CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY
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CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY
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Links re walking, cycling: I have put digital trace of sdw on Tracklogs website. SDW double (riding both ways) http://hazeii.net/sdd/index.html
Mtb site group forum http://www.petersfieldmountainbikers.org.uk Mtb site: incl videos of descents, general information, tips, routes Mountain biking :guide, b&b etc http://www.sussex-southdowns-guide.com/mountain-biking.html Trailbreak: supported day and night rides, 80 or 100 miles; http://www.trailbreak.co.uk/index.php Mountain bike ands cycle events organisers Site 'alternative' SDW route http://homepage.ntlworld.com/thebish0ps/docs/ Forum re BHF Randonnee, 2005 http://www.bikereader.com/forum/index.php?topic=1092.msg11344 Forum about off road; this link is re SDW, comments on riding it. http://z6.invisionfree.com/Sussex_Muddyarse/index.php?act=idx SDW 2000: thoughts about riding it http://www.offroadadventures-online.com/rr016.html SDW Randonnee training 2007 http://www.mtbdiary.co.uk/routes/south_downs_way_randonnee.asp Forum re riding SDW in a day / fastest time (10 hrs, or 23 hr both ways!) http://www.xcracer.com/forum.php?pgid=80&fp=viewtopic&pid=4169 Off road cycling club: http://www.meonvalleymtbclub.co.uk
Two links from Jimbo to 1) his club site and 2)his guiding business
Walk along SDW: has a page of 'B&B'. http://www.pchatfield.freeserve.co.uk/sdw/index.htm A 'walking' site about long distance paths including SDW: http://www.southernwalks.co.uk Aerial birds eye view photo: http://www.local.live.com Some amazing photos eg of cycling along cliff edge with 600ft drop http://www.stevepeat.com/?page_id=106 http://www.hansrey.com/latestadventures.htm General information about South Downs: http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/text.asp?PageId=30 http://www.visitsouthdowns.com/rte.asp?id=27 http://www.britainexpress.com/countryside/national-trails/south-downs.htm Book for walkers (also useful if cycle touring) 'South Downs Way' by Jim Manthorpe, Trailblazer Publications, bought in WH Smith £9.99; lots of useful info about places to stay, hand drawn maps, distances etc. www.trailblazer-guides.com Book for walkers, cyclist, horse riders, starts Eastbourne goes west to Winchester; lots of info, eg farriers, horse box parks etc South Downs Way , National Trail Guide, Paul Millmore The following items are arranged in a easterly direction Link below is to a map that I have created on Google 'my maps' showing location of 'places'. They are approximate due lack of detail of map, so consult OS map for better placing. Hope helpful any how. NB: June 19: noticed that quality of Google maps improved greatly. My 'blue line' now shows as a bit out in places, but purpose of this map is to locate 'things of interest' rather than definitive route of SDW, so please excuse (otherwise another few hours tweaking line !). Cheesefoot Head: In
April 1944, the vast natural amphitheatre at Cheesefoot Head was the scene of a
big US Army boxing tournament. Thousands of American and British troops filled
the steeply sloping banks to see Joe Louis, the heavyweight champion of the
world. Cheesefoot Head was also used by General Eisenhower to address the
American troops prior to D-Day. Location: on the A272 close to Winchester. for
more information: It is also now used for the Homeland pop festival in May /
June . http://www.hants.gov.uk/discover/d-day/visits.html
Old Winchester Hill: Bronze Age burial mounds - known as barrows - were erected on the crest of the hill between 4500 and 3500 years ago; see http://www.megalithic.co.uk and other websites Uppark House: late 17th century, fine views across to Solent, Isle of Wight, large fire in 1989, but restored with original techniques etc; HG Wells mother was house keeper, and rumored that Nelson's wife danced on the tables. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-uppark/
Murray Downland Trust: info about nature reserves, Heyshott Down, Beacon Hill http://www.murraydownlandtrust.org.uk/index.html
Devils jump: All along the South Downs Way it is worth watching out for the numerous Bronze Age barrows or Tumuli, visible as rounded mounds, and marked on the OS maps. Some of the best examples can be seen at the Devil's Jumps and Heyshott Down. (See map below) These are 3000 yrs old. NB: Photos are large files so to read writing ! http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/text.asp?PageId=30
Memorial to WW2 German pilot: (See map). By the side of the path is a memorial to Hauptmann Joseph Oestermann 1915 - 1940. Oestermann was flying a Ju88 bomber on Alder Tag (Eagle Day - the first day of the Battle of Britain) on 13th August 1940. He was shot down, probably by Pilot Officer Mayers of 601 Sq flying a Hurricane fighter from nearby Tangmere airfield. See link below for more info.
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/site.asp?PageId=26&SiteId=336&c=1
Memorial to 'Mark'.
Didling church: A beautiful very small shepherds church; very peaceful. worth detour, but down longish steep hill, and then back up again ! 13th century; http://sussex-churches.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/page2.html
http://www.ukattraction.com/south-east-england/st-andrews-church-didling.htm
Chalk balls: about 3/4 mile west of A286 crossing (just south of at Cocking) (see 'water taps' page, then just off to left of map of 'Cocking' water tap.): large 2m diameter chalk ball. Still trying to find out how formed. email me if you know. Thanks to Steve for info re chalk balls ! They are sculptures by Andy Goldsworth ! http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/sites.asp?PageId=26
Old, and not so old, 'finger posts': there are several old 'finger posts'. b) between Harting & Beacon Hill; a) two between Cocking and A.285; a1) dated 1922, near Littleton Down (Cocking to Bignor)
Full size thumbnail
a2) dated 1906 (?) near Heyshott Down (Cocking to Bignor)
b) Near Beacon Hill, Harting Down
d) Stane Street (Bignor Hill)
e) Chantry post
Toby's stone: situated on Bignor Hill. (marked on OS map); It is in the form of a mounting block. James Wentworth TOBY, who was master of the Cowdray Hunt. It had been vandalised so now a new one has been laid.
large thumbnail of stone
Amberley Museum, James Bond film: Some of 'A view to a kill' was filmed here. See also Museum website for other exhibits in the quarry museum. http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/features/2006/bond/bond.html http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/movies/avtak_production.php3 http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk/exhibits/pumps.html
On Amberley Mount, nature reserve.
Chanctonbury RingChanctonbury Ring is another site with a long history. It was used intermittently from the Neolithic until the Roman occupation. It was during the Roman period that two temples, thought to be dedicated to a boar cult, were built within the old Iron Age fort. The first of the famous beech trees were planted in 1760. http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/text.asp?PageId=30
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