Posts tagged Sussex
Brighton Marathon

When: April 2nd 2023
Where: Brighton and Hove
Course: Road route from Preston Park to Hove Lawns, along the sea-front and some residential areas.
Start: Preston Park, Preston Road, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN1 6SD
Finish: Hove beach, Adelaide Crescent, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2JJ
Distance: 42.2 km (26.2 miles)
Elevation change: +285m / -385m. Net: -20m
Other routes touched (walk): Monarch’s Way, Mid Sussex Link, Newhaven-Brighton Clifftop Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, 20
Finish time: 4:59
Links: Brighton Marathon, Brighton, Hove, Preston Park

This was my first Marathon distance in 7 years and the first road Marathon since for 12 years. I much prefer trail Ultras now but I still felt that I hadn’t had my fill of the Marathon distance. I was also weirdly not happy with having done 4 Marathons and wanted a rounder number. When my friend Mark messaged me a month before to say that Brighton had released some extra tickets, I didn’t have to think too much about it.

The only thing that I had to think a bit more about was my predicted finish time when was I completing the entry form. My previous road Marathons were 4:41, 4:27 and 4:51, with the tougher trail Beachy Head Marathon at 5:36. Given that several years had passed and not having enough time to train and rest, I knew that I would be slower. I wanted to get in within 5 hours so I put down 4:59 on the entry form. Mark did the same and we were entered into the Pink Wave.

During the race the first third felt good. The chilly start was just right for me and I kept just ahead of my planned pace all the way. For the second third Mark went off ahead but not too far and I could see him whenever there was a turnaround on an out-and-back section. I was still just ahead of the 4:30 pacers and feeling good that I might finish at around 4:40, averaging my previous road Marathon times.

By 16 miles I was starting to feel the heat. There were a lot of water stations and I poured a lot of water over my head to cool me down but I was definitely feeling it. At 17 miles the route took a small loop around Brunswick Square with a slight incline and I “hit the wall”. I wasn’t able to run up the hill so did a fast walk. This broke my pace and I found it difficult to getting running again. The next 6 miles were tough as the route went through residential sections of Hove away from the coast. I tried some run/walk sections but got cramp whenever I tried to run, so I stayed at a determined fast walk. In the meantime, the 4:40 and 4:45 have both overtaken me by the time the route returned to the sea-front.

With 2km to go I could see the 5 hour pacer getting closer and closer over my shoulder. I found some new energy and motivation and was able to get back up to a run. I crossed the finish line at 4:59:23, just 37 seconds within the 5 hour mark. My friend Mark had an amazing 1st Marathon, finishing over half an hour head of me and beating my Marathon PB by 2 minutes.

I loved the day despite the tough last 9 miles. It did confirm, though, that I trail Ultras are more my thing. Maybe I’ll do another Marathon in the future but it will need to be an epic one.

Richard gowerRun, Marathon, Coast, Sussex, EnglandComment
Serpent Trail 50k Ultra Marathon

Crossing the River Rother 2.5km to the finishing line at Petersfield

When: July 2nd 2022
Start: A field in Riverhill Farm, Petworth
Finish: Petersfield Rugby Football Club, Penns Place, Petersfield, GU31 4EP
Distance: 50 km (31 miles)
Elevation change: +611m / -685m (Net -74m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Sussex Diamond Way, New Lipchis Way, Sussex Border Path
Other routes touched (cycle): None
OS Trig Pillar: TP3749 - Hesworth (at 9.2km from the start)
Maps:
- Arundel & Pulborough Map | Worthing & Bognor Regis | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL10
- Haslemere & Petersfield Map | Midhurst & Selborne | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL33
Finish time: 7 hours 03 minutes
Links: Serpent Trail Guide, Serpent Trail Race, Fittleworth, Lavington Common National Trust, Midhurst, Petersfield

Following last summer’s brutal 100k on the Race To The Castle I was up for a shorter Ultra this year. It was also a good one to do with my friend Mark as his second Ultra after our Downs Link race in October.

The Serpent Trail is a 106k long distance path snaking through the greensand hills and heathland in the South Downs National Park. It’s north of the South Downs Way and connects Petersfield to Haslemere. The end point at Haslemere is also the start of the Greensand Way, a 174 km path across the North Downs to Kent. There was a 100k race option to cover the whole length of the Trail but 50k was definitely enough.

The 50k option started in a field near Petworth and joined the Serpent Trail after 2.5km. It was a dry day and there had been very little rain in the weeks leading up to it, so I managed to avoid the blisters and trench-foot of several of my previous Ultras. It was also hot too and I was feeling the effects of it from 12:00 to 14:00. I much prefer to run in the cold and by 14:00 the heat had taken my energy to go faster than a quick walk.

I thought that I was struggling due to the heat but ended up crossing the finish line at 7 hours and 3 minutes. That was 4 minutes slower than my previous 50k on the Chiltern Challenge in 2020. I decided to call it a tie though having wasted around 4 minutes getting off course on Ambersham Common having missed a very obvious signpost. Meanwhile Mark stormed it, finishing 14 minutes head of me with a time of 6 hours 49 minutes.

It was a great route with a bonus highlight of bagging a Trig Pillar that was right on the route at Hesworth Common. I still have the first half of the Trail to find a way to complete so I’m sure I’ll be back in the area soon.

Richard gowerRun, Ultramarathon, Trig Pillar, National Trust, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, England Comment
Walking The England Coast Path: Shoreham to Rottingdean

View from Brighton Marina to the undercliff path with Rottingdean Windmill in the distance.

