London to Brighton Cycle - From City to Sea
Last weekend, we took on the iconic challenge of biking from London to Brighton. With the sun shining brightly and temperatures soaring, it was a perfect day for a long ride. Starting from Dulwich and ending at Brighton Pier, we enjoyed scenic views and rolling hills, steering clear of busy roads (mostly) for a more picturesque route.
The London to Brighton Cycling Route
There are many different routes taking you from London to Brighton and even the British Heart Foundation’s annual ride changes their route often.
We chose one, not for its directness but for its scenic beauty and rolling hills. We wanted to avoid the busy roads and instead chose paths showcasing the stunning English countryside. This decision paid off as we were treated to breathtaking views and a peaceful ride through nature. (We took and adapted the route from the cycle.travel).
Download the gpx file here to upload to Garmin / Komoot.
The route is fairly up and down, which kept it interesting. Although we avoided a lot of main roads, which is nice, there were two sections where we had to walk because our road tyres would not have been able to take it, but you could ride around them if you wanted to.
The first is just after the M25
The second comes an hour or so after that
If you are fairly new to cycling, you’ll call this hilly; if you are an experienced cyclist or incredibly fit, this route will not be a problem.
Route Details, taken from Strava at the end of the ride
Total Distance: 104.87 km
Total Duration: 5 hours 30 Minutes (moving time)
Elevation Gain: 1326 meters
The Fox in Sharpthorne - Lunch
We have to talk about food, right? Around lunchtime (approximately 25 miles in), we were getting a bit desperate and asked a local where the nearest pub was. He directed us to The Fox in Sharpthorne. We took a well-deserved break here, enjoying some shandy and a light lunch.
The highlight of our meal was undoubtedly the mushrooms on toast, they were amazing! And the staff in there were incredibly friendly too. They said it gets very busy at 1 pm so try and get there earlier. You don’t want to be waiting for your food for too long, you’ve got a long way to go yet!
The Infamous Ditchling Beacon
Known as one of the toughest climbs in the south of England, this steep hill is a true test of endurance and strength and it’s the only way to get into Brighton.
It’s not too steep, but it goes on for a long time and will really test your leg strength and fitness.
Distance: 1.42km
Elevation: 138m
Gradient: 9.7%
As you approach the Beacon, the incline quickly intensifies, testing your endurance and strength. But don't be intimidated; the challenge is part of the adventure. The road is pretty narrow, and there is 2-way traffic, so that can get a bit intimidating but do not stop. There is no footpath for you to walk your bike up, so you’re going to have to walk it up the road anyway, so use that as motivation.
Reaching the top is incredibly rewarding, offering stunning panoramic views of the South Downs. There is also a food truck selling drinks, snacks, and ice creams for you to relax.
From here, is pretty much a long downhill straight to the beach.
Brighton
Once we got to Brighton, we went straight to the beach and ordered the nearest fish and chips we could find, which hit the spot. We don’t remember the exact name of the place, but the shop was the first one down the stairs to the right of the pier.
Some other general Brighton food recommendations:
VIP Pizza - Amazing Neopolitan pizzas, although this may have changed names recently
Belgian Chips - For amazing cones of chips with a variety of sauces
Burnt Orange - Restaurant specialising in wood-fired cooking
Getting back to London
After soaking in the sun and the sea air, we took the train back to London from the train station (which is up a short climb, not what you want at this point!). Since it was a hot sunny day, the train was completely packed, and we were lucky to just get space for our bikes. We suggest getting to the station early; it’s a terminal stop, so the train will sit there for a while and getting there early means you can get on and secure your bike space.
You don’t need to pre-book bike spaces in off-peak times.
