Contents of this page:

1. Main Road Information

 
2. Recommended Routes

Links to Other Pages on this site:

• Cycle & Cycling-related Shops

 
• Tea Shops

 
• Arun-Adur Section information page.

Main Road Information

The A24 Dual carriageway

I, personally, tend to use the A24 dual carriageway as it provides quick access north and south through West Sussex even though it is not particularly safe for cyclists. You can bypass bits of it at Findon, Washington, Ashington, Dial Post and Southwater.
At Findon, you can miss out the busy roundabout by cycling on the old A24 through Findon village. However, there is no right turn onto the A24 at the north end of the village but there is a footpath and a break in the central barrier - take care!
At Washington, you can use the old A24 again which runs from the village at the bottom of the Downs to the exit at the top. When travelling north, you can turn right with care at the top of the Downs and use the "buses only" lane to descend to Washington. If still heading north, you can then cross the A24 by taking the 'No through Road' opposite the garage on the A283 and take the under-pass which brings you out by the Chardonnay restaurant.
The dual carriageway gets noticeably busier each year, however there is a wide margin alongside some(!) of the road which gives you a little extra space but watch out for debris!
At Ashington, you can also miss out the climb on the A24 by using the old main road through Ashington village re-emerging at the slip-lane from the northern roundabout.
Still going north, you can use the old road through Dial Post opposite the Old Barn Nurseries re-emerging on the A24 about a mile further north. Alternately, you can turn left into Swallows Lane in the centre of Dial Post and continue up Pound Lane to the A272 where you cross over into Shipley Road which takes you straight into Southwater. This misses out a whole chunk of the A24.
Despite recent improvements and re-surfacing, there is still no proper cyclepath alongside the A24 !!

Note: Plans have been passed for the crossings at Dial Post, Knepp Castle and A272 to be closed and underpasses constructed. Let us hope they provide plenty of access for cyclists!

The A27 Dual Carriageway

This road has become much busier since the last section of the Brighton Bypass was completed in 1996. There is a sort(!) of cyclepath on the south side of the A27 from the Sussex Pad Hotel on the Shoreham Bypass to Lancing. The section through the northern suburbs of Worthing is a wide single carriageway and the traffic here is quite often slower than the 40mph limit, so cycling is O.K. even if the air quality isn't up to much.
You can use the old A27 from Clapham Common up to Angmering but then you are expected to cross the dual-carriageway onto a narrow and slightly bumpy cyclepath on the south side of the A27. Then you are expected to re-cross the dual-carriageway at Poling Corner, west of Angmering to emerge on the main road by The Plough & Sail PH at Crossbush. The short stretch of main road over the railway and into Arundel is not very nice at all as it is quite narrow and very busy.

The A283

Starting from Shoreham, this is a very useful wide road and bits of it can be bypassed, i.e., through Bramber village and Steyning village(although Steyning High Street is a nightmare due to parked vehicles). After Steyning, the road becomes very narrow and a bit too dangerous for cycling.
It is a great pity that you cannot get through the very pretty Mouse Lane from the western end of Steyning High Street to Chanctonbury Ring Road at Wiston because of Wiston House and their 'Private Drive'!

The A259

The coast road gets very congested during the rush hours but it is an alternative to the A27. The non-dual carriageway sections can be quite narrow and it is probably better to use the seafront South Coast Cycle Route(see below).

South Coast Cycle Route

This is an attempt by West Sussex to pacify cyclists and try to keep motorised traffic flowing(shades of King Canute!).
Generally speaking, the cycle route follows the sea-front and is actually on the sea-front in places so look out for wandering unobservant pedestrians and extended dog-leads!!
However, at Ferring the Cycle Route sends you on a detour via the A259 dual carriageway and the town centres of East Preston and Rustington - not nice!

Back to Contents

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Recommended Routes

Amberley & River Arun

Coombes Lane & Annington Road

Shoreham, Mill Hill & South Downs Way

Downs Link

Steyning Bostal

Mouse Lane

Spithandle Lane

School Lane, Pepper Lane & Grinders Lane

Amberley & River Arun

A good family 15 or 17mile ride on quiet country lanes with wonderful views starting from Amberley station where you can visit the Working Museum or take tea at the riverside Houghton Bridge tearoom.
Head west across the old pack-horse bridge into Houghton village where you turn right just before the pub and cycle alongside the River Arun to Bury. Turn left at the little crossroads and then turn right and immediate left at the A29 main road - take care! In West Burton, which is a bit hilly, bear right twice to head north or turn left and cycle about a mile to visit Bignor Roman Villa - retrace to West Burton after your visit and turn left to get back on route. Head north all the way to the T-junction at Coates Common where you turn right by the car park. Cycle through Coates to the B2138 T-junction. Take care turning right as it is a blind brow and cycle half a mile to the first left to Coldwaltham. Descend the hill to the A29 and take care crossing over the main road to Brook Lane. Continue along this picturesque lane, crossing the old pack-horse bridge at Greatham with it's wonderful views of the River Arun valley and the South Downs.
For a short ride, take the next right across Greatham Common followed by the next right opposite Parham Park and descend to Rackham where you take the right to Amberley.
For a longer ride with a bonus of a mid-ride break, continue along Brook Lane and turn first left at Wiggonholt Common. At the grass triangle junction at the A283, join the main road heading north and turn first left after about 300yds into the RSPB Pulborough Brooks Visitors Centre where you can enjoy tea and cakes while watching lots of wildlife - it can also be used as a start and finishing point for this ride.
To continue with the ride, return to the main road and turn right and right again at the grass triangle. At the T-junction, turn right and retrace along Book Lane to the first left to Rackham. Cycle past the gates of Parham Park and past the first right to the second right to Amberley.
Take the right to Amberley passing The Sportsman and after the sharp left bend, the Black Horse public houses which brings you to the B2139. Cycle the last mile along the B-road past the Amberley Working Museum back to the station.
Note: This B-road can be quite busy at times.
 