Start: Shoreham-by-Sea Railway Station, BN43 5WX, Sussex
Finish: The Windmill Bus Stop, Marine Drive, Rottingdean, BN2 7GZ
Distance: 19.3 km (12 miles)
Elevation change: +132m /-117m. Net -15m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): England Coast Path, Monarch’s Way, Mid Sussex Link, Undercliff Walk, Newhaven Brighton Clifftop Path
Other routes touched (cycle): Downs Link, NCN 2, 223
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many along the route. Notable ones that we used are Port Kitchen at Shoreham Port (4.2k in), White Cloud Coffee Company (13k in), The White Horse Hotel Rottingdean (18k in)
Map: Brighton & Hove Map | Lewes & Burgess Hill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL11
Links: Shoreham-by-Sea, Hove, Brighton, Brighton Marina, Rottingdean, Rottingdean Windmill

In our latest short section of the England Coast Path we chose the 19km stretch between Shoreham-by-Sea and Rottingdean. My main interest was to connect 2 previous trips: the end of the Downs Link that I had previously completed by bike and as an Ultra, and the Rottingdean to Peacehaven section that I had done ahead of the Prime Meridian cycle trip.

We were staying in Brighton for the week and actually split this into 2 days. The Coaster bus service runs parallel to the whole route so it’s easy to divide into smaller combinations. You can also take the train from Brighton to Shoreham. I planned the start of this trip from Shoreham train station so it’s a little shorter if you start from either the Downs Link end-point next to the River Adur or the bus stop on Shoreham High Street.

Navigation is very easy as you’ll be following the closest path to the sea. Much of it is signposted with either England Coast Path or (to Brighton) Monarch’s Way signs. After Brighton Pier the cliffs start to rise which gives you the option of either following the cliff-top path or the undercliff path. We always chose the undercliff path or whatever path was closest to the sea to give us a quieter, more interesting walk.

The scenery gets more pleasant the further east you travel. After Shoreham High Street you follow the busy A259 past industrial units and out-of-town stores for 2km until Shoreham Port. At the port, the path leaves the road, crosses the Adur and joins the Basin Road South. This is a good place to stop for a coffee and cake at either the Port Kitchen or Carats Café Bar to celebrate passing the grim part. Although Basin Road is still industrial, you’re now off the busy main road and next to the sea.

At the far eastern end of Basin Road you’ll arrive at Hove joining the promenade and a proper sea-side feel. Here you’ll have a lot of options for food and drink or to divert into Brighton town. After Brighton Pier keep to Madeira Drive, the lower / undercliff road and cut through Brighton Marina. After the Marina you’ll get to the undercliff path, a very quiet 2.5km stretch to Rottingdean. This is a good place to stop for a rest at the White Horse Hotel and get the bus back. Alternatively, as we did you could walk up to the Windmill on top of Beacon Hill for a great view. The view is especially good in the evening with the sun setting behind the windmill. From here, walk back down the hill to the A259 to the bus stop.

Richard gowerTrek, Coast, England, SussexComment
Bullock Hill: Brighton and Hove High Point

Significance: Highest peak in the Unitary Authority of Brighton and Hove
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Ditchling Beacon, NHN = Newmarket Hill
Historic County: Sussex (of which Black Down is the County Top)
Elevation: 197m
Date “climbed”: 25th June 2022
Coordinates: 50° 50' 23'' N, 0° 3' 37'' W
OS Trig Pillar: TP1764 - Bullocks Hill
Map: Brighton & Hove Map | Lewes & Burgess Hill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL11
Links: Wikipedia (Brighton & Hove), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Most Unitary Authority High Points that I’ve visited so far have been dull parts of large towns with little to write home about. Bullock’s Hill is a nice exception here with an OS Trig Pillar and great views across to Brighton and the Coast. Be careful not to damage crops in the summer though as there’s no public right of way directly to the summit.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, South Downs, Sussex, EnglandComment
The South Downs Rivers

Here’s a Tube-style map of the rivers of the South Downs National Park. Let me know if you spot any mistakes and I’ll donate £1 per correction to one of my causes. If you would like a printable PDF version, please Buy Me a Coffee and send me your e-mail via the Contact page. All copies for personal, not commercial use.

Note: the map shows rivers that start, end or pass through the South Downs National Park. There are some rivers that are not included as their source is south of the Park even though they flow into the English Channel or join another river on this map.

Other Posts for the South Downs

Tube-Style Maps

Richard gowerCanal, Coast, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, Hampshire, EnglandComment
Downs Link Ultra Marathon
Crossing The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge on the last mile

Crossing The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge on the last mile

When: October 10th 2021
Start: Church of St Martha-on-the-Hill, Halfpenny Lane, Guildford, GU4 8PZ
Finish: 3rd Shoreham Sea Scouts, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5LT
Distance: 61.3 km (38.1 miles)
Elevation change: +456m / -622m (Net -166m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way, Tillingbourne At Work (SCC), Wey South Path, The Fox Way, Greensand Way, Sussex Border Path, West Sussex Literary Trail, South Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 223
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (145) Guildford and Farnham
- OS Explorer OL34 Crawley & Horsham
- OS Explorer OL11 Brighton and Hove
Finish time: 8 hours 32 minutes
Links: Downs Link (Wikipedia), The Cranleigh Line, The Steyning Line, St Martha’s Hill, Surrey Hills AONB, Wey and Arun Canal, South Downs National Park

This was a return to familiar territory for Mark and I. We’d cycled the Downs Link in July and passed by St Martha’s church on the Hardest of Snails 10k shortly after. Running the whole of the 38 mile trail was an altogether bigger challenge. This was also Mark’s first Ultra and my first running one with a friend.

