Three Forts Ridge Ride, South Downs
By Anthony Bishop & James Murnaghan
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| Physical | Technical | Fun | Scenery | Singletrack |
Rideability |
| **** | ** | **** | *** | ** |
**** |
Here is a good ride that starts from Devils Dyke near Brighton. The ride is a reasonably long for the South Downs and is not for the faint hearted; however it is mostly along good tracks and provides a great day out.
The ride utilises a lot of the South Downs Way between the Devils Dyke and Chanctonbury Ring (the first of the three forts), returning along less well-trodden trails. Please note that one very small part of this ride does use a section of public ground that is a footpath on top of Southwick Hill, its only about 700 yards but those of you that want to stay entirely legal this section is easily avoided. It does contain the best downhill of the day though and I can see no trouble in using the section, I have never seen a walker on it. I have not given a split distance for each leg because it would be a bit demoralising!.
Getting There
From the A27/A23 junction take the A27 West signposted Worthing, keep in the left hand lane and follow the signs to the Devils Dyke from the slip road roundabout. Nearest rail station is Portslade, which is about 4 miles from the start of the ride. Best way to get to the Devils Dyke from the station is to follow the road north from the station, go straight across the main road and take the first road to your left, from here follow this road straight on up a hill with a green to your left, at the top of the hill take the bridleway on your left in-between the parade of shops and Greenjacket pub, follow this cycleway north to the the Devils Dyke. (Remember if you take the train this will add 6 miles to the 39 mile route!)
Where's the Café
Best places to stop are the Devils Dyke (pub), Findon (pub and shops) or Upper Beeding (shops, 24hr garage with shop and nice flapjacks! or pubs).
The Route
Total Distance - 39 Miles
Duration - 4 - 6 Hours
You will need OS Landranger Map 198 or Explorer Maps 121 and 122
Click Here to see the map for the start point (GR 258 111 - Devils Dyke car park) You may use the arrows at the side of this map to follow the route as you read it.
- GR 258 111 - Start Devils Dyke car park, head south back down the road for 200 yards and join the South Downs Way (signposted) to you right through a gate. Follow this across a field, through a gate and along the top of the ridge, going downhill. Follow the undulating South Downs Way which is well signposted through three more gates (two of these might possibly be left open for the sheep to graze) to the top of Truleigh Hill, go past the Youth Hostel on your right and the track will become tarmac, follow this down until it bares sharply left, turn off the road straight ahead and almost immediately turn left through a gate again signposted South Downs Way. Follow this trail downhill through a gate and down to a main road.
- GR 197 096 - Turn left here and head for a lay-by on the opposite side of the road. Care here, as the traffic can be busy. Continue following the signs along the South Downs Way at the back of the Lay-by (water tap here if you want a drink!) and cross over a river. Follow the riverbank along for 300 yards and follow the South Downs Way out onto a small road (do not follow the downs link trail). Turn right onto the small road and follow it for ¼ of a mile slightly up hill until you pick up the South Downs Way again on the left as the road turn sharply to the right.
- GR 186 096 - Follow this up a steep hill through two gates and out onto a big field, follow the narrow path in the grass straight across the field and up a steep grassy uphill through a gate onto a small road, turn right along the road for about 500 yards.
- GR 163097 - Pick up the South Downs Way again off road to your left and follow this up a well made track, keep going straight following the obvious way signs up to the high point of Chanctonbury ring (a ring of trees). Follow the obvious trail past this over a cattle grid.
- GR 131 117 - 400 Yards past the cattle grid the South Downs Way bares to the right, ignore this and carry on straight down the hill, enjoying the decent.
- GR 123 104 - At the bottom where 4 bridleways meet take the left hand trail downhill
- GR 128 099 - At the bottom take the first bridleway to the right through a gate across a field and through one more gate, carry straight on to gallops farm and follow a concrete road slightly downhill.
- GR 126 091 - Take the first bridleway to the left off road uphill for ½ a mile.
- GR 139 094 - Turn right along a muddy (in winter) rutted (in summer) bridleway ¼ a mile until you reach the car park below Cissbury ring.
- GR 139 084 - Turn left past the car park for a great downhill under Cissbury ring. And follow this trail straight on across a small road until you come to a four-way junction. (GR 168 080)
- GR 168 080 - Carry straight on here through the gate and follow the trail for just over a mile to a cattle grid. Here turn off the trail onto grass to the right and follow the fence along the top of the hill (do not follow the trail downhill). Keep the fence to your right until the far corner of the field, where you go through a gate on your right, here you turn immediately left and after 10 yards left again down to a gate then down to one more gate by a very old church (GR 191 082). Go through the gate and field to the bottom left and through one more gate turning right to join a small road (GR 193 083). Turn left along the minor road until you reach the South Downs Way again (you were here earlier!).
- GR 194 094 - Turn right off the road and after 10 yards turn left off the South Downs way onto the Down Link trail (by a bench). Follow this to a busy road, at which you join it, turning left. Follow it for 200M until you come out by a big roundabout and entrance to Bramber castle.
- GR 185 105 -Turn right along a road into Bramber. Cross the river and carry on through Upper Beeding, past a garage to a roundabout. Turn left onto a main road and follow this for 500 yards.
- GR 201 101 - Care is needed here as after 500 yards the road baresaround to the left and you need to turn right (straight ahead) onto the bridleway / minor road between the houses. Follow this rough bridleway up (probably carrying much of the way) to where you cross your tracks again on top of Beeding Hill.
- GR 208 096 - This time you go straight across the road through a gate and onto a trail, follow this up hill, then down, then quite a steep up (through a gate), to the top. Take a right turn through a gate and head slightly up hill to one more gate. Go through this and downhill, through yet one more gate!
- GR 235 079 - This bit is hard to describe so bear with the complex description which should be clearer when you actually get there. Turn almost immediately left off the trail over a stile! (Footpath). Follow this straight ahead through the bushes and bear around to the right. Keep following this single track through the bushes until it spits you out into a clear grassy area. Now what you have to do it head very very steeply downhill to the left through the bushes to trail at the bottom (try heading for the gate!). Go through this gate turn right onto the farm track and after 100 years bear sharp left (almost back on yourself) through a gate and go up hill. Keep going straight on through 2 more gates; continue up Cookroost Hill on the main track. At the top with the junction on another track turn left uphill (North). For about 1 ½ miles to a gate. Go through the gate and bear right uphill across a big field. After ½ mile your back at the gate on the edge of the Devils Dyke, just retrace your earlier path back to the car park / pub for a well earned break!
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