Lost Lanes - Turf and Surf

*PLEASE READ BEFORE SIGNING UP – THIS IS NOT A RIDE FOR ALL SKILLS*

A day out in the beach – going through all sorts of terrains, a ferry, a canal towpath, a harbour, and the quaintest little tea room in our first adventure ride outside London and the Home Counties. This route was taken from the book Lost Lanes, by Jack Thurston, and although described as an easy ride, some sections of it are overgrown, gravely, narrow tracks across vast farmland, tight paths along water, and slippery terrain post-high tides, so it is not a ride for those who don’t feel fully confident on their bikes. The logistics have to be followed carefully to a T so there are no delays in taking trains.

We meet at Willesden Junction platform with enough time for the 8.03 Clapham Junction train. We must take the 8.42 train going towards Portsmouth Harbour (which is likely to leave from platform 13 but check first). We can also meet at the platform in Clapham, but please let me know if that’s your case. Please ensure to buy your ticket before the day so there are no hold-ups and we can go straight to the platform. Return tickets for weekend services on the Southern trains to Chichester have an open return time, so you can pick anytime in the afternoon – we intend to border the 16.39 which should get us back to Clapham Junction at 18.07, and around 18.40 in Willesden Junction – it’s a long day out! The return ticket is approximately £37 without any season discounts (Note: Trainpal sells cheaper than Trainline).

Once we get to Chichester, we will start our 27-mile route which starts along the Chichester Canal and soon through farmland until we reach Pagham Harbour. We carry on and get to Bracklesham Bay Tea Rooms and Garden, our lunch break.

We continue on our route to West Wittering beach, where we spend about an hour. Bring your swimwear, but please bear in mind that there are long queues to the changing rooms so you may want to consider wearing them under your cycling clothes if possible.

We move on from the beach and take the Itchenor foot ferry to cross the Chichester Channel – that’s a £4 fare, paid by card/contactless phone – and cycle along the shore, which could be either covered by the high tide, or a bit treacherous after the tide has gone down, so we may need to slow ride or push our bikes on the foot path. When we reach Fishbourne, just before returning to Chichester station, we pass along the Roman Palace and Gardens and their impressive collection of mosaics - if we arrive in time before the closing at 16.30, we can also stop for a visit (tickets at £13 during the summer). If we do that, we may only take the train back to London at 17.09, delaying our plans by half an hour.

What we will need to bring/have:
• Return tickets for the Southern train from Clapham Junction to Chichester leaving at 8.42
• Snacks and a couple of bottles of water for the day
• Swimwear (ideally under your cycling clothes), a beach towel, and sunscreen
• Contactless card or phone for the ferry
• Bike lights for your ride back home (just in case)


If you find this ride fully booked, sign up to the waiting list as spaces always become available nearer the date. However, please do not sign up if you’re not sure you can come, and cancel your space as soon as possible if your plans change.


IMPORTANT POINTS: *Helmets aren't compulsory but advisable. *Check that your tyres are pumped and bring a spare inner tube and all necessary tools in case of a puncture. *We have a 3-strike policy: those who don’t cancel but don’t turn up on the day of the ride 3 times will be banned from booking on other rides. *Only riders who are booked on this ride will be allowed to join. *Unless the weather takes a nasty turn making it unsafe or unpleasant to cycle, this ride will go ahead even if it rains. Dress for the weather and bring a raincoat just in case. *We sometimes video record our rides which are later published on YouTube. By joining our rides, you are authorising your image to appear on the video and photos.

We never leave anyone behind