I had worked out a plan to get us through it at a steady pace with 30 minutes contingency for the 10 hour cut-off. I have a consistent pace for Ultras, but not knowing how Mark would get on I didn’t know whether we would be able to stick together or not.

The first 6.4k to the old railway path is steep and hilly. With a lot of runners packed tightly into narrow paths you have to go at the speed of the group. This was a comfortable pace for a short race but faster than I had planned for this. I couldn’t see Mark at all in this first section and was worried that I was getting a long way ahead. I needn’t have worried as he arrived at the first Aid Station 30 seconds behind me.

This was the pattern for the first half of the race. I was slightly ahead on each section and we met up at the Aid Stations. Somewhere between Henfield and Steyning we’d both slowed to a fast walk and kept together to the end. By the finish point at Shoreham-by-Sea we were a hour ahead of our planned time and well within the official cut-off.

This is billed as a great Ultra for first timers and I’d argue that it’s a great one all round. After the first 6.4k it’s mostly flat and on good ground. There’s a few long straight stretches that got a bit boring but made up for by the remains of the old stations along the way. See my post on the cycle trip for more about these.

Running and crossing the finishing line with a friend made it special for me. Well done Mark on joining the Ultra club and huge thanks for Mark’s family for supporting us along the way.

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Richard gowerRun, Ultramarathon, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Coast, South Downs, Surrey Hills AONB, National Park, National Trust, Surrey, Sussex, EnglandComment
Cycling The Downs Link
Old carriage at West Grinstead Station

Old carriage at West Grinstead Station

Start: St. Martha’s Hill Guildford Lane Car Park, Guildford Lane, Albury, Guildford, GU5 9BQ
Finish: Shoreham-by-Sea Station, Station Approach, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WX
Distance: 61 km (38 miles)
Elevation change: +344m / -457m (Net -113m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way, Tillingbourne At Work (SCC), Wey South Path, The Fox Way, Greensand Way, Sussex Border Path, West Sussex Literary Trail, South Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 223
Other routes touched (run): Downs Link Ultra
Pubs / Cafes on route: Wild & Green Kitchen (Cranleigh), The Little Teahouse (Southwater), The Old Railway (Henfield) …and others
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (145) Guildford and Farnham
- OS Explorer OL34 Crawley & Horsham
- OS Explorer OL11 Brighton and Hove
Links: Downs Link (Wikipedia), The Cranleigh Line, The Steyning Line, St Martha’s Hill, Surrey Hills AONB, Wey and Arun Canal, South Downs National Park

The Downs Link is a ~59k trail linking the North Downs Way at St. Martha’s Hill and the South Downs Way near Shoreham-by-Sea. Having recently completed the similarly sounding Thames Down Link, this was an obvious next trip. The first 6k is a hilly route through countryside around Blackheath and Chilworth. Once it connects to the Wey and Arun Canal it follows the route of the disused Cranleigh and Steyning Lines.

There’s no practical public transport connection between the start and the end (maybe they should build a train line to connect them?) … so we did a 2-car shuffle. Our total route was a bit longer than the actual Downs Link as we started from the Guildford Lane Car Park and finished at Shoreham-by-Sea station.

Navigation is very easy, especially once you’re on the old rail line. There were a couple of path junctions on the first 6k that we may have missed if we’d not had a GPX route to guide us.

There’s remains of the former stations along the route, some better preserved than others. West Grinstead is a particular highlight as there’s a British Rail Mark 1 coach on site, now used as an information centre. Others, like Partridge Green and Bramber have been completely demolished with no remaining evidence.

Don’t miss stopping at Rudgwick Bridge over the River Arun. The previous gradient up to Rudgwick Station was too steep for trains so the embankments were raised and an iron bridge was built on top of the brick arch. There’s a viewpoint just off the path where you can see the two layers. The logo on the Down Link signs along the route are based on this bridge.

If you’re an OS Trig Pillar bagger, you can find TP1686 - Broomhall Copse 5 minutes off the path at the intersection with the Sussex Border path.

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Downs Link Disused Stations

Pictures above: top row, left to right:

Pictures above: bottom row, left to right:

  • Southwater: Wikipedia. Replica sign only, road now covers site of original station.

  • West Grinstead: Wikipedia. Station building and cottages now in private hands. Platform remains with a British Rail Mark 1 coach on display.

  • Partridge Green: Wikipedia. Station buildings have been removed and replaced by housing and the Star Road Industrial Estate

  • Henfield: Wikipedia. Station demolished. Only evidence is Beechings and Station Road sign where station used to be.

  • Steyning: Wikipedia. Station demolished but old warehouse building remains, now converted into townhouses.

  • Bramber: Wikipedia. Station demolished and replaced by a roundabout (photo). No other evidence.

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Coast, South Downs, National Park, Surrey Hills AONB, National Trust, Surrey, Sussex, EnglandComment
Cycling The Prime Meridian
View to the north from the Greenwich Observatory: National Maritime Museum and Isle of Dogs in the background

View to the north from the Greenwich Observatory: National Maritime Museum and Isle of Dogs in the background

The Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, is the line of longitude defined as 0°. It’s the line that divides East and West. It’s also a line that I asked myself one Christmas: “can that be cycled"?”. The answer is “no” as it’s a dead-straight line with buildings inconveniently built along it's path. You can cycle quite close to it though, so that’s what we did.

