Gravel Friday

Today, we learned a new word.  Bostal.  A bostal is a short, steep hill from the agricultural land at the bottom of the South Downs to the agricultural land at the top.  Some are surfaced,  and some are not.  The road up Ditching Beacon is a bostal, for example. Bostals played a big part in today's ride.

We met at Bystanders Cafe in Brighton, as arranged, and some took advantage of the ample breakfasts on offer.  A good plan, as it was a fair pull to lunch.  We left the cafe just before eleven, rode up out of town and up again along the long drag that leads to Devils Dyke.  A brief pause here for photography, then off along the trackway on the crest of the Downs.

Bostal Boys

Good riding for several miles, rolling country with varying surfaces, but nothing difficult.  Cresting a rise, we encountered heavy traffic - a very large tractor.  The farmer waved.  Then it was time for the first bostal, which took us down to Upper Beeding.  Unsurfaced, it needed a bit of care for a safe descent, but no problems and we were soon rolling through the pretty village past Bramber Castle.  Up towards Steyning, then left on to Steyning Bostal.  This gets an entry in Simon Warren's '100 Greatest Climbs ' book, and he gives it 5/10.   Scores varied from our group by the time we had done two 17% pitches, but, at least, it was surfaced.

We were now back on the top and rolled along nicely to the Chanctonbury Ring, with Leith Hill just visible in one direction and the sea in the other.  Mike M was blowing a bit at this point, so we agreed that having descended the next bostal, Washington Bostal, he would take the road to the pub while the rest of us went up one more bostal, and then back down another.  This worked swimmingly, and, having got to the pub first, Mike generously bought beer for all of us.

A good lunch, eaten in the Secret Garden, then it was Ten Green Bottles on the way home.  Mike M waved us goodbye from the pub, as he was going on to Arundel to meet friends; Steve turned off at Barns Green to take the Downs Link to Lancing, also to meet friends; Mike R and Ray left at Horsham heading for Gatwick and their cars, and Ken and I parted company at Rusper, making our separate ways home.

A good ride for a dry summer,  plenty of entertainment, good views and good company.  Thank you all.

Mark