Crowborough to Hastings: Saturday Sussex Adventure

Overview

The Summer Solstice requires a special ride, and this is a great adventure!

This is a full day, train-assisted ride, with an early start, and a long train journey home. Most of the hills are in the first hour or so, then it’s a ride of easy gradients on traffic free trails and mostly quiet roads. We experience a changing landscape, from the lush rolling countryside and woodlands of the Sussex Weald, to the sparse pasture and marshlands of the Pevensey Levels, and then onto the coastal road through Bexhill to Hastings.

Our lunch stop will be in Polegate, after 34km/21 miles of the ride. You will need to bring enough snacks & water to keep you going until then.

Please read the travel arrangements and the ride description carefully.

Travel Arrangements

Our outward journey uses the Southern Trains service from Clapham Junction to Crowborough. Our train departs Clapham Junction (Platform 13) at 09.01; we change at East Croydon (arr. 09.10, Platform 3, dep. 09.23, Platform 5), and reach Crowborough at 10.09. An Anytime Day Single fare is £18.80, discounts available.

Our return journey is from Hastings, where the Southeastern Trains service runs at 30 and 50 mins past the hour, taking us to London Bridge/ Waterloo East/ Charing Cross. Journey time is 1 hour 30-40 mins. A Super Off-Peak Day Single fare is £31.90, discounts available.

Bike reservations are not required.

The Ride

From Crowborough, we ride into the Sussex countryside, with rolling hills, lush green fields, and quiet country lanes. There are a couple of sharp climbs, and some sweeping descents, before a short stretch of busy road brings us to the outskirts of Heathfield and to the beginning of the Cuckoo Trail https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/cuckoo-trail/ . This is a traffic free shared path on the route of a disused railway line. The downhill gradient means that we can freewheel most of the way, enjoying the surrounding woodlands.

At the end of the Cuckoo Trail, we will take a short detour into Polegate for our lunch stop. There are a couple of cafes and shops, and benches for a picnic if you prefer to bring your own food.

Our afternoon ride takes us across the Pevensey Levels, where we have glorious views of this National Nature Reserve, before reaching the coast at Cooden Bay. The last section of the ride takes us along the coast, through Bexhill, and into Hastings for the train home.

Train-assisted ride through the Sussex countryside to the coast.

Quiet country lanes. Traffic free shared paths, including the Cuckoo Trail. Short stretch on busy road.

Lunch stop in Polegate, cafes and shops available.

Money/card for refreshments and rail fare. Plenty of water & snacks. Lock for your bike.

We never leave anyone behind