National Cycle Route: Brighton to Camber - Cycling in East Sussex: Coastal Route Guide
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eastsussex.gov.uk
route
2
Cycling in East Sussex:
Coastal Route Guide
National Cycle
Route:
Brighton to CamberBrighton – Saltdean Undercliff to Rottingdean and on to
From the bustling seafront at Saltdean instead of following the A259.
Brighton, with its ornate Royal Saltdean – Cuckmere
Pavilion and blend of Georgian and From Saltdean, it’s upwards again to
Victorian architecture, the promenade Telscombe Cliffs (where Pinky intended
cycle route heads eastwards, past to murder Rose in Graham Greene’s
Brighton Pier and alongside the Volks Brighton Rock) and Peacehaven where
Electric Railway, towards the marina. you will cross the Meridian Line. You
Here you come across the first of the enter Newhaven alongside the town’s
many chalk cliffs that define this area West Quay. Follow Riverside, go over
of southeast England, fringing the the swingbridge and past the ferry
coast for more than twenty miles, to port. From here the route runs along
Beachy Head just outside Eastbourne. Railway Approach and The Drove where
Continuing eastwards, the Undercliff it is taken off-road all the way through
Walk at the base of the cliffs is for the Ouse Estuary and along the new
pedestrians only* – for cyclists, cycle track to Bishopstone railway
a cycle track runs alongside the bridge. A segregated cycle route runs
undulating cliff-top main road. It for much of the length of Seaford
passes the imposing neo-Gothic seafront, towards Seaford Head.
edifice of Roedean School on its way Soon after rejoining the road in
to Ovingdean roundabout then heads Seaford, you pass a Martello Tower,
past Rottingdean Windmill and down one of a number of 19th-century
into the village of Rottingdean. It was circular fortifications built by the army
here that Rudyard Kipling, author of to defend the south coast and now
The Jungle Book and the first British the town’s museum. You are soon
writer to receive the Nobel Prize for directed left on to a short section of
literature lived for much unadopted road, and on through an
of his adult life. attractive residential area, bound to
Leaving Rottingdean, the road one side by open heathland and the
rises steeply before dropping down golf course. Rejoin the busy A259
again into Saltdean. On the left is which drops steeply down into the
the Saltdean Lido, widely held as Cuckmere Valley, providing a great
an excellent example of Art Deco view of the river’s textbook meanders.
architecture. The well preserved, Seven Sisters Country Park
ocean liner-like structure is one of
several 1930s buildings in Saltdean The Seven Sisters Country Park is
constructed in the ‘Hollywood named for the seven undulating
Modern’ style. The Undercliff Walk chalk cliffs that stretch from Birling
emerges from a pedestrian subway Gap to Cuckmere Haven, where
immediately opposite the Lido. the meandering, fast-flowing River
Cuckmere reaches the sea – the
* Families and less confident cyclists name Cuckmere is derived from ‘quick
may want to dismount and walk along mere’. The flat floodplain is in fact
2a mixture of natural and man-made disused railway line that forms part
features. The river meanders were cut of NCN21) towards Berwick station.
off in 1846 to form a canal and the Quiet country lanes are used towards
straight ditches were dug by farmers Arlington and then shortly you pass
to contain grazing animals. A shingle within 100 metres of Abbot’s Wood, a
bank at the river mouth to prevent good stopping point for a picnic lunch
flooding of the low-lying fields is also or a chance to explore the well-marked
maintained by man. woodland walks.
The park is a popular location for a Beyond here, the Long Man of
number of outdoor activities including Wilmington comes into view, a
walking, cycling and canoeing. While giant human figure of disputed age
National Cycle Network Route 2 (NCN2) and origin, carved into the chalk
cuts inland at this point, the Seven escarpment ahead. Quiet lanes lead
Sisters Country Park is well worth eventually to a woodside track that
exploring in its own right, not least takes you to the Eastbourne bypass
for the surprisingly rapid variation in at Polegate which is crossed via a
geography. It includes dramatic and bridge. You follow a succession of
stunning chalk cliff-top walks, most roadside cycle paths to Eastbourne
notably to the 160m-high Beachy seafront and then head eastwards
Head and along the Seven Sisters; past two Martello towers and the
the magnificent meandering river; Sovereign Harbour development to
downland and forest walks and rejoin the A259.
quintessential English country villages. Alternatively, from Polegate go
The park adjoins Friston Forest, which via Shepham Lane (traffic-free) to
offers wonderful nature trails and Rickney and on to Pevensey. East of
woodland tracks, many of which are Eastbourne, the undulating chalk
designated for off-road cycling. landscape gives way to the flat and
Alfriston towards Eastbourne marshy Pevensey Levels. The route
The NCN2 now takes you past the initially follows a combination of
western fringes of Friston Forest, onto cycle tracks and some busier sections
the charming village of Litlington. The of road through Pevensey Bay and
tourist honeypot of Alfriston, with its past the ruins of Pevensey Castle,
14th-century church and Clergy House, which dates from Roman times but
makes a welcome diversion just is predominantly Norman, with walls
beyond here, if only for its numerous 3.5m thick. The nearby Mint House is
tea shops, along with nearby Berwick where Norman coins were produced.
