BRIGHTON AND HOVE SIGHTSEEING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Riding the Rim of Britain’s Deepest Valley: Devils Dyke on the South Downs
A 3-hour, customizable bike tour from Cannonball Bikes that threads the 100‑m V-shaped Devils Dyke, village lanes and the South Downs ridge—useful for planning route, stops and what to expect.
Riding the Rim of Britain’s Deepest Valley: Devils Dyke on the South Downs.
Devils Dyke is a dramatic 100‑metre, V‑shaped valley on the South Downs that serves as the spine of a three‑hour, guided cycling loop; the ride mixes steep descents and climbs, high ridge riding with sea views, stops in historic villages and a pub break, and is paced to your ability.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
GPS-tracked ride with shareable metrics
The route is recorded on Strava so riders can view distance, elevation, speed and other ride data on their smartphone after the outing.
Completely customisable to your needs
The operator tailors the ride to your group and ability, adapting distance, pace and whether parts are ridden or driven.
A ride you can replay
Because the experience is tracked, you leave with a clear record of the route and performance that can be reviewed or repeated.
What the day feels like
What the three hours feel like
After a brief test ride to confirm comfort on the bike, the group transfers (or rides, depending on numbers) to Devils Dyke, drops into the 100‑m deep valley and follows lanes and ridge paths through Poynings, Fulking and along the South Downs Way; there are purposeful stops — a pub break at the Royal Oak, a spring in Fulking, an ancient flint oven, and the remains of an isolation hospital — before returning to the Devils Dyke car park for a finishing photo. The route covers roughly 20–25 km and the on‑bike time is about 2–2.5 hours within the three‑hour window, with the guide accommodating pace and route to the group's ability.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this ride suits — and who should be cautious.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Total booking time is three hours; riding time on the route is typically 2–2.5 hours; the route distance is approximately 20–25 km and the guide can adjust start time where possible.
Expect a brief test ride to confirm comfort on the bike; the ride is tracked by GPS (Strava) so a smartphone can be used to view ride data afterwards.
The loop finishes at Devils Dyke Car Park for a photo, after which participants either ride or are driven back toward Brighton depending on the plan.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the experience?
The outing runs three hours in total, with riding time of about 2–2.5 hours.
What is the distance and difficulty?
The ride is approximately 20–25 km and is rated at a moderate skill level; the guide adapts distance and pace to your ability.
Is the route recorded?
Yes — the ride is tracked by GPS using Strava so you can view distance, elevation, speed and other metrics on your smartphone.
Can the ride be customised?
Yes — the experience can be 100% customised to your needs, including pace, route and whether sections are ridden or driven.
Where does the ride finish?
The route finishes back at the Devils Dyke Car Park, which makes a convenient photo stop before returning toward Brighton.
Can start times be changed?
Where possible the start time of the ride can be adjusted to accommodate participants’ needs.