Stansted House, Kingley Vale and Queen Elizabeth Country Park loop — South Downs National Park

From Rowlands Castle set out on an undulating loop through the grounds of a manor house, a national nature reserve, a country park and a breathtaking section of the South Downs Way.

The first half of the loop passes through Stansted Park, home of a grand Edwardian mansion. It then weaves through Kingley Vale, a nature reserve with spectacular views over the Sussex countryside. The latter half joins the South Downs Way at Harting Down, a fabulous ridgetop section with panoramic patchwork views over West Sussex and the south coast. The route crosses the border of Sussex and Hampshire to enter the popular Queen Elizabeth Country park, where you'll enjoy some woodland riding.

In addition to the South Downs Way, the route traces part of King Alfreds Way, a long-distance bikepacking loop connecting some of southern England's most iconic sites. It also overlaps with the Monarchs Way, a long-distance, historic hiking trail. The loop concludes with a section of the Shipwrights Way, a Sustrans trail which eventually leads to the historic dockyard in Portsmouth.

Two-thirds of the route is off-road, and although the elevation profile is undulating, the terrain is mainly short grass or compact gravel with nothing too technical. A gravel or mountain bike would be ideal for this adventure.

The Tour treats you to an array of charming country pubs. The first is The Barley Mow in Walberton, followed by The Royal Oak in Hooksway, your halfway point. Next is the Red Lion in Charlton, a traditional inn with a thatched roof and picturesque beer garden. Finally, you'll pass The George Inn in Finchdean, an 18th Century pub just around the corner from your endpoint in Rowlands Castle. Rowlands Castle itself is home to several pubs, a cafe and a village shop just off the route on the green.

Rowlands Castle station is well-connected, offering regular train services from London Waterloo, Petersfield, Guildford, and Portsmouth Harbour. While the station provides a free car park, it's relatively small in size. If the station car park is full, there’s ample unrestricted parking available just around the corner on The Green.