PUBS ON / NEAR SDW AND PLACES TO STAY
Places to stay
Any suggestions from site visitors.
Following site has list, interactive map, contact etc, b&b, camp, etc
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/sites.asp?PageId=40
If booking the b&b's
below, please say that you came through my site as I get a small
commission to help cover the cost of running this site.
B&B at Amberley (on SDW)
The Sportsman Inn, Rackham Road, Amberley, West Sussex. BN18 9NR
Tel: 01798 831787
E-mail: info@thesportsman.com
Contacts: Paul, Katie or Tom
Room rates : �90 triple double occupancy(1 double bed & 1 single)
�80 double
occupancy
�55 single
occupancy
Breakfast included.
Lock up barn available for overnight bike storage.
Pub open 11-11 Mon-Sat / 12-10.30 Sun
Lunch / afternoon tea / dinner served
3 B&B at Pyecombe (near where A23 crosses SDW); good for
3day 2 night, M&S food store, pub, on SDW so no climb back up.
Contact: Ms Louise Anderson, The White House,
Church Lane
Pyecombe
West Sussex
BN45 7FE
Phone: 01273 846563
Email: mailto:louloua@onetel.net
Hobbs Cottage
Contact: Mrs Wendy Desborough
Address: South Downs Way
Pyecombe
West Sussex
BN45 7EG
Phone: 01273 846150
Email:
wendy.desborough@btinternet.com
Comments:
A very good local pub 'The Plough' is only a
five minute walk also an M&S 'Simply Food'
store. People and luggage transport can be
arranged, also horse stabling/paddock
available by prior arrangement.
|
Sussex Prairies luxury B&B near Henfield
For those of you hot off the trail we can offer the
following :
clothes drying
secure bike storage
packed lunches (delicious ones !)
early bird breakfast if needed !
a walkable-to local restaurant /bar
a cyclable to 13th century coaching inn
http://www.sussexprairies.co.uk/
Self catering, Heyshott nr Midhurst Heyshott
- just outside Midhurst - just a couple of miles
from the downs. We have 2 rooms that we have
available for short term / long term let (one self
catering and one just room only). Both are self
contained / own entrance.
It's great accommodation for anyone cycling the
south downs
HOTELS
Near Goodwood; NB: Please mention me if you stay.
http://woodstockhousehotel.co.uk/woodstock/
Bluebell Cocking reopened Feb 2010: http://www.thebluebell.biz
Eastbourne: New guesthouse
From Carl: " I took over a nice B&B/Self catering place in
Eastbourne - The
Guesthouse East - http://www.theguesthouseeast.co.uk/about
6 months ago and being a keen cyclist myself I've tried to set the place up
as bike-friendly (and walker-friendly) as possible, such as with a bike store
and drying room.
it'd be great to get some cyclist coming this way to make life
interesting and to share a few stories. We're just set back from the sea, west
of the pier so there's a nice run along the beach to Beachy Head and the start
of the SDW." Please mention my site.
PUBS CAFE
Going eastwards: this is simply a list, not intended as recommendations or guarantee
of open, price, quality etc.
Link to 'My Google Map' with approx locations. SDW not shown.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&msa=0&msid=118318116678995638080.00000113456596e8ae2a7&ll=50.948721,-0.837235&spn=0.011437,0.025964&t=h&z=15&om=1.kml
Milberry , nr Beauworth: on SDW;
The Shoe, Exton: on SDW
The Sustainability centre on SDW (between Exton and QEP) (opposite the old
HMS Mercury): we have a great cafe, water taps, campsite and hostel.
http://www.sustainability-centre.org/text.php?page=The Beech Cafe
Visitors centre QEP (cafe); on SDW
Royal Oak, Hooksway: about 1/2 to 1 mile south, but whole diversion slightly
shorter than staying on SDW !
Houghton Bridge, near Amberley: 1/4 mile off.
Devils Dyke;
Martin: (Spring 2012) I particularly wanted to recommend the Five
Cross Gates B&B in Amberley whose details I obtained from your site. We arrived
in a very tired and muddy state and were treated to tea and cakes and a major
clean up. Peter and Sally were very hospitable and we left the following morning
feeling refreshed and refuelled after a wonderful breakfast.
Neil: (Spring 2012)
Great website on the SDW. I walked the length of it last summer and
intend to cycle it this year so your site has been really helpful.
The hostel opposite HMS Mercury (now completely bulldozed) also does
camping for �8 p/n and has water obviously. It is only 100 yards off
the track. There is a cafe there too in one of the buildings.
The Bluebell in Cocking was very welcoming when I arrived there in
August last year. The food was excellent. I didn't stay there, just
ate.
I would give the Plough at Pyecombe a thumbs up too.
Lastly, where the SDW crosses the A27 dual carriage way, there is a
layby about 100 yards east on the north side of the road, which
always has a burger van. Not much further along is a Texcaco filling
station with a pretty useful shop. It is 1/3rd of a mile from the
SDW tap. You can stay on the verge the whole way there and back.
From Kevin B: Tea van in the farm buildings at Saddlescombe farm
beneath the Dyke. The farm is National Trust and the SDW as you no goes
straight thru the Farm, They serve soup cakes etc, there is also shelter.
Her hours are approximately 11 am to 4pm each day.
Pyecombe: Plough pub (200 yds) and M&S food shop (300yds)
Alfriston village : on SDW.
Apart from above, I cannot think of any shops, pubs etc on SDW; there
are many villages with pubs on north side of SDW, but usually steep descent and
climb back up.
Any suggestions from site visitors.
Following site has list, interactive map, contact etc, b&b, camp, etc
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/sites.asp?PageId=40
NB: Places to stay in West Sussex get booked up around Goodwood Races and
Festival of Speed, so book early !
1. Graham, from Woking: Although I have never stayed in these ( too close
to home ), I'll get the accommodation rolling with . . . . . .
Wetherdown Hostel - independent hostel on the former site of HMS Mercury. Nearly
adjacent to the SDW
http://www.earthworks-trust.com/html/hostel.html
Gumber Bothy - independent hostel nr Bignor hill, north af Arundel
A 1km from SDW
http://www.independenthostelguide.co.uk
2. Adam:
I would like to recommend the B&B at the
Riverside Tearooms in Amberley. It is only a few hundred yards off
route. There is an excellent pub opposite - the