Church, famously adorned with vivid You are now, as the signs proclaim, in
paintings by Bloomsbury artists 1066 country.
Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. Having Pevensey – Hastings
crossed the A27 immediately beyond From Pevensey you follow the coastal
Drusilla’s Zoo Park, follow signs for road that runs alongside the railway,
the Cuckoo Trail (a superb 11-mile passing the De La Warr Pavilion and on
3to the Bulverhythe Coastal Link between to reach the park. Emerging on to the
Bexhill and Hastings which is part of a road near Fairlight Church, you drop
Sustrans project to bring the national down steeply past Fairlight Cove,
cycle network into communities. taking in the spectacular views of the
Hastings is famous for the events of coastline ahead, which include the
1066 although the battlefield, one unlikely sight of the nuclear power
of the defining moments in English plant at Dungeness in the distance.
history, is actually in Battle, north of The road flattens into Pett Level, where
the town. William the Conqueror was so you join a flat section of coastal road,
confident of victory when he invaded running for about two and a half miles,
England, that it is believed he carried behind raised coastal defences.
pre-fabricated wooden forts in his At Winchelsea Beach, turn inland for
ships. One of these structures probably a couple of miles, around the base
became the first Hastings Castle and of the fortified town of Winchelsea.
possibly Britain’s first Norman castle The town was originally built on the
although today’s ruins at West Hill coast, but was destroyed by a great
cliff give little idea of the size and storm in 1287 and those who survived
importance of the original building. relocated the town on a nearby
The town is steeped in history, not hilltop. If you’re feeling energetic, it’s
just as the site of the battle, but also well worth the climb up to explore
as the most westerly of the Cinque this exceptionally pretty and unspoilt
Ports. These were a confederation town, the final resting place of the
of towns set up to protect shipping comedian, Spike Milligan. NCN2 takes
routes in the Channel and defend you past Winchelsea Station and onto
England at its closest point to the a pleasant 2-mile section of bridleway
continent. In places, Hastings retains that runs to Rye along the base of a
some of the medieval character steep cliff-like slope, which did in fact
that reflects its former importance, mark the coastline until the area was
particularly in Old Town, with its reclaimed from the sea by drainage in
unusual fishermen’s huts and the the Middle Ages.
ramshackle High Street. Rye – Romney Marsh
Hastings – Winchelsea Rye is extremely pretty, but can be
The funicular railway at the eastern busy so take care on the road sections.
edge of the town – which claims to be Lamb House was the home of the
the steepest in Britain – provides the American novelist Henry James and
easiest route for you and your bike the Mermaid Inn was the haunt of
up the sandstone cliffs to Hastings smugglers who sat with loaded pistols,
Country Park, 600 acres of unspoilt openly defying the local excisemen.
countryside with splendid views, cliff- As you leave the town, take the
tops, glens and farmland. Cyclists clearly signed route down the stairs
following NCR2 have a long and hard at Landgate, over the River Rother
climb up through residential roads and onto a bridlepath. This provides
4a traffic-free route across the Romney Camber in a very long day. However
Marsh to Camber with its stunning it would be easy to break it up into
wide sandy beach and dunes – don’t shorter sections, using the train
forget your swimming costume! to enable you to do one way trips
At Camber the route rejoins the road, for example Brighton to Seaford or
then at Jury’s Gap, a short way beyond Eastbourne to Hastings.
Camber, turn inland for further traffic- Tourist Information Centres
free cycling across the marsh to Lydd Brighton: 09067 112255
in Kent. A thousand years ago Romney Seaford: 01323 897426
Marsh was a vast area of reeds and Eastbourne: 0871 663 0031
water, today it is a flat landscape (calls charged at 10p per min from BT
stretching out under an immense land lines)
sky, defended from the sea by a bank Hastings: 01424 451111
of shingle dotted with sheep and Bexhill-on-Sea: 01424 732208
skylarks. Rye: 01797 229049
First impressions of this flat and bleak Cycle Hire
landscape can be deceiving, but think
Cuckmere Cycle Company, Seven
of Romney Marsh as a mysterious
Sisters Country Park: 01323 870310
wilderness and you’ll soon start to
see it in a different light that is well Rye Hire, 1 Cyprus Place: 01797
worth exploring. If you do so you’ll 223033
encounter some unusual and isolated Cycle Shops
churches, used by 17th-century There are bike shops all along the way
smugglers who illegally traded local from Brighton to Rye. For the most
wool for brandy from France. The area up-to-date information call the Tourist
is also noted for its birdlife, including Information Centres listed above.
divers, waders and breeding terns.
