Start/Finish Stanmer Park, TQ337/096 Total distance 40.2km (25 miles) Total ascent 1100m (3609ft) Time 3-5 hours Map OS Landranger 1:50K No.198 Brighton & Lewes Summary Explore the forgotten valleys of the Downs, the steep north escarpments and the twisty woodland singletrack of Stanmer Park. 1 Exit Stanmer Park and turn left, joining the cycle path past/over the university entrance, beside the A27. Take the slip road, go over roundabout on cycle path to Falmer. Turn right on road then right opposite Swan, over A27, join Park Street, keeping ahead, past the pond then ahead off-road when the road turns right. 2 Continue uphill, beside road, becoming a better track. Go through gate and head left away from the road. Bear right by a wood, then left through a gate and turn right on South Downs Way (SDW), to doubletrack and turn right, off the SDW. After 200m turn left through a gate, head downhill, through gate at the bottom and left, the track improves past old barns, to crosstracks by few trees. 3 Turn and keep right on bridleway, following a gradual climb, bearing right then left, to T-junction at the top. Turn left past radar mast and houses then keep left at a fork. Continue downhill to and then left on road. Follow the road right then bear off left at fork on farm track, then shortly bear right off this onto a smaller track. 4 Continue uphill to a farm track past farm building. Keep ahead, leaving the good track that bears right, on the SDW. Bear left and keep left/high along the top, with a drop to your right. Continue through a gate, then take a right at a fork, heading downhill. Continue to Kingston near Lewes. 5 Cross over the road, then cross field then over the A27, following Tarmac right, then left at end of Jubilee Park on a bridleway, between houses and railway. Turn right at end on road, cross the A277, keep right at fork to continue on bridleway before a sharp right between fields and houses then left at end of fields. Keep left uphill on the bridleway. 6 Continue uphill past stables, under power lines. As trees get closer on your right near the top, look for small bridleway entrance into trees down the slope on the left. Take the singletrack behind Blackcap Hill down to and then left on farm track. Go back uphill to the top and then right through a gate, uphill on SDW to the road by Ditchling Beacon. 7 Turn right on singletrack before the road heading downhill. Turn right on the road at the bottom (or left and left at crossroads to do the famous road climb). Go right at crossroads in Westmeston, becoming off-road, uphill and then head right at the top, back to Ditchling Road. Cross road, through car park, for 0.3km then take second bridleway on the left, downhill. 8 Go left at fork after 1km where the track narrows and fades, crossing Ditchling Road and turning right in trees. Follow the singletrack trail parallel to Ditchling Road, then take the A27 to Great Wood. There are lots of trails through these woods, but keep ahead to emerge back at the main entrance and car park to Stanmer Park.by wmbsu
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