If you want to walk it, there’s a well-signed path called the Greenwich Meridian Trail. The Trail is also very well described in a series of 4 books by Graham and Hilda Heap. The cycle route that I designed stays as close to the Prime Meridian as possible but avoiding footpaths and opting for quieter country roads over busy main roads. Even if you’re cycling I highly recommend the Greenwich Meridian Trail books as they’re a great guide to the interesting things to see along the way.

Our cycle trip was 8 days in total, averaging 77k (48 miles) per day. That’s a gentler pace than our previous long distance trips such as LEJOG or Titanic Ireland. Although we could have gone further each day we opted for more coffee and cake stops. We also split it into 3 separate trips rather than a single end-to-end. This ended up taking us exactly a year to complete as Covid Lockdowns interrupted our plans and we had to fit the trips in where we could.

We based the start and end of each section based on access to train lines. Fortunately there’s good train connections along the route without significant diversions. The start at Peacehaven is close to Newhaven Station, although Brighton Station, 6.5 miles away, gives better connections to the North. For the end of Day 2 we wanted to get through London and Waltham Abbey is a natural stopping point. There’s a station nearby at Waltham Cross, or more north/south connections 12 miles west at Potters Bar.

For section 2, covering Days 3 and 4 we covered Waltham Abbey to Peterborough. This takes you quite a way off the Meridian but has a lot of north/south rail connections including to Potters Bar and Hull. Picking up from Peterborough on Day 5 for section 3, we cut diagonally north-east to rejoin the Meridian at Fleet. There’s not much to miss in the section between March and Fleet and the route takes in the main Meridian markers.

By the end of Day 6 the Meridian reaches the coast at Cleethorpes. From here the challenge is crossing the Humber Estuary to pick up the Meridian where it rejoins land at Sunk Island. The Greenwich Meridian Trail ends at Cleethorpes and a bus is the most practical means of picking up the route at Patringham on the northern side. For our cycle route we took a long diversion west to cross the Humber Bridge and return on the northern side via Hull. This gives you an unbroken cycle trip, but means that all of day 7 and half of day 8 are off the Meridian. It’s worth it for the crossing of the Humber Bridge and the Hull to Winestead Rail Trail.

The final point of the Prime Meridian at Sand Le Mere is quite different to the start at Peacehaven. There’s no monument to mark the end of your trip … at least not any more. This is one of the most eroded parts of the English coast and the previous marker is long gone. Instead we found a large lump of concrete that was more or less in the right position and decided it was the end point. From here it’s 28k ride back to Hull where you can get the train back home.

See the individual blog posts for each section for photos, maps and stats covering each day.

Links to each section:

The Complete Route

Two maps of the Prime Meridian. Above: Cycle route, each colour representing a different day of the trip. Right: tube-style map showing the cycle route, 0 degrees longitude and the Greenwich Meridian Trail

Two maps of the Prime Meridian. Above: Cycle route, each colour representing a different day of the trip. Right: tube-style map showing the cycle route, 0 degrees longitude and the Greenwich Meridian Trail

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Thames, Railway, Disused Railway, Canal, South Downs, National Park, Surrey Hills AONB, Sussex, Surrey, London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, EnglandComment
Eastbourne Pier and Beachy Head Circular Walk
Eastbourne Pier from the west

Eastbourne Pier from the west

Start & Finish: Eastbourne Pier, 3 Grand Parade, Eastbourne, BN21 3EL
Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 204m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): South Downs Way, Weald Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Other routes touched (run): Beachy Head Marathon
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several on Eastbourne sea front, The Kiosk at the start of the SDW, The Beachy Head pub
Trig Pillar: TP0453 - Beachy Head
Map: OS Explorer OL25 Eastbourne & Beachy Head
Links: Eastbourne, Eastbourne Pier, Beachy Head

For me this was a walk largely designed to bag the OS Trig Pillar at the top of Beachy Head. I’d had a couple of near misses, most notably on the final stretch of the Beachy Head Marathon, but never got to touch it. The pillar is actually a very easy to get on a drive-by as it’s just behind the big pub on Beachy Head Road. It would be a shame to miss out on the walk though as it’s a South Downs classic.

This is definitely a walk of two halves with a central hill section bookended by the flat, coastal out-and back from the pier. If you just wanted to do the hilly part you can save 5k and do the big loop starting either from The Beachy Head pub or from the start of the South Downs Way on Dukes Drive. If you’ve got the time the full 10k route is well worth it and gives you a diverse “Down and Town” trip.

We started from the pier entrance on the B2106 Grand Parade with a circuit of the pier. A combination of it being December and just out of the latest Covid Lockdown meant that there was nothing going on there at the time. After the pier, follow the Promenade south, keeping to the higher path when you have an option. After ~2.5k you’ll reach the sign that marks the start of the 100 mile South Downs Way. Follow the South Downs Way up a steep hill and continue for a further 2km until you reach the cliff-edge RAF memorial. To visit the Trig Pillar walk a further 100m up hill to the north-west then retrace your steps back to the memorial.

To return, take the first footpath to the left of the memorial (as you face the sea). Descend on the steep path to the cliff edge (but not too far) and continue round heading north back to Eastbourne. When you reach the cliff edge look back to the south along the coast for a great view of Beachy Head Lighthouse. Keep the the cliff-edge path and you’ll end up back at the kiosk on Dukes Drive. From here return to the pier following the lower promenade along the top of the beach.

