From
South Downs Hostel to Truleigh Hill is only about 25 miles direct so a detour
to the east was included to make a full day and balance the urban coast with
some rural delights. We were almost ready to go when the missing key gremlin
struck. The offending item was finally traced to its rightful place in spite of
having "already checked there"!! A strong breeze was blowing in from
the sea and Tony reported dire predictions of gales from the BBC. So with the
wind behind us we headed north up the A26 to Beddingham and then via Glynde to
Laughton. Now we turned south through Ripe and past Berwick station, then down
the lane to Litlington where we stopped for 11s at the Tea Gardens. Faced with
a choice of sun and wind or shade and calm we went indoors. Onwards to Exceat
and then right onto the A259 towards Seaford. Until now we had only brief
encounters with the wind but it stopped us in our tracks as we tried to ride
onto the front at Seaford. An uncomforable buffetting followed until we left
the sea for the cycle track to Newhaven. By now it was already 1pm and a
planned lunch at Rottingdean seemed a challenge. Fortunately Tony knew of the
Luna Rossa cafe where Mussels and Chips and other delights were on offer.
Suitably refreshed we followed Sustrans 2 up an ever steepening Gibbon Road to
join The Highway. High, yes, but no highway except in Sustrans eyes. This
rutted lane brought us to Peacehaven where we followed suburban streets to
eventually rejoin the A259. Now the trial by wind really began and the descent
to Saltdean was barely rideable. Here the undercliff route to Brighton was
deemed safer than trying to ride a clifftop bus lane in a gale. All thoughts of
Shoreham Airport were abandoned and we had tea in Hove before finding a calmer
back street route through Portslade. The tired legs still had to face the three
mile climb to the hostel and it was 6pm when we arrived after the windiest ride
most had experienced in a long time.
Brian
Brian
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