P ■ Bridleways are generally unsurfaced routes open to MORE CYCLE RIDES Cuckmere Haven and Friston Forest A very easy short concrete path runs from the car park by the A259 at Exceat CYCLE cyclists and horse riders. P BARCOMBE (in the SE corner of this map) to the sea at Cuckmere Haven. They are usually marked with PLUMPTON GREEN P 2 National Cycle Route 2 Brighton and Berwick (and beyond), More challenging is the network of hilly forest tracks through blue arrow waymark posts. 2 along roads and cycle path, with some busier roads around PLUMPTON Sta. 1 Friston Forest. LEWES Newhaven. Runs below the cliffs between Brighton and PLUMPTON 2 ■ Footpaths (paths shown on BARCOMBE MILLS Kingston See town map for this short, level surfaced route DITCHLING RACE COURSE 1 Saltdean signposted around back roads in Peacehaven, cross- the map with short dashes) HASSOCKS Tra south from Lewes to Kingston; can extend to South Downs Local cycling MUSEUM STREAT P ins ing the A259 and dropping into Newhaven; section along main 1 to A 2 Way. are open to walkers only. 1 L 2 OF ART + on 7 road (or push along pavement) past a retail park and Sains- information KEYMER DITCHLING EAST CHlLTINGTON d 5 3 Lewes to Falmer alongside A27 Not a pretty ride, but useful Cycling on footpaths is not CRAFT on bury’s, then on parallel cycle path to Bishopstone, with optional P for getting to the universities at Falmer, and to Brighton. allowed without the owner's P 1 diversion into Ouse Valley Nature Reserve; continues along North of Barcombe Excellent and very scenic cycling on CYCLING permission and there may be Cuckmere Valley past Alfriston and Berwick station. 1 2 3 BROYLE SIDE undulating back roads extend towards Chailey and the ORGANISATIONS cycle-unfriendly obstacles COOKSBRIDGE South Downs Way The long-distance bridlepath from 1 3 Ashdown Forest in the High Weald. like stiles. Footpaths usually 2 P Winchester to Eastbourne is a magnificent offroad cycle route, 6 East from Glynde Head for the area around Ripe and the ■ Bricycles – the Brighton, have yellow arrow waymark- WESTMESTON COOKSBRIDGE Sta. 2 3 with several access points around Lewes, including Southease, PLUMPTON A historic church of Arlington for some gentle cycling around Hove and District Cycling ers. The Goldeneye cycling Kingston, Firle and Alfriston. Most ascents are P HAMSEY quiet lanes. Further east is the traffic-free Cuckoo Trail, Group www.bricycles.org.uk map for Sussex and South 1 RINGMER 3 3 demanding but the going on the top is generally much easier. mostly on an old railway track (Heathfield to Polegate; ■ Contact ESCC if you Surrey highlights circular and 2 P Good circuits include South Downs Way west from Lewes to 1 P 2 HAMSEY extension to Eastbourne). encounter problems with family-friendly routes and JACK AND JILL DITCHLING BEACON OFFHAM Ditchling Beacon, then south to Stanmer and east along cycle Black Cap CHURCH 2 For a host of ideas on where to cycle around Lewes, public rights of way. facilities for cyclists. WINDMILLS 1 O W N S W A Y 3 path beside A23 to Lewes; and Lewes to Kingston via Ashcombe H D Mt. Harry including rides to Berwick and Newhaven, ■ U T CTC – for touring rides O S 1 Windmill to South Downs Way, then turn L on it, drop to Rodmell S O see www.travelloglewes.co.uk and national campaigning: There are also maps of the U and return either along road or along Egrets Way. T 1,2 1,2 3 Seaford and Newhaven Sustrans National Cycle H LEWES GLYNDEBOURNE Egrets Way Lewes to Newhaven, along the River Ouse, with A NEW CYCLE BRIDGE FOR LEWES? Network (NCN) routes D section O some bumpy and uneven sections along the river path and some The trackbed of the defunct Lewes-Uckfield railway still ex- www.eastsussexctc.org.uk on www.sustrans.org.uk or W smoother sections along a track. Joins the road north of Pid- ists and would make a fantastic link into the countryside N ■ 0845 113 0065. In Sussex NCN S Cycle Lewes Campaign GLYNDE PLACE dinghoe into Newhaven. It is tempting to cycle from north of town. All that is needed is a new bridge over the CHATTRI W group promoting cycling in Route 2 runs along the coast A Piddinghoe church along the river footpath to Newhaven but Ouse near Hamsey church. Cycle Lewes is campaigning for Y and around Lewes from Worthing to Rye and WAR there is no official right of way for cyclists. the completion of this missing link. www.cyclelewes.org.uk NCN Route 21 runs from MEMORIAL LEWES Sta. GLYNDE ■ Cycle Seahaven – rides, Crawley