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Richard gowerTrek, Coast, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, EnglandComment
Pevensey Castle and Hankham Circular Walk
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Start & Finish: Pevensey Castle Car Park, Pevensey, BN24 5LF
Distance: 11.4 km (7 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 80m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): 1066 Country Walk - South Downs Link
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Pubs / Cafes on route: Royal Oak and Castle (Pevensey), Pevensey Castle Tea Room, Cafe at Sharnfold Farm Near Stone Cross
Map: OS Explorer OL25 Eastbourne & Beachy Head
Links: Pevensey, Pevensey Castle, 1066 Country Walk

Now that my brother-in-law has moved to Eastbourne this is likely to be the first of several walks we’ll be doing in the area. We chose Pevensey Castle as a good meeting point near to the town and a great start for a flat countryside walk.

From the Pevensey Castle Car park, the walk starts in the grounds of the castle. It’s an English Heritage property but you only have to pay to enter the ruins of the main part of the castle. At the south-west end of the castle grounds take a right onto High Street and cross over the B2191. Here you’ll pick up the 1066 Country Walk which you’ll follow for 3km in a westerly direction to Stone Cross.

The Stone Cross section of the 1066 Walk is on the busy Dittons Road. It’s only for 800m though and you’ll be able to take a right back onto a footpath. After crossing the A27 Pevensey Bypass (crossing very carefully!) you’ll reach Sharnfold Farm with a Farm Shop and Cafe for a mid-point rest.

From Sharnfold Farm cross over the Hailsham road and into a large field. The path across the field wasn’t visible when we were there but it’s in a roughly north east direction crossing under the electricity lines. At the north end of the field the route follows a stream bed and through a farm into Hankham. Take a left onto Hankham Street and follow the road for 2km to Rickney.

Just before Rickney Road crosses the river and joins Rickney Lane take a footpath on the right. This follows Pevensey Haven River all the way back to Pevensey. This was extremely muddy on the day that we went so be sure to take boots if it’s even remotely damp. You’ll cross over the busy A27 for a final time before reaching Castle Road and back to the car park at the start.

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Richard gowerTrek, English Heritage, Sussex, EnglandComment
Cycling The Prime Meridian Part 1 - Peacehaven to Waltham Abbey
Obelisk at Peacehaven

Obelisk at Peacehaven

The Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, is the line of longitude defined as 0°. It’s the line that divides East and West. It’s also a line that I asked myself last Christmas: “can that be cycled"?”. The answer is “no” as it’s a dead-straight line with buildings inconveniently built along it's path. You can cycle quite close to it though, so that’s what we did.

If you want to walk it, there’s a well-signed path called the Greenwich Meridian Trail. The Trail is also very well described in a series of 4 books by Graham and Hilda Heap. The cycle route that I designed stays as close to the Prime Meridian as possible but avoiding footpaths and opting for quieter country roads over busy main roads. Even if you’re cycling I highly recommend the Greenwich Meridian Trail books as they’re a great guide to the interesting things to see along the way.

For the first stage of our cycle trip we started at Peacehaven, where the Meridian meets the sea at it’s most Southerly point. From there we headed north over 2 days to Waltham Abbey, just above the M25. The rest of it came in later trips covering 6 days. See the main Prime Meridian post for the full route

Day 1: Coast, Downs and Weald

Start: Prime Meridian Obelisk, 96 The Promenade, Peacehaven, BN10 8LN
Finish: The Bakery Restaurant and Rooms, Westmore Road, Tatsfield, Westerham, TN16 2AG
Distance: 75 km (47 miles)
Elevation change: + 1,013m / - 812m (Net +201m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Greenwich Meridian Trail, Newhaven-Brighton Clifftop Path, South Downs Way, Sussex Ouse Valley Way, Forest Way, High Weald Landscape Trail, Mid Sussex Link, Sussex Border Path, Tandridge Border Path, Greensand Way, Vanguard Way, North Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, 21
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but I recommend The Stable Tea Rooms, Heaven Farm, Furner's Green, Uckfield TN22 3RG (at km 34)
Maps:
- OS Explorer OL11 Brighton & Hove Map
- OS Explorer Map (135) Ashdown Forest Map
- OS Explorer Map (146) Dorking, Box Hill and Reigate Map
- OS Explorer Map (161) London South, Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham Map
Guidebook: Greenwich Meridian Trail Book 1: Peacehaven to Greenwich
Links: Wikipedia: Prime Meridian, The Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Peacehaven, Prime Meridian Obelisk, Tatsfield

Day 2: London

Start: The Bakery Restaurant and Rooms, Westmore Road, Tatsfield, Westerham, TN16 2AG
Finish: Waltham Abbey Church, 4 Church St, Waltham Abbey EN9 1DJ
Distance: 62.5 km (39 miles)
Elevation change: + 377m / - 585m (Net -208m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Greenwich Meridian Trail, Tandridge Border Path, London Loop, Capital Ring, Waterlink Way, Lewisham Promenade, Thames Path, Lea Valley Walk, Jubilee Greenway, The Greenway.
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, 13, 21, 4, CS2, CS3, CS16, CS23,
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but I recommend The Breakfast Club, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 29 East Bay Lane Canalside Here East, London E15 2GW
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (161) London South, Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham Map
- OS Explorer Map (162) Greenwich and Gravesend Map
- OS Explorer Map (174) Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map
Guidebook: Greenwich Meridian Trail Book 1: Peacehaven to Greenwich and Greenwich Meridian Trail Book 2: Greenwich to Hardwick
Links: Wikipedia: Prime Meridian, The Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Tatsfield, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Waltham Abbey

