Looking approximately north across the top of the South Downs

Yesterday the strong winds and rain were back, but Saturday was lovely.  It meant that for the first time in over a month I found myself back on my MTB saddle on the South Downs.  To be honest I wasn’t very adventurous in my choice of route – I chose well ridden paths, with an mix of surfaces and gradients to test the ground conditions and my fitness.

I stated at Foredown Tower heading straight up to the South Downs Way above Fulking.   I then turned left towards Truleigh Hill. Left again down towards Southwick before turning left again almost back to the start. I then pointed myelf in the direction of Devils Dyke. Once there I decided to knock up some easy mileage on tamac down to the A27. I cut off road down to Hove Park and picked up the Old Shoreham Road back towards the start. Not quite 16.5 miles – but enough to make my legs feel tired.

The ground conditions were variable but almost all rideable – no muddy falls today – but I still got caught out by a couple of ponds across the path that were as deep or deeper than my bottom bracket – arrrggghhh frozen wet feet. One path in particular had changed since I last rode with a meandering foot deep gulley cut in it by the heavy rain, and another section was mud a foot deep where cattle had been milling round a gate in the bottom of a valley.

At the end I was muddy, tired, wet and happy!

Looking towards Worthing from above Southwick