to Eastbourne, taking 4 MT. CABURN events, campaigning and in the traffic-free Cuckoo STANMER GLYNDE Sta. 7 Trail, Forest Way and Worth HOUSE A2 training in Seaford, UNIVERSITY P Newhaven and Peachaven Way. Route 21 forms part of E 27 OF SUSSEX ASHCOMBE G A R Arlington P E 4 A ARLINGTON areas. the Avenue Verte route from WINDMILL SPRING BARN T 27 STANMER P S Reservoir www.cycleseahaven.org.uk London to Paris. FARM W 4 PARK A FIRLE PLACE FALMER P Y ■ Lewes Wanderers – faster www.avenuevertelondon BEDDINGHAM CHARLESTON BERWICK Sta. A27 AME KINGSTON rides and competitive paris.co.uk FAL X ST P P MER ADI cycling. Sta. UM 4 FIRLE HOLLINGBURY S SWANBOROUGH IFORD 4 www.leweswanderers.co.uk CYCLING OUT OF TOWN O Tr HILLFORT THE KEEP U ai T ns H t ■ Travel Log Lewes – for a East Sussex o E D P as mass of news on cycling, Lewes is surrounded by a Record Office O 4 tbo W TITHE urne wonderful network of country N RODMELL BARN ALCISTON and walking and pulbic transport S Hastings W P in the area. lanes and off-road routes, A P MONK’S O W N S W A Y A27 Y H D HOUSE SOUTHEASE U T FIRLE BEACON BERWICK DRUSILLAS www.travelloglewes.co.uk leading to dozens of interest- MOULSECOOMB Sta. O P YOUTH HOSTEL S ■ If it’s been some time since ing places to visit, eat and BOPEEP 4 WILMINGTON E you did any maintenance or drink. BRIGHTON BERWICK MILTON SOUTHEASE Sta. CHURCH R STREET repaired a puncture you PRESTON 4 E WOODINGDEAN P might benefit from going on a ■ Take extra care for the first PARK Sta. SOUTHEASE M Bike Maintenance Course. couple of miles out of Lewes K C Contact: Nick Marks at where you may have to ride LONDON ROAD Sta. R I ALFRISTON U The Long Man V [email protected] on main roads. Avoid the C E P 4 (chalk figure) or 07854 603523. worst of the traffic by setting R P P R ■ On Yer Bike Mike offers off early at weekends, or after BRIGHTON Sta. O E U CHURCH AND LULLINGTON COURT cycle training for all ages, the morning rush midweek. S V OVINGDEAN E CLERGY HOUSE I 07740 947 892 SOUTH HEIGHTON R www.onyerbikemike.co.uk ■ One way of avoiding PIDDINGHOE LITLINGTON cycling out of Lewes is to take ROEDEAN P NEWHAVEN CYCLE SHOPS the train to a country station Brighton Marina TOWN Sta. such as Southease, Berwick ROTTINGDEAN SALTDEAN ■ Halfords at Lewes Road, or Glynde. BISHOPSTONE BISHOPSTONE JEVINGTON Brighton 01273 604833, SALTDEAN CHURCH Key to map NEWHAVEN ■ LIDO PEACEHAVEN The Drove, Newhaven 01273 Carry one or two inner HARBOUR Sta. 515885 tubes in the right size for your Physical terrain, high to low 1 2 3 4 featured cycle route A259 ■ Lewes Cycle Action Nutty tyres, and learn how to NEWHAVEN Built-up area featured unsurfaced off-road route WESTDEAN Wizard, corner South Street change them – it’s much TIDE MILLS A27 NEWHAVEN SEAFORD EXCEAT BRIDGE and Cliffe High Street, Lewes: easier than repairing a Road other unsurfaced off-road route Scale EXCEAT FORT P free cycle maintenance puncture out on the road. 0 1 A Railway station km BISHOPSTONE Sta. 259 (charge made for parts) most You’ll also need a couple of designated cycle path or other 0 1 12 Sat mornings 10–noon, spanners and tyre levers and surfaced traffic-free route mile P Place of interest / Pub SEAFORD Sta. EAST DEAN www.drbike.com a bicycle pump. ■ Lewes Cycleshack 53 Cliffe Footpath Route 2 T H E E N G L I S H MARTELLO High Street and 39a Friars OFF-ROAD CYCLING MUSEUM P Walk, Lewes 01273 479688 Barcombe circular (17km/10.6 miles), into peaceful Low Weald www.lewescycleshack.co.uk Lewes is in the middle of In the route text: R = right, L = left, SP = signposted countryside, passing millponds at Barcombe Mills and with C H A N N E L optional detour to remote Hamsey village; undulating; pubs at ■ Mr Cycles 26 Clinton Place, some of the best off-road Seaford Head Cuckmere Haven cycling country in England, Route 1 Barcombe and Anchor Inn on route extension; busy roads at start T H Seaford 01323 893130 E S E East Chiltington and Ditchling (16km/10 miles each way), partly on (avoidable by offroad route) and near the end. Can extend into Route 4 V E www.mrcycles.co.uk – will with a superb network of N S Route 3. Route 3 I S T pick up and deliver locally for bridleways on and around the unmade tracks, undulating; return same way or via very steep Charleston and Alfriston (16km/10 miles each way to Alfriston or E R S Exit Lewes either (offroad route; can be muddy) from Pells, past Ringmer and around (23km/14.5 miles), on the cycle path to servicing and repair South Downs.