Meet: 08:00 London Victoria ticket office for the 08:17 train to Chichester map. The same train leaves East Croydon at 08:33.

Distance: 32 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

This ride is based on a route taken from the rough ride guide of mountain bike rides in the South East. The ride features bridleways, singletrack, sections of the South Downs Way and fire roads to the north of Chichester.

The guide says 'There are a few long tough climbs. However this means there are some great descents.' Check out the route here

Pub lunch.

Mountain bikes only.

Report

Ian, Tim, Rob and Mark

I had intended to do a mountain bike ride from Amberley to Arundel today but the trains weren’t going to oblige us by taking us to Amberley today. Well the same great hills are also accessible from Chichester albeit from farther down the track and the off road stuff a little further away from the station than would have been the case if we were able to get to Amberley.

We set off from Chichester at about 10:00. About 5 miles up the road from Chichester we turned onto a farm track and began our climb to Kingley Vale. Three punctures within a hundred meters had us counting our luck as well as our inner tubes. Just before Bow Hill we were treated to our first fantastic view over Chichester and its cathedral to Chichester Harbour and the Channel beyond.

There were some long tiring climbs today with a mixture of surfaces including clay, chalk (both solid and loose), roots, grass and a little mud. But all climbs have a descent and the longer the climb the better the descent. Our route took us to Chilgrove and then through Westdean Woods and up briefly onto the South Downs Way before descending again through Westdean Woods and whizzing through Singleton Forest into Charlton.

Lunch was at The Fox Goes Free in Charlton. After lunch we had 4 miles of road riding up through Goodwood Park and around the perimeter of the race course before taking another bridleway over St Roche’s Hill. St Roche’s Hill afforded us our second fantastic view over Chichester, its cathedral and harbour to the sea. After this it was downhill all the way back to Chichester on a bridleway that shadowed the River Lavant and went around the side of Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit. We arrived back at Chichester Station at 16:15.

I’ll try to get the ride from Amberley organised for some time in October or November.

Thanks everyone for a great day out.

Ian.