Train access Cyclists’ Code on shared-use paths
A good rail service runs along the Carry a bell. Don’t surprise people—
East Sussex coast, which means ring your bell or call out, remember
you’re never that far away from a train that many people are hard of hearing
station. This makes it possible to or visually impaired—don’t assume
tackle the route in small chunks or its that they can see or hear you. Don’t
entirety. Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne expect to cycle at high speeds, be
and Hastings offer the main access to prepared to slow down and stop if
and from London. necessary. Give way and leave plenty
of room for walkers, horses and
National Rail Enquiries:
people with disabilities. Slow down at
08457 48 49 50
junctions and bends. Dismount where
How long will it take? requested. Leave plenty of room for
Experienced cyclists could tackle walkers and people with disabilities.
the 70-mile route from Brighton to Slow down at junctions and bends.
Dismount where requested.
5Coastal Routes austere beauty of Pevensey Levels
Running along the East Sussex coast and Romney Marsh.
from Brighton to Camber, National Along the way you’ll discover quiet
Cycle Route 2 includes many country lanes, beautiful riverside and
delights such as dramatic chalk woodland tracks plus of course many
and sandstone cliffs, the stunning picturesque villages and genteel
South Downs, quiet beaches, and the seaside towns.
6HEATHFIELD
Dallington Brightling Rye
Forest Needle
Brede High B20
Wood 89
Darwell Wood RYE
Sugar-Loaf
Folly
Camber Sands
Leisure Park
89
B2 0
Netherfield Camber Castle
ROAD
B2
24
Camber
4
NDON
A2
Winchelsea
B2096
Camber Sands
1(
T)
59
A2
OLD LO
Rye Harbour
ROAD
Nature Reserve
HAROLD
Winchelsea
A2100
Spray’s
Wood
T ROAD
HASTINGS A2
8
Doleham Icklesham
DM
DEA ANS LANE
A271 Battle 59 RYE
A26 8
A2 LOVE LA NE
KIN
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THE GR
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Battle Great Wood NUE
KING'S AVENUE
S E Circular Route (On Road)
LO
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B2 POTTINGFIELD ROAD
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B 209 5 National Cycle Network (On Road)
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pointing downhill)
D
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A 26 9
HAILSHAM HASTINGS LC Railway (with Level Crossing)
Hastings R ROA
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B2 Hastings
Follow Road Sign as Marked
Warrior Square
Circular Route (On Road)
Cliff Railway House of Interest
(T)
West St Leonards
A 259
Traffic Free Sections
Church
Museum
59
A2 National Cycle Network (On Road)
Castle
Battle Site
Wilmington
Wood Pub
Bexhill
A259
A Road Recreational Railway Station
59
A22
BEXHILL
A2
Collington
House of Interest
il
Hastings Railway Station (with name)
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B2244
B Road
Museum
Cucko
Cooden Beach
Rough Minor Road (arrow indicates steep hill Take Care!
Tr pointing downhill)
a ck
Battle Site
LC Railway (with Level Crossing) Tourist Information Centre
A27 Normans Bay
(T) Hastings Recreational Railway Station Car Parking
Follow Road Sign as Marked
21 A27(T)
B
04
Hastings Railway Station (with name)
Pevensey
Polegate Castle
Glynde Church
Pevensey Bay
Pevensey Countryside Take Care!
Westham Centre
Kingston Pevensey & A27(T) Castle
Westham
A2
Abbots Tourist Information Centre
27
1 Wood
0
19 Pub Bexhill
B2
59
A22
Car Parking
Iford BEXHILL
A2
Collington
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A202
s 21 A27(T)
B
W 04 Hastings Railway Station (with name)
ay
1
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Polegate Castle
Pevensey Bay Take Care!
Pevensey
Westham
Pevensey & Tourist Information Centre
Westham
A2
A2 6 ( T
Redoubt Fortress )
27
Car Parking
1
0
19
B212
Eastbourne Alfriston Long Man B2
ROTTINGDEAN Chalk Figure
A2
3
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59
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03
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Cycling in East Sussex
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