Quiet roads that take you through beautiful towns and the countryside of Surrey and Sussex. This is an alternative route to the British Heart Foundation London to Brighton ride that takes place every Summer.

Distance: 67 km approx.

Map: OS Landranger 187 and 198. The route crosses between these two maps at Ardingly. Take an atlas for a more page-defined view of the route.

Start and finish: London, Croydon, Caterham or Brighton - the choice is yours

Terrain: This itinerary will take you along quiet country roads, through pretty Surrey and Sussex villages.

Places to eat: There are plenty of stops along the route, Pubs that will serve you a cold beverage and a good snack. The most opportune places to stop are marked on the map by a beer glass.

THE ROUTE

You have a number of options as to how you want to start the ride depending on where you are coming from. If you are driving or coming down from London, then park up in one of the many parking monstrosities you will find in the centre of town and take a train form East Croydon station to Caterham. These trains usually leave from platform 6 every 20 minutes or so and the journey is about the same length.

Alternatively if you are on your holidays and find yourself in Brighton and don’t want the hassle of having to get back from Brighton when you finish the itinerary, then get a direct train to East Croydon and change to Caterham.

The reason we have selected Caterham as our preferred starting off point is that this is where Greater London turns into the countryside of Surrey. It is very enjoyable cycling down through South London with thousands of two wheeled colleagues and crowds cheering you on from the sidewalk, but it doesn’t attain the same level of enjoyment when these throngs are replaced by four wheelers hogging the traffic ridden roads.

Caterham (N0.1) is the end of the line on which you have been travelling. Make you’re way to the top of the ramp, cross at the traffic lights to your left, go right, mount your bike and set off. Take Harestone Valley Road (N0. 2) on your left after 20 metres, verge to the right at the mini roundabout and continue along for about a mile. On your left you will pass Caterham school as you start up a slight hill, which curves its way upwards for a 600 metres or so. The road dips down and up again coming to a T junction. Take a right and continue to climb the steady hill, admiring the lush Caterham valley to your left. When you come to the junction at the top and have recaptured your breath, prepare for a long downhill run. Turn left, and being careful as the road is narrow follow the road down, over the M25 (No. 3) , until you reach a hamlet. Make a turn left into Brewer Street, past Place Farm and right at the next turn. Follow for one kilometre and you’ll come out in the centre of Bletchingly (No. 4).

Cross the main road and continue straight ahead. This road (No. 5) will take you as far as Copthorne, crossing first over a railway line, through Outwood (no. 6) where you can stop for refreshment at the pub, past the small village of Smallfield (No. 7) and across mostly flat ground to the intersection with the B2037 (No. 8) in the north of Copthorne. Take a left onto this road and right at the crossroads onto the B2028 (No. 9). Although no longer a country lane, after crossing straight over the roundabout, this road is great to cycle along and not particularly busy as it isn’t a commuter route. Along 100 metres the houses of Crawley Down (No. 10) will pass on your left, and the same distance again you’ll begin the steady climb to Turners Hill (No. 11). It’s time to treat yourself. Stop for a drink or some food at the pub in the centre, or the one on the right if you carry on another 400 metres.

Back onto your hearty stead take the right fork in the road (No. 12) after one kilometre, you’re still on the B2028. A long straight road takes you past wood and glen, the National Trust Wakehust Place is on your right before you follow the bend round to the left that takes you past the Agricultural Showground and onward into Ardingly (No. 13). If you didn’t rest yourself fully at Turner’s Hill then take a break in this beautiful town. Return here sometime to sample the delights of the castle and the Bluebell railway which is close at hand.

Out of the town the road arcs left then right, over a dismantled railway, and (careful here) when the road forks 700 metres further on, take the left one onto a smaller road (No. 14). This is Stone Cross and the diversion takes you around Haywards Heath rather than through it. Take a right at the T junction (No. 15), then the first left (No. 16) and straight on for one kilometre, taking the right fork at the next intersection (No. 17). You’ll pass a cemetery on your right two kilometres further. Pay your respects as you turn left onto the B2111 (No. 18), pedal 700 metres down the road turning right again (No. 19) and then taking the first left a few metres further on your left (No. 20) into Slugwash Lane.

Your next road negotiation takes place after four kilometres, at Wivelsfield. Turn left (No. 21) into the high street and if you’re feeling peckish stop at the pub on your left. If not then turn right and after 50 metres turn right again. The road curves right (No. 22) then left, past West Wood on your right, past some buildings and to a T. Turn (No. 23) right, follow along and take the second right after about 1000 metres (No. 25). Begin to prepare yourself as you negotiate this long flat road for the task ahead. Ditchling Beacon is coming into view and after the fairly Low Country like qualities of the last 30 miles or so, its a beauty or devil of a hill (whichever way you want to look at it). Turn right at the end of the road (N0. 25), continue to the centre of Ditchling and if you want, although I wouldn’t, take a break at the local pub on the right. I’d turn left straightaway, fork left at the junction (No. 26) and get my adrenaline running for the uphill onslaught.

It’s not that it’s a particularly difficult hill, it’s just that after 30 miles of leisurely ambling along, it’s not what you had on your list of priorities for the end of an enjoyable day trip. However if you do complete it, without stopping or pushing your bike, it gives an enormous sense of achievement, whilst you are safe in the knowledge that it’s all downhill from here. Admire the view (No. 27), take a deep breath and ready yourself for the route’s completion. Follow the road ahead along the brow of the hill and after three kilometres begin the descent into Brighton.

Over the A27 (No. 28) you’ll go, the houses of the city beginning to surround you, and if you carry straight on for five kilometres the London Road Train Station will be off to your right. I’ll assume though that if you’ve come all this way you’ll want to see the sea from Palace Pier, so ignore this way home and continue on until you come to the main road. Three lawns stretch away in front of you with the Royal Pavilion off in the distance to the right. Join the road and follow it straight down, past the Pavillion and to the seafront. Over the roundabout is the pier with the Aquarium (No. 29) off to your left. Buy yourself some heavily overpriced chips and beam from ear to ear at your success.

Unless you want to retrace your route the easiest way back to Caterham is the train. Be aware that some of the trains do not take bicycles!