Petersfield Station to the South Downs Way: best route?

I don't know if it's the easiest way (but it is pretty easy from memory), but you can follow the Shipwrights Way from Petersfield to QECP.

Yes, Shipwrights Way, or take the B2070 southwest towards Buriton, left up Bolinge Hill and then up Kiln Lane where you meet the SDW which runs along Dean Barn Lane, or you can just carry on down the Causeway and follow the cycle track that runs parallel to the road and takes you to QECP.

Thank you both! I can see Kiln Lane and that makes sense from a simplicity point of view so we'll go there rather than getting bogged down behind the church like last time.

I assume I am looking at 35 miles or so to Chanctonbury Ring?

You could skip Kiln Lane and go up the drive/bridleway to the right of the pond (facing the pond by the church from the road).

It's steep and a bit hurty but I (personally) prefer it to the steep tarmac option.

i did it a few months ago, and as has been said, there's a cycle route right to the bottom of the climb at QECP...

DrP

I was trying to avoid QECP as I am going East but perhaps that doesn't make sense.

Nicest and easiest would be to follow the Causeway out then pick up the cycle lane to QECP then in and SDW from there.

Possibly slightly shorter would be Causeway then L to Buriton at the roundabout then up Kiln Lane so you miss all of QECP.  But you slog up Kiln Lane. TBF though if you are doing the SDW I assume you on a XC bike with fast rubber. Kiln Lane is only really a slog if you are on maxxgrip/T9/gnarl-mcgnarlface type rubber. The type that makes a sucking noise to tarmac...

Fair enough,I'll either be on Rekons or Wicked Wills, depending which bike I take. Fairly fast rolling in both cases.

Personally, I think the time it's taken to write the replies to this thread is at least double the time and effort difference between all of the above options!

If you fancy a coffee and cake/ bacon roll before setting off and it's the time of day it'll be open go via QECP.

When are you looking to do this Nickfrog? Admittedly not been up for a few weeks but id imagine with all the rain it might be a slippy claggy horror show in places.

Good point about the quagmire. Last week of May. It will gone by then right?

Good point about the time wasted too. Shouldn't have retired early 😂

If you are heading East and want to cut a bit of the SDW then this is for you.  Follow the Shipwrights’ to Buriton. Turn left (north east) out of Buriton for a kilometer and then, by a small green with a bus stop on it, right on to Pitcroft Lane and then immediately right again onto a byway.  It’s marked as Milky Way on the 1:25k OS maps.  At the top is the SDW.  It’s a tough climb but as it’s your first of the day it adds a challenge.

Milky Way is a rough drive, let alone ride! Very wet and boggy at the moment…

Thanks Angus. I think I spotted it on Maps too, right in the middle below. Should be dry by end of May surely !

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That’s the one. ‘Should’ be ok by May but the way things have been going weather wise, who knows?

Yes it's quite bizarre. I have only been in the UK for 25 years but I can't remember it being so wet for so late in "spring".

Adding Milky way onto my mental map. Quite fancy a Petersfield back home to Chichester route via as much of the S Downs as I can and iv not been up that climb.  I might ride up on sat morning to check conditions but it will be hideous wont it 🙁

Probably but please post a pic in case you survive it WH 😂

I still have slight PTSD from a Kingley Vale ride where both wheels locked up with chalk goop.  I think I pushed to the bottom, had a cry and called the wife for a pickup..... it was genuinely dreadful.

Sorry to hear that. Kingley Vale is such a nice place otherwise, that must have been all the more unpleasant!

I would definitely give Milky Way a few months to dry up!
We drove up it on Sat (it’s a Byway) and it was ok near the top but the steeper bit in the middle was the usual thick gloopy chalky stuff. Our 110 was squirming all over the place on mud tyres.

I have had some awful rides around there/towards Kingley Vale in the mud. It’s somehow sticky enough to collect everywhere but with no grip at all.
One ride involved removing wheels every few 100 metres to scrape the crud out as I made my way slowly to the nearest road.
I save it for drier times nowadays …

I have had some awful rides around there/towards Kingley Vale in the mud. It’s somehow sticky enough to collect everywhere but with no grip at all.

This does seem to be a local speciality of that part of the South Downs.

Barely ridden this winter knowing that awful slip clag is up there waiting.

Always the option to use short stretch of quiet roads to join SDW at South Harting.

Or ride from east side of SDW and head to Butser Hill, before dropping back down to Petersfield station to head home.