Prime Meridian markers on the route

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Disused Railway, Thames, South Downs, Surrey Hills AONB, Sussex, Surrey, London, Hertfordshire, EnglandComment
Rottingdean and Peacehaven Under and Over Cliff Walk
Looking west to Saltdean

Looking west to Saltdean

Start & Finish: White Horse Hotel, High St, Rottingdean, Brighton BN2 7HR, United Kingdom
Distance: 9.7 km (6 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 80 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): England Coastal Path, Newhaven-Brighton Clifftop Path, Undercliff Walk, Greenwich Meridian Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, Prime Meridian Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Smugglers Rest, South Coast Road, Telscombe Cliffs, Peacehaven BN10 7BE
Map: OS Explorer OL11 Brighton & Hove Map
Links: Rottingdean, Peacehaven, Prime Meridian Obelisk

This was a pleasant late afternoon walk for us ahead of the next day’s Prime Meridian Cycle Trip with my friend Brian. We had spent the day on Rottingdean Beach, mostly drinking Champagne and eating ice-cream. Timea had joined Brian and I for the day and I wanted her to see the Prime Meridian Obelisk before she headed home.

The return walk from Rottingdean to the Obelisk at Peasehaven is just under 10 km with both undercliff and cliff-top options to choose from. You can follow the cliff-top all the way but the undercliff option stops for a few kms between Saltdean and the Western edge of Peacehaven. We took the undercliff walk, as much as we could, to Peacehaven and came back on the cliff top.

See the next post for more on the Prime Meridian Obelisk at Peaceheaven.

Richard gowerTrek, Coast, Sussex, EnglandComment
South-East England parkruns

The parkrun Regionnaire status used to be a major part of parkrun tourism, with South-East England being the largest region. Changes in the parkrun website in 2019 removed the regions making it harder to track completion status. All is not lost though as here’s the complete parkrun guide to what’s in and what’s out of the counties of South-East England.

Completed counties may include those I have previously completed but have not yet been able to visit a new event yet.

As of June 2022, the total parkrun event numbers for each county are:

  • Berkshire: 10 parkrun events in the Present-Day county, 11 in the Historic County

  • Buckinghamshire, 11 parkrun events in the Present-Day county, 12 in the Historic County

  • Hampshire, 24 parkrun events in the Present-Day county (inc I.o.W), 26 in the Historic County

  • Kent, 25 parkrun events in the Present-Day county, 38 in the Historic County

  • Oxfordshire, 12 parkrun events in the Present-Day county, 7 in the Historic County

  • Surrey, 12 parkrun events in the Present-Day county, 26 in the Historic County

  • Sussex, 11 parkrun events in the Present-Day county of West Sussex, 5 in East Sussex and 5 in Brighton and Hove. 21 in the Historic County of Sussex

…giving a grand total of 115 parkrun events in the present-day counties of the South of England.

click on the link on each county name to go to the blog post for that county

Notes and exceptions.

  • Numbers of event above exclude prison parkruns and permanently cancelled events.

  • Bournemouth and Moors Valley parkruns were part of Historic Hampshire and would have been in Historic South-East England, but are now part of Present-day Dorset, so would be in the South West England region.

  • Hazelwood was part of Historic Middlesex and is now part of Present-day Surrey.

  • Parts of Historic Surrey and Kent are now part of Greater London. See the individual pages for those counties for the list of which events are now part of Greater London.

More parkrun posts

parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.

Featured and popular parkrun posts:

Richard gowerRun, parkrun, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, EnglandComment
Completing all Sussex parkruns
Sussex parkrun banner.JPG

There are currently 21 parkrun events in present-day Historic County of Sussex. The Historic County is now made up of 3 present-day counties:

  • East Sussex with 5 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Eastbourne which started on January 28th 2012 and the newest is Uckfield which started on May 4th 2019. I have only completed Uckfield.

  • West Sussex with 11 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Tilgate which started on June 9th 2012 and the newest is Wakehurst which started on April 20th 2024. I have completed 5 of these events.

  • Brighton and Hove with 5 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Brighton and Hove which started on November 3rd 2007 and the newest is East Brighton which started on December 8th 2018. I have completed 1 of these events.

The interactive maps below take you to the approximate location for the course, typically the centre of the park. See the course instructions in the parkrun page for each event for specific directions to the start. Course maps show the route at the time that I ran it and may have changed since then.

Bevendean Down

 

Bognor Regis

 

Brighton & Hove

 

Chichester

 

Clair

 
elevation_profile - Clair.jpg

East Brighton

 

East Grinstead

 

Eastbourne

 

Hastings

 

Horsham

 

Hove Promenade

 

Ifield Mill Pond

 
elevation_profile - Ilfield Mill Pond.jpg

Lancing Beach Green

 

Littlehampton Prom

 

Peacehaven

 

Preston Park

 

Seaford Beach

 

Tilgate

 

Uckfield

 

Wakehurst

 

Worthing

 

More parkrun posts

parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.

