Allow for the weather and ground conditions.

On a dry, sunny day in late Spring, the SDW is a breeze. If it’s wet, though, especially if it’s been raining for a few days, you’ll find yourself slowed by mud in the valleys and being more cautious on the smooth chalk of some downhill sections. This could knock as much as a third off your speed. Check the weather forecast and adjust your time predictions.

 

Plan your food stops and accommodation.

There are plenty of places to stay along the way, and many places to eat or buy food - but most of them are near the SDW, not on it. Have a look at the maps, estimate your mileage and make a note of the options. Especially in peak summer periods, book accommodation in advance. The National Trails website has an interactive map that includes places to stay (tick the boxes below the map to see B&Bs, campsites etc.) - but always check directly with the accommodation provider, because the National Trail listings aren’t always up-to-date.

 

Ride an appropriate bike.

The SDW isn’t suitable for a road bike or a hybrid. We recommend (and hire out) hardtail mountain bikes. The big, grippy tyres and front suspension make them comfortable to ride and get you easily over most bumps and ruts. You could ride a full-suspension mountain bike, but while these are more comfortable on the trail they also tend to be heavier (unless you spend a lot of money) so they’re more of a struggle to propel up the hills. Gravel bikes and cross bikes (road-style drop-bar bikes with wide, deep-tread tyres) are fine if you’re used to riding them already.

 

Travel light.

You’ll enjoy the ride most if you’re not carrying too much weight. While you should have enough kit to cope with the weather (see below) try not to overdo it. For this kind of offroad riding we don’t recommend rear racks and pannier bags, as they affect the handling of the bike on rough terrain. Instead carry a rucksack or look at “bikepacking” luggage, which is designed to strap tightly to the bike so it doesn’t sag or swing around as you ride.

 

Be ruthless with your packing. Leave the hairdryer at home.

 

Be prepared!

Even on sunny dry days the wind can be cold on exposed hills, so have an extra layer of clothing handy. Carry a rain jacket: even if the weather’s nice when you set out, it might be completely different two days later.

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Even if you’re planning on stopping at pubs for meals, take enough snacks to see you through the day, and stock up with water. There are public drinking water taps at various points along the route - here’s a list of them (PDF).

 

Take a basic puncture-repair kit, pump and spare inner tube suitable for your bike, and maybe a small multi-tool. Even if you don’t know how to use them, a passing cyclist may stop and help. A small first aid kit is also a good idea.

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And finally...

 

Other trails are also available

Here in Winchester, we’re lucky to be surrounded by beautiful countryside in every direction - much of it accessible on bike via bridleways, byways and quiet lanes. If you haven’t got time for the whole SDW - or you’d rather do a circular ride that ends up back where you started - we can recommend some great circular routes that combine parts of the SDW with other trails. You could also head west to the Test Valley and the downs beyond it. We’ve had people hire our bikes to do a multi-day circular ride taking in parts of the South Downs, the Isle of Wight and the New Forest National Park. Talk to us.

 

Whatever you decide to do, wherever you cycle, we hope you’ll enjoy it. Central southern England is a great area to explore by bike, so get out there!

 

More about the South Downs Way

The official National Trails website is a mine of useful information on routes, accommodation, bike shops and refreshments stops along the way.

 

The South Downs National Park Discovery Map has lots more information about the national park as a whole, not just the SDW. It also shows the locations of railway stations, which can be useful if you want to cycle just part of the SDW then catch a train back to your start point. Talking of which...

 

Travelling by train

There are railway stations at both ends of the South Downs Way, at Winchester and Eastbourne. There are also several  other stations within a few miles of the Way’s route. If you want to do the whole SDW end-to-end then catch a train back to the start, the train journey will take somewhere around 3 hours and you’ll have to change trains at least once. You’ll be using trains run by Southern Rail and South Western Railway. There are restrictions on some trains in peak hours, and some trains require you to book a space for your bike in advance. The most common rail routes are either

 

(a) via London: Eastbourne to Clapham Junction, Clapham Junction to Winchester; or

(b) along the south coast: Eastbourne to Brighton, Brighton to Southampton, Southampton to Winchester.

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Bikes can only be carried in certain coaches: these are usually marked with a bicycle symbol by the door. Station platform staff can often tell you where to stand to be near the bike storage when the train arrives.

 

For more details see:

 

Southern Railway’s guide to carrying cycles on trains

 

South Western Railway’s guide to carrying cycles on trains