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Ditchling Beacon Climb – View of Devil's Dyke loop from Portslade

Ditchling Beacon Climb – View of Devil's Dyke loop from Portslade

Hard

riders

Ditchling Beacon Climb – View of Devil's Dyke loop from Portslade

03:20

45.8km

690m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: July 10, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 11.1 km for 54 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

7.81 km

Duke's Mound Bushes

Forest

17.6 km

View from Newmarket Hill Mast

Highlight • Viewpoint

Just below Newmarket Hill on Drove Avenue there is a communications mast. The views of the countryside towards Brighton and beyond to the sea from here are super nice, as they are out over Falmer Road to Ditchling Beacon way in the distance. Drove Avenue is a super good track too, great on a mountain bike, or gravel bike.

Tip by

21.9 km

Bunkershill Plantation

Forest

27.0 km

View from Plumpton Bostal

Highlight • Climb

Plumpton Bostal is a particularly tough climb and descent, as the road surface is a mixture of broken tarmac, concrete and some areas of just rubble. This, combined with its steep gradient, make it one of the more challenging of the Sussex bostals.

The Half Moon pub at the bottom is well worth calling in at!

Tip by

27.0 km

View Over Plumpton from Streat Hill

Highlight • Trail

This area of the South Downs saw running battles during the Battle of Lewes in 1264, and in more recent history these hills were used by the army as training grounds during WW2. The hard concrete surface descending the scarp slope at Plumpton Bostall was laid at this time as a tank trap.
This ridge with views across the Weald towards the High Weald and beyond that the North Downs is part of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment. This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its woodland and chalk grassland. Here you can find many types or orchid including burnt tip orchids, fragrant orchids and frog orchids.

Tip by

27.7 km

View of South Downs National Park

Highlight • Natural Monument

Make sure to follow the road and not take any public access walking routes. It was a nightmare with the bikes.

Tip by

29.3 km

Ditchling Beacon Climb

Highlight • Climb

Ditchling Beacon is the third-highest point on the South Downs, with spectacular views - it's a great climb to test the legs on.

Tip by

38.4 km

View of Devil's Dyke

Highlight • Gorge

Devil's Dyke is a deep, V-shaped river valley along the South Downs Way in Sussex. Part of these chalk-based hillsides are designated as SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest). From the top of the hills you can see as far as the Isle of Wight on a clear day.

The name can be attributed to local folklore, as an ancient attempt to explain the formation of the steep valley. Supposedly the devil dug the valley as a trench to allow the sea to flood churches, but was disturbed in the process and never finished digging!

Read more about what's on in the area at nationaltrust.org.uk/devils-dyke

Tip by

39.0 km

Devil's Dyke

Highlight • Historical Site

Devil’s Dyke was a settlement site in the Stone Age and ‘Dyke’ is a Saxon word for a fence or entrenchment built from earth, stone or wood. This high point was also the site for an Iron-age hillfort, and you can still see remnants of ramparts and round barrows. It is also home to the awe-inspiring and best-known example of a dry chalk valley. The 100m deep V-shaped valley has been referred to as the ‘grandest view in the world’. There are many myths and local stories about how the valley was formed.

Tip by

39.0 km

View of the Devil's Dyke

Highlight • Viewpoint

Viewpoint, country pub. Walking and mountain biking from here.

Tip by

45.8 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

23.5 km

10.1 km

5.46 km

4.16 km

2.10 km

566 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

20.7 km

15.5 km

5.33 km

3.95 km

392 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (240 m)

Lowest point (0 m)

Weather

Monday 31 August

21°C

10°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 27.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

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Ditchling Beacon Climb – View of Devil's Dyke loop from Portslade

View from Newmarket Hill Mast

View from Plumpton Bostal

View Over Plumpton from Streat Hill

View of South Downs National Park

Ditchling Beacon Climb

View of Devil's Dyke

Devil's Dyke

View of the Devil's Dyke

Nearby routes

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