After yesterday's rain, today was forecast to be better, so after
dropping Sue off at Brinsbury, Bertie and I headed down to the Eastern side of
Brighton. The aim was to park at Castle hill car park just above Woodingdean,
then a serpentine course through Castle Hill nature reserve before dropping
down to Rottingdean. Next working back over Beacon, Cattle and Red hills and
up to teh edge of the race course. Around the racecourse to the grandstand,
before returning to the car park.
We drove down the B2123 from the new Amex stadium, and a sharp turn into the car
park. We left up the drove avenue, through the wheat fields up to the aerial on
the hilltop. Behind us looking over Brighton and Hove.
Over teh top of Newmarket hill looking across to the SDW where it turns down
towards the coast from Lewis.
Newmarket hill, and the route down to the right into Falmer bottom. This was the
beginning of a serpentine trace though the valleys that twist around.
Into the depths of Falmer Bottom winding around to the dilapidated barns where
it meets Balsdean bottom.
Along this combined valley, until we could turn up Standean Bottom at teh small
wood. We would end up circling around the end of this and climbing up the
opposite side.
Ascending the opposite side of Standean bottom, and around the end of the slope
coming down from the top of the ridge.
The track curved around the side of the hill looking over to where we had
dropped down earlier.
Back up over the top looking over to Brighton once again, then turning towards
the coast for the final time, past a second aerial.
Clearing the brow of the hill we could see down to the sea, and our route as a
long chalk line.
staying on the track as it gently curved as it descended, before climbing
slightly up to and past the Balsdean underground reservoir
From the reservoir we followed the access road down to Rottingdean and a zigzag
through the houses.
Up a small lane that mutated into a path as it got steeper, before coming out
onto Beacon hill near the windmill.
The top of the hill included a memorial to teh queens jubilee and several
barrows, before dropping down to the edge of Ovingdean.
From the road along the edge of the housing estate we climbed up the next hill
by the obvious path through wheat and grass fields.
This hill was cattle hill, and looking down on Roedean school, before we
continued to the top through cut grass fields. From the top we dropped down to
the edge of East Brighton golf course, before climbing up to red hill.
From the top of red hill, still beside the golf course, we could see over to the
main conurbation of Brighton, before turning north to find the end of the horse
racing circuit.
Looking over the valley to the race course grandstand, however we
circumnavigated teh valley to avoid the housing estate in the bottom. We did try to cut across the end but were thwarted by a traveller site in the grass above the housing estate.
Around the end and down the other ridge defining the valley, following the race
track. climbing slightly to pass the grandstand.
Dropping down to teh edge of the built-up area, an d alongside some pitches
At the head of the valley a very steep climb back up to the track parallel t the
race track, following it around to where a back road crossed the track (sand is
put down on race days).
On the other side of the track we followed a grass field beside the road until it turned and we crossed to continue back to the parking area along Drove road - initially a tarmacked drive, later a rubberised track, presumably for the many horses around here.
The drive track led between a housing area and horse paddocks, ending at the B2123 and the car park.