 

Coombes Road and Annington Road

A very pleasant, but slightly hilly lane, leading north through the South Downs from Shoreham to Bramber. A good starting point is the car park and cafe at Shoreham Airport Main Terminal.
Leave the terminal building by turning left and cycling around the perimeter road to the traffic lights on the A27 main road. After crossing the main road, head north past Lancing College and follow the winding country lane all the way to Maudlyn Lane. It gets a bit hilly at the northern end but this can be bypassed by taking to the Downs Link just after St. Botolphs church.
To make a circular 7mile(10kms)ride, take the turning onto the Downs Link and return to Shoreham following the River Adur. You will have to cross the river by the footbridge in order to continue south on the Downs Link.
To return to Shoreham Airport, turn right at Shoreham to cross the old wooden tollbridge and turn first left onto the airport's perimeter road, following this back to the terminal.
 
 

Red Lion, Shoreham, Mill Hill and the South Downs Way

This is an excellent ride for experienced riders and is metalled(covered in tarmac!) except for the South Downs Way.
Leave the Red Lion going east along Upper Shoreham Road and take the second left into Erringham Road. Then climb(!) up Mill Hill over the A27 dual carriageway and on past Effingham Farm to the top of Beeding Hill. While taking in the views, you can decide whether to take the rough descent to Upper Beeding or to continue on past Truleigh Hill to the track that descends Edburton Hill, both of which lead down to the Upper Beeding-to-Fulking(93k photo) road or to carry on even further to Devil's Dyke or to simply return the way you came! All except the first bit requires a mountain bike, but whichever option you take they all give unsurpassed views across Sussex!
Should you continue to Devils Dyke and you still feel fit(and a bit daring!) you can take the road east from the Dyke, descend to the sharp left to Poynings and continue through Fulking to the A2037 main road leading back to Upper Beeding. You can then take the steep(!) climb back up Beeding Hill and return the way you came to the Red Lion or head for the A283 Bramber bypass and join the Downs Link at a couple of places on the right south of the roundabout. This will take you back to Shoreham's old wooden tollbridge near to the Red Lion.
 
 

Downs Link

This is a well-documented off-road ride which is now in many bits and pieces due to development and road schemes. Starting from the southern end, I will describe the route northwards:-
 

Part 1
At the southern end, the Downs Link starts at the Shoreham's old wooden tollbridge near the Red Lion public house. Ride north along the east side of the River Adur until you reach the footbridge. The best option now is to cross the footbridge and then continue north on the west bank of the river. Stay on the main path for about 400yds and then fork left so as to emerge on the A283 amongst some bushes. At this point you can simply return or turn right and re-join the path on the east bank at the lay-by just after the roundabout at the eastern end of the Bramber by-pass.
 
Part 2
To continue up the Downs Link, cross the A283 to get to the pathway in the bushes on the other side but take great care. Now continue westwards to the Bramber Castle roundabout and cycle up Roman Road alongside the castle. At the top of the lane, turn right into Jarvis Lane and then follow the Downs Link signs up Kings Barn Lane.
At the small hump-back bridge, turn right and descend to the Downs Link pathway. The road gets pretty rough and muddy in wet weather as it heads north-east over the River Adur and on to Henfield where it emerges in Sandy Lane.
 
Part 3
In Henfield, turn left into Lower Station Road and then right into Station Road. The next part of the Downs Link is roughly opposite you and starts with a sharp descent to the path which runs across fields, re-crosses the Adur at Betley Bridge and then ends at Homelands Farm, Partridge Green where you have to turn left to the B2135.

 

Part 4
Turn right onto the B2135 and then fork left down to the Downs Link just before the bridge at Partridge Green. You are now on the longest and least interrupted stretch of the Downs Link which runs from Henfield right through to Southwater. The first section that runs from Henfield to West Grinstead can get very muddy.
After this point, most of the path has been covered in gravel right up to Copsale where you should take care crossing Bar Lane by The Bridge House inn. Get into your lowest gear for the climb up from the road otherwise you will be walking! The Downs Link now continues to the A24 underpass where you are on a tarmac surface up to Cripplegate Lane. Refreshments can be had directly opposite at the Southwater Park cafe but take care when crossing the road.

 

Part 5
The Downs Link does continue as far as Guildford so on leaving Southwater Park, cycle through the overflow car park and up the embankment on your left. This gets you back onto the path of the old railway line which continues as far as the new Health Centre which has been built directly on the path. If possible, proceed straight on under the old railway bridge to stay on the Downs Link. However, due to new construction works, you may have to turn left and then right through the car park emerging at the crossroad on the Worthing Road. If so, cross over into Church Lane and then cross the playing fields on the right to get back to the Downs Link.
After nearly a mile, you next find the entrance to Bax Castle public house on the right and further on you run alongside the main railway line at Christs Hospital where you follow signs for the Station. The Downs Link continues on the other side of the main line to Slinfold, Rudgewick and Cranleigh but then it becomes a bit obscure on the last few miles alongside the River Wey to Guildford.

Close your eyes, turn up the sound and listen to this video - A steam train on the Downs Link again!