Way back in August I took some time off work to get in training for the Lemming South Downs ride, which was set to be my big ride of 2008.
I rode the Downs Link as the second of two days in the saddle as preparation for the Lemming, which was a two day event. The first day, just for the record, was a classic North Downs mountain bike route over Box Hill, through Denbies and onto the Pilgrim's Way, across to and over Holmbury Hill and then on to Leith Hill.
Having done a good day on the hills I decided to ride from Dorking to Brighton offroad using the Downs Link. The Downs Link is a route which connects the North Downs at St Martha's Hill with the South Downs and then runs on to Shoreham by Sea, it mainly uses a disused railway line. For my ride, as it was mid-week, I rode the North Downs Way to St Martha's and then picked up (after a wrong turn) the Downs Link.
From St Martha's to Bramley the trail is heavily used by horse riders and, especially after the wet summer we had, very churned up by horse riders and difficult to ride at any great pace. There are however some good views back towards St Martha's and the church at the top of the hill does look dramatic and reminds you of the pilgramage journeys made in the past. From Bramley the route joins the disused railway and although less interesting and in no way really mountain biking, it is a pleasant ride. The semi-hard surface makes for very quick riding and because you've got no car worries you can really get your head down and ride fast. As a result the Downs Link is an excellent training ride. The scenery is nice. Don't expect a ride that will test your hucking skills, this is more akin to road riding, without the road and car hassles, but it is a good way to enjoy a solitary ride without having to refer to the map all the time and to put a lot of miles into your legs.


