Outdoor activities - Downs & Weald (London to Hastings)

Type of route: 60% traffic-free
Length: 105 miles 
Gradient: Mixed – some difficult hills
Time needed: Allow three to four days 
Access: Train stations in London, Brighton, Newhaven, Eastbourne and Hastings
National Cycle Network route numbers: 2, 21

The Downs & Weald cycle route takes you from the Cutty Sark on the banks of the River Thames in Greenwich along new routes in parks and over bridges in South London. The route continues along the Pool and Ravensbourne Rivers, over the north downs and onto the south coast, linking London with Hastings via Brighton and Eastbourne. This route links with the London Thames and Garden of England cycle routes.

A National Cycle Network map for this route is available from the Sustrans Online shop (www.sustransshop.co.uk/).

More cycling in the region

Winding, quiet country lanes and pathways enable you to discover quintessentially English villages nestled deep into the corners of this region. Follow the picturesque Cuckoo Trail through East Sussex or the Meon Valley off Road Cycle Trail in Hampshire.

The New Forest too has a number of great routes through ancient woodland. Visit the website of Capital Sport (www.cyclingtoursuk.com) for 30 something tours covering rural Kent and its historic coast, and the River Thames from its source to the sea.