Featured and popular parkrun posts:

Richard gowerparkrun, Sussex, England, Run Comments
Butser Hill

Significance: Parent Peak of (among others): Bowsey Hill
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: Black Down. NHN = Black Down
Elevation: 270m
Date “climbed”: 30th March 2019
Coordinates: 50° 58' 40'' N, 0° 58' 49'' W
On route of: South Downs Way (just off)
OS Trig Pillar: TP0316 - Butser
Map: Chichester Map | South Harting & Selsey | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL08
Links: Wikipedia (Butser Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, Queen Elizabeth Country Park

I’d passed close by to the tops of Butser Hill on the Race To The King ultra marathon. It wasn’t close enough though to add some more distance to the 53 miles I had to run that day so I gave it a miss. Luckily it’s in warm-up distance of Queen Elizabeth parkrun at the Country Park of the same name so I returned a few months later.

Although Butser Hill is not the highest point in the South Downs National Park (it’s Blackdown at 280m), it is the highest point on the South Downs escarpment (source).

Richard gowerTrek, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, England, Trig PillarComment
Cycling The South Downs Way - Eastbourne to Bury Hill

Having completed half of the South Downs Way on Race To The King, I was keen to do the rest. I’d also attempted a cycle trip on the Trail about 13 years ago but abandoned it after 30 miles. Deep mud had slowed us down and, in pre-GPS days, we didn't know where we were. Not being one to be happy with unfinished business, I needed to complete the first 50 miles.

Day 1: Destination Ditchling

Start: Eastbourne Railway Station, Terminus Rd, Eastbourne BN21 3QJ
Finish: White Horse Inn, 16 West St, Ditchling, Hassocks BN6 8TS
Distance: 51km (32 miles)
Elevation Change: +1188m / -1140m. Net +48m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Weald Way, Vanguard Way, Sussex Ouse Valley Way, Mid Sussex Link
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 2
Map: OS Explorer OL25 Eastbourne & Beachy Head and OS Explorer OL11 Brighton & Hove
Guidebook: South Downs Way: National Trail Guide (National Trail Guides), The South Downs Way: Winchester to Eastbourne, Described in Both Directions
Links: National Trails South Downs Way, National Trail South Downs Way Mountain Bike Guide, Eastbourne, South Downs National Trust

It was Saturday so a parkrun had to be included in the plan. We chose Tilgate as it was a new one for both Mark and I and he needed a new letter for his Alphabet Challenge. By the time we’d done the run, picked up the bikes and got 2 trains we were in Eastbourne for 13:30. It was getting on a bit for this time of year so we didn’t hang around.

The first 14 km to Alfriston were familiar as I’d already covered them on the Beachy Head Marathon. Unlike my previous cycling attempt the ground was dry and mud-free. Even so, we were making slow progress as it had been a while since we’d been out on the bikes.

This was also a Trig Pointing adventure and we took the opportunity to bag some Trig Pillars on the route. There are 14 Trig Pillars on or close to the route. See below for the full list.

All went pretty well until Southease when Mark's bike decided to break. Going over a small bridge his back wheel lost a spoke and buckled. It didn’t take long to decide that the bike was “buggered” (technical cycling term) so we needed a Plan B. Luckily we had just passed a station and a train would be passing through shortly. Not having many other options Mark headed back home by train and I continued alone.

By now I was concerned about the daylight. It was already 17:00 with max 90 mins of daylight and at least 2 hours to go. I took on some of my emergency Haribo and tried to cover as much ground as possible with the remaining light.

By the time I’d reached the bridge over the A27 it was completely dark and I still had Ditchling Beacon to climb. The next hour was a mix of slow cycling and pushing. At the top of the hill the trail was wide and relatively smooth. The sky was clear and the chalky trail was easy to see. I found it easier to turn my lights off and let my eyes adjust to the twilight.

I’d reached Ditchling Road by 20:00. The pub where I was staying was at the bottom of the hill and I wasn’t looking forward to taking the road down. Instead I discovered a path that goes parallel to the road. This was possibly more dangerous in the dark as it was steep and rutted. Even with carefully pushing the bike I still almost slipped over at least 3 times. By 20:30 I’d made it to the White Horse in Ditchling. After a shower, wine and fish and chips I took advantage of now having the twin room all to myself.

Day 2: Ditchling to Bury Hill

Start: White Horse Inn, 16 West St, Ditchling, Hassocks BN6 8TS
Finish: Bury Hill Trig Point near Amberley
Distance: 45km (28 miles)
Elevation Change: +1147m / -1056m. Net +91m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Mid Sussex Link, Downs Link, Monarch’s Way, Wey-South Path, West Sussex Literary Trail
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 20, 223
Map: OS Explorer OL11 Brighton & Hove and OS Explorer OL10 Arundel & Pulborough
Guidebook: South Downs Way: National Trail Guide (National Trail Guides), The South Downs Way: Winchester to Eastbourne, Described in Both Directions
Links: National Trails South Downs Way, National Trail South Downs Way Mountain Bike Guide, Ditchling, Amberley, South Downs National Trust

Day 2 started with a full English Breakfast at the pub. This was mainly so I could make a Ditchling Bacon joke on WhatsApp. I’m still not convinced that my mates found it as hilarious as it deserved though.

On leaving the hotel I cycled back through the village, this time in daylight. Turning onto Beacon Road you get a great view of the imposing wall that is Ditchling Beacon. I was determined to get to the top without stopping or pushing and I made it. Just. The Beacon was my first trig point of the day after a very sweaty 2 miles.

In contrast to the previous day's overcast grey skies, today was sunny and clear. This would be a very different day altogether. There were similar amounts of ups and downs but it felt easier with a lot more smooth downhill stretches to pick up speed.

