14 April 2024: Portslade to Shoreham

Participants: 2 (Dave and Jim)
Apologies for Absence: 3 (Angela D, Sikka & Nick)
Mileage: 18 miles

The ride started with a rather lovely shared-use path running from Shoreham Road to Hangleton Lane, then, after a bit of suburbia, the Dyke Railway Trail up to the top. I did notice a worrying difficulty in keeping up with Dave – was I really so out of practice? – until I realised that the thing on Dave’s bike that looked like a very substantial part of the frame, was in fact a battery! After that, we walked for a bit and enjoyed the view, including watching at least 30 paragliders who had taken to the air from the Devil’s Dyke hotel.

After saying hello to the emu, who was looking a bit dejected (can’t they find a companion for it which isn’t a chicken?) we stopped for a welcome break at the Wild Flour café and talked to a fellow-cyclist who had actually heard of the Clarion, but was a bit taken aback to find that Dave and I actually were the Clarion. Where were all the others?

On to Poynings, and a stop to admire a lovely floral display next to a shelter; then Fulking, dodging what seemed like miles of parked cars outside the Shepherd & Dog. The road from here to Edburton runs along the foot of the Downs, and as well as the amazing scenery, we were lucky enough to see two of the paragliders coming down to land in a field, mercifully breaking no limbs nor injuring any sheep.

To avoid the horrible A2037, we banked on a vague memory of a ride many years ago which would take us westwards to the old saltings field by the river. We didn’t actually see that, but did find a narrow path (which, as Dave pointed out, was actually labelled as a “path”, not a “footpath”, so we rode on it).

Emerging in Upper Beeding, we encountered a wonderful old steam traction engine making its way through the village. I noted that the pub where we often used to have lunch on rides, by the river, is actually no longer a pub. (Progress???)

The last section of the ride took us down the Downs Link, alongside the river, past the cement works and finally to the toll bridge. We discussed the memorial to the eleven people killed in the horrific air crash in 2015, and agreed that its purpose is not immediately obvious to those not “in the know”. Personally it often seems to me that the designers of such things exaggerate the obviousness of their work, which is a pity. (Couldn’t there have been an explanatory plaque?)

Finally, we discussed future rides. I cannot make April 28th, and Dave cannot make May 5th. But let’s try to keep up the momentum with some more ride ideas and people to lead them.

Over to you!

Jim.