I am always on my mountain bike or cyclocross bike on the hills and when I am not cycling I am thinking about it. I feel very lucky to live where I do and have the West Sussex countryside on my doorstep, and I make the most of it with all the cycling and cake eating I can manage!
This ride took us just under three hours of riding but as my favourite cycling cafe was in the middle of it, we were out for most of the day. The climb away from Worthing takes you up onto Cissbury Ring where you enjoy 360 degree views of the coast and the beautiful South Downs.
A track takes you up to Chanctonbury Ring, another iconic place on the South Downs Way and we took a rest here as the views are stunning. A fun descent from the South Downs Way took us towards Wiston and then a lovely bridleway off Spithandle Lane leads you out for a short ride north along the road to get to Stan’s Bike Shack, which is on the Downs Link route (an old railway line now used for cyclists and walkers).
After much homemade food and coffee we enjoyed the fairly flat off road route of the Downslink which transported us cross country to Botolphs where, being gluttons for punishment we ascended back up onto the Downs again past the pig farm to get to the Steyning Bostal for more fabulous views in every direction.
A trip across a track took us back to the base of Cissbury Ring where we skirted the bottom of it on bridleways through a beautiful meadow before descending back down to Worthing to our start point.
