Stonor Loop (22-03-09)

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2hr 10mins, 18.72 miles, 8.5mph av speed, 27.1mph top speed.
Up in the Chilterns for the weekend this time, and my brother took me out on a locally popular route. Loop from Stonor up onto Christmas common, along the ridgeway, before coming back southwards, following some excellent narrow fast tracks, through some proper woodland. Quite a bit of road on this ride, but it's pretty much deserted on a sunday morning. Lots of riders out.

Friston Forest to Berwick (15-03-09)

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2hr 15mins, 20.2 miles, 9mph av speed, 26.2mph top speed.
Lots of pissing about in the woods this time, before heading out over the river and up to the South Downs Way. Finishes with an ace downhill run to the Cricketers Arms at Berwick, which is a real chocolate-box picture pub, cask ales, good food, nice garden, etc etc.
The good trail in the forest is now marked with red waymarker posts, so you can pick it up almost anywhere you find it, but it starts at the visitors centre and climbs up the south side. They'll give you a map for free in the centre.

Woodingdean and Ditchling Beacon Loop 2 (07-03-09)

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2hr 28mins, 22.2 miles, 9mph av speed, 29.4mph top speed.
Another loop from East Brighton out on the old Drove track behind Woodingdean, but this time taking the long curving descent down to Standean Bottom before climbing back up Balsdean Bottom. Out to Black Cap via Balmer Huff and then westward to Ditchling Beacon.
Instead of coming back through Stanmer Park we chose the slow descent past the Chattri Memorial. Erected in memory of Sikh and Hindu soldiers who died while in hospitals in Brighton and Hove during the Great War (53 bodies were cremated at the Chattri site, their ashes were then taken to be scattered in the sea.)
Back home along the London Road. No photos of this one. Forgot the camera and the weather was grey anyway!

Firle Beacon and Friston Forest Loop (28-02-09)

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2hr 25mins, 20.2 miles, 8.3mph av speed, 36.7mph top speed.
Great weather again for this one. Friston forest can be a mudbath but we've been spared any real rain for a fortnight so it was pretty dry. You can park at the forest and just do loops of the forest.
Apparently the trail is waymarked although we've yet to see it - second time out to the forest and we ended up on the single track that winds down from the east end (the high point) to the car park at the west end. Good singletrack to practice your skills without fear of dossing it into anything more nasty than leaves and dirt. Lots of fun. Must go back and check out the south side.
Coming back on the track at the foot of the downs spares any tired legs from too much pain... and there's a selection of fine pubs in Alfriston, Berwick, Firle, etc depending on how thirsty you are.

The boys on Firle Beacon at the start.

The run down(ish) towards the river crossing.

Rich has a little "lie down" :)	The sign said no diving, and we were all ready for a dip in the festering ditch too!

Approaching Friston Forest from Littlington


Deep in Friston Forest.

Some dry stuff...	and some wet stuff.