My second trig pillar was Devil’s Dyke at 13 km in. In my original planning I’d wanted to stay here only for the amusement of spending a night on Fulking Hill. The fact that the Devil’s Dyke Inn isn’t a hotel put an end to that. It was just as well given how late Day 1 turned out to be.

The rest of the day was a joyous trip along the South Downs. The warm early spring weather had brought a lot of people out walking, cycling or horsing(?) their way along the trail. I made a plan to say a cheery "hello" to everyone I passed to see their reaction. Horse-riders won with 100% "Hello"s back while walkers came joint second with mostly pleasant responses. Cyclists and runners came about even with either no responses or awkward grunts.

Amberley would be the natural destination for the first 50 miles of the Trail. I needed to go a bit further though as I needed to join the route of last year's Race To The King. The Ultra started a few miles South at Slindon, meeting the South Downs Way at Bury Hill. There's a Trig Point just off the Trail there so I made it my destination for this 2-day trip.

Trig Pillars on or near the South Downs Way (Eastbourne to Bury Hill)

All visited on this trip unless stated. Numbers in brackets show approximate kilometres from the start of the Trail at Eastbourne.

South Downs Way: Done

Map below: Blue = Beachy Head Marathon, Green = This cycle trip, red = Race To The King Ultra Marathon

Richard gowerCycle, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, Sussex, England, Trig PillarComment
Ditchling Beacon: East Sussex County Top

Significance: Highest peak in East Sussex (Present Day CT)
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: Leith Hill. NHN = Leith Hill
Historic County: Sussex (of which Black Down is the County Top)
Elevation: 248m
Date climbed: 24th March 2019
Coordinates: 50° 54′ 7.2″ N, 0° 6′ 25″ W
OS Trig Pillar: TP0760 - Ditchling
Map: OS Explorer OL11 Brighton & Hove
Guidebook: Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (East Sussex), Wikipedia (Ditchling Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

Ditchling Beacon is the County Top of present-day East Sussex. The high point of the Historic County of Sussex is Black Down, now the present-day county Top of West Sussex.

I'd first bagged bagged Ditchling Beacon in 2012 as a drive by on the way back from Devil's Dyke. There's free parking near the summit so it's easy to reach. I'd also had a few close passes while on the BHF London To Brighton Cycle Ride which goes up and over the hill on Ditchling Road.

It wasn't until my South Downs Way cycle ride that I felt that I'd properly bagged it. The early morning slog up the hill from Ditchling Village made me feel like I'd earnt it. The long views on a clear spring morning made it worth the effort too.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, Sussex, EnglandComment
Race To The King Ultra Marathon

When: June 24th 2018
From: Slindon Estate, Arundel, West Sussex
To: Winchester Cathedral, Winchester SO23 9LS
Distance: 86.1km (53.5 miles)
Elevation: +1,344m / - 1,380m. Net -36m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Monarch’s Way, South Downs Way, West Sussex Literary Trail, New Lipchis Way, Staunton Way, The Shipwrights Way, Long Woodland Trail, Wayfarers Walk, Allan King Way, Pilgrims’ Trail, Itchen Way, Clarendon Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 222, 224, 23
Maps:
- Ordnance Survey Explorer OL10 Arundel & Pulborough Map
- Ordnance Survey Explorer OL8 Chichester, South Harting & Selsey Map
- Ordnance Survey Explorer OL3 Meon Valley, Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham Map
- Ordnance Survey Explorer OL32 Winchester, New Alresford & East Meon Map
Trig Pillars: TP1105 - Beacon Hill, TP5226 - Old Winchester Hill, TP3089 - Exton
Finish time: 14 hours 49 minutes
Links: South Downs Way, Harting Down National Trust, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Beacon Hill Nature Reserve, Winchester

This was my 4th ultra and the 2nd in the Threshold Trail series. My first couple were a test, then reconfirmation, that I could do an Ultra. After the Gower I was happy to call myself an Ultra Marathon runner. From here on I’ll do them for the pure awesomeness of the events.

As a true introvert I’m not chatty on the events, defaulting to an inner game of getting through the run. Despite this I love the social aspect of the events. It’s the buzz of so many people taking on a major challenge, the support that everyone gives each other and the spectators cheering and helping anyone on the route.

Race To The King was a classic example of why I love these events. The South Downs Way is an iconic trail, the weather was amazing (albeit a little warm) and the organisation couldn’t be faulted.

The conditions couldn’t have been more different to October’s Gower Ultra. That was was damp and crippled my feet while this was bone dry. Despite being 3 miles long I’d completed this one nearly a hour quicker at 14 hours 49 mins. By the time I’d reached Winchester Cathedral I was in good shape and on a bit of a high.

Next Ultra: Race To The Tower 2019.

Start: Slindon Estate, Arundel

 

End: Winchester Cathedral

 
Richard gowerRun, Ultramarathon, Trig Pillar, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, Sussex, Hampshire, EnglandComment
Beachy Head Marathon

When: October 29th 2016
Where: Eastbourne
Course: Hilly! Mostly South Downs Way & other trails starting and ending at Bede's preparatory School in Eastbourne
Start & Finish: Bede's Prep School, Dukes Drive, Eastbourne, BN20 7XL
Distance: 42.2 km (26.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 1,099m
Other routes touched (walk): South Downs Way, Weald Way, Vanguard Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Finish time: 5:36
Links: Beachy Head Marathon, South Downs Way, Beachy Head, Eastbourne

trip-11708682-map-full.png
elevation_profile (1).jpg
Richard gowerRun, Marathon, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, EnglandComment