Saturday, September 08, 2007

Sept 8th - Flatline: Bognor Regis to Eastbourne

Today's route

Have you ever wondered where all the Funeral Directors went? Well, I think we've found them! The south coast towns between Bognor Regis and Eastbourne seem very well supplied with them and with crucial support services, such as monumental masons. It must be something to do with the average age of the population!

Today's ride was very mixed and was good in parts. Some towns, such as Worthing, have a very positive attitude to cycling. Others, such as Newhaven, are hopeless. And the fool who designated a pot-holed, un-surfaced track as part of on-road, National Cycle Route 2 should be fired! My advice is to ignore the cycle route around Newhaven. It's a waste of time.

In the event, a large portion of the route was very close to the coast. A lot of the route was also extremely easy as it was flat. Indeed much of it exuded the characteristic flatness for which the term 'pancake' was invented.

Brighton was very busy with people casually wandering into the cycle lanes with little comprehension of the peril in which they were placing themselves as we bore down upon them. Some kind of motoring event was happening along the sea front and was drawing big crowds. We couldn't see what was happening, but the roar of car and motorcycle engines and screeching of tyres gave some idea.

Beyond Seaford, the hills finally started to reappear as we entered the Seven Sisters Ccountry Park on our way to climbing Beachy Head via Birling Gap. The hills are long and fairly steep, but we were taking them in our stride by now. Finally we plunged down from Beachy Head and swept into Eastbourne before locating the B&B.

Today's picture is a view of Beachy Head, looking towards the East.

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