Please be clear that while all are welcome to join us we each take part in rides at our own risk.
Sunday 12 June 2011
Barnham Circular via Littlehampton and Arundel
This ride will provide the answer to one of cycling’s great mysteries: how do you get from Myddleton-on-sea to Littlehampton without using the main road? The answer is, walk along the beach. Read on…
We meet at Barnham station and ride to the coast on an excellent cycle track, which takes us over Lydsey Rife and into Flansham. We’ve used this track before, but the good quality surface has been extended over the whole route since our last visit, making it an even nicer ride.
Lovers of lanes can drool over Stanover, Hoe, Flansham, Worms and Ancton, which will get us through Myddleton and onto the beach. Once we hit the serious pebbles, walking for half a mile or so is the only option.
We can re-mount once we reach Climping beach, where we will take a short detour to view the strange collection of ancient (or pastiche?) buildings which make up the Bailiff’s Court Hotel. Then via Bread, Brookpits and Crookthorn Lanes to the bridge over the Arun at Littlehampton.
Here we find a welcome sight, the Arun View Hotel for lunch. There’s a wide menu but don’t indulge too much, there are a couple of hills to come and a possible cake stop by the river at Arundel.
We head north from Littlehampton, using some handy back alleys to avoid the traffic. As we cross the A259 on the Wick roundabout, look out for the Body Shop depot on the left. Then through Lyminster where we make a slightly awkward right turn off the main road onto a track; watch out for traffic!
The track provides a traffic-free route to Poling, a fairly isolated village where smart 20th century houses rub shoulders with an older agricultural heritage. Next we cross the A27 again, watch out for traffic. Blakehurst Lane takes us through some beautiful woodland and then we start a fairly gentle climb. Just when you’re beginning to wish it would end, it does: the road turns sharp left and we roll down through Warningcamp towards the river. Look out for a fine view of Arundel Castle.
A half mile amidst the traffic on the A27 gets us into Arundel itself. Note the catholic Cathedral as we meander through the back streets towards the western exit from the town.
Now for the one serious hill on this ride: it takes us through a housing estate. I recommend walking. Then we are into woodland and open country again as we roll down through Ford to Barnham, adding Ford, Maypole and Lake to the lanes collection as we go.
Practicalities
Numbers: Please let me know by 12 noon on Saturday 11 June if you want lunch at the pub (see below)!
Start: Barnham station at 11:35
Getting there: 10:12 or 10:48 trains from Brighton (leaving Hove at 10:22 or 10:52). There’s also a faster 10:19 from Hove. Barnham has a station car park.
Distance: 22 miles (approx.)
Off road: Some traffic free tracks, most with pretty good surfaces; a walk along the pebbly beach
Hills: Two shortish hills, one gentle, one walkable.
Getting back: Trains to Brighton at :02, :22 (change at Hove) and :32 all calling at Hove.
Catering: Lunch at the Arun View Hotel, Littlehampton (www.thearunview.co.uk) and possibly tea in Arundel.
My mobile: 0789 985 1172.
Roger