to the road and the stiff climb. This goes on and on before a rush down to East Dean and the climb out before dropping down to Eastbourne, at which point I almost miss the hostel part-way down the hill.
Eastbourne Youth Hostel
28 July – Littlehampton
Here I go, hills right from the front door. After 40 minutes riding and six miles covered I am over the worst of it, not quite as bad as I imagined. On the last climb I spot the pothole that got me yesterday. The road levels out towards Newhaven with views over the sea and the ferries to Dieppe. The final run into the town is along a cycle path away from the road and very pleasant it is as well. At the entrance to the River Ouse is a large metal sculpture of a stylised bird sitting atop a breakwater. Is it a cormorant? No matter, whatever it is it looks good. At Peacehaven I stop for a drink and food on a hill-top overlooking Brighton before I drift downhill and along the sea front cycle path.
I note the pier has not been repaired.
I note the pier has not been repaired.
As I am leaving the town I realise this is my second visit to Brighton, both by bike and I have still not seen the Royal Pavilion.
On reaching Shoreham I spot a house painted pink, with two pink coloured cars standing on the drive, both with registration letters PNK – it seems they perhaps like the colour.
Worthing is very busy with holiday makers, most seem to be sitting eating fish and chips and there are long queues at the shops selling them. I take a break in the park at Ferring before pressing on for the final five miles. In so doing I pass an ‘different’ front garden, it is always interesting to look at what people do with them!
On reaching Shoreham I spot a house painted pink, with two pink coloured cars standing on the drive, both with registration letters PNK – it seems they perhaps like the colour.
Worthing is very busy with holiday makers, most seem to be sitting eating fish and chips and there are long queues at the shops selling them. I take a break in the park at Ferring before pressing on for the final five miles. In so doing I pass an ‘different’ front garden, it is always interesting to look at what people do with them!
In Littlehampton I visit ‘The Dutch Bicycle Company’, a shop (as the name suggets) selling only Dutch bicycles, very nice they are as well, ideal for sit-up-and-beg comfortable riding around town. The hostel here, whilst not overlooking the sea is only one road back and is the top floor above the Look and Sea visitors centre and Viewing Tower. At 4.15 I discover the visitor centre closes at 4 o’clock. I settle for a look at the town and something to eat.
29 July – Tanners Hatch
An early start sees me making my way out of town via the South Coast Cycle Route in the direction of Arundel and the climb out over the South Downs towards Houghton. Why do the Downs always go up? Who gave them this name? Although there is still a lot of mist sitting on the hills the run down through Houghton to Amberley is very nice. As I ride uphill to the village of Storrington the electronic 30mph speed limit sign flashes on, perhaps it is connected to my cycle computer from Wednesday? (Or maybe the car behind). Storrington is so picturesque I stop for a drink and a snack. Because of my method of travel I carry my own drinks and snacks, as I sit there I am very conscious that by doing so I am passing through these towns and villages but not contributing anything to the local economy.
The road rolls on and I am out of the South Downs, the views are good, the villages interesting and I really enjoy the ride, meeting and riding with several other cyclists along the way. I reach Billingshurst there are signs demanding ‘Save Bilingshurst’ but they do not say from what – is the town going to vanish? I am into the Low Weald again, no matter, the hills are still here but the country lanes are quite and before long I am across the Guildford to Horsham road and passing through the pretty villages of Ellen’s Green, Ewhurst and Forest Green (there is a lot of greenery around here). I turn right along a single track road towards the dreaded Leith Hill, being warned by horse riders that the road is very steep. Leith Hill at 965 feet above sea level is the second highest point in Surrey and in 2012 will form part of the Olympic cycling road race circuit. At the top of the hill is an 18th century gothic tower, built to raise the height to 1,000 feet. I see signs from the car park to the tower, via steep footpaths, I never make the tower but stop in Coldharbour for food before the downhill ride to Dorking. This results in another long uphill towards Ranmore and the National Trust’s Denbies Hill car park and viewing point. From here there really is a terrific view over the downs before I turn off onto a forest track to the hostel three quarters of a mile away. This is two converted cottages dating from 1642. If you are looking to ‘get away from it all’ this is the place to be. Within walking distance of the National Trust’s Polseden Lacey estate you could not ask for a more tranquil place. Facilities are basic but who cares in such a beautiful spot? Not quite cool enough for the log fire and we sit until late into the evening with the door open to the woods. I meet someone here who spends a long time telling me that I should not ride my proposed route over Box Hill tomorrow. It is much too hard a climb and my best route into London is to go back to Dorking and catch the train direct to the capital – not really the idea of a cycling holiday.
Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel
30 July – London
Three quarters of a mile of off-road forest track takes me back to the Denbies Hill view point this morning where I stop, take in the view and a sachet of energy gell in preparation for Box Hill. The alpine-like downhill run to Westhumble is good, if quite cooling, I am glad I kept a long sleeved jacket on. I had expected a more spectacular start to the climb of Box Hill but the rise in the road was good enough. Again this is part of the Olympic circuit for 2012. I do not find this such a hard climb as Leith Hill and I enjoy the ‘zig-zag road’ to the top – and still have plenty of gears to spare.
It is popular with cyclists and as a bonus the view is very good.
Riding down is not quite the white-knuckle ride I had expected, but takes me onto the main road to Kingswood, Sutton and into Morden to once again pick up Cycle Superhighway 7 to Clapham Common. My intention was to follow this all the way into London but Network 3 once again called and I use this to Waterloo Bridge. I arrive in London at 12-noon and as I am not booked on the train out until 4pm I find myself doing the ‘tourist circuit’. The crowds at the London Eye are solid, not a space to be had. I rode the Eye some years ago, it was much more quiet then and well worth the visit. The time to spare gives me a chance to ride along Fleet Street, a place I knew well the 1970’s, it is interesting to look at it now the newspapers have moved out. After doing as much as I could I was still at the station in plenty of time for the train.
With just over 272 miles covered I begin to plan my next trip.
With just over 272 miles covered I begin to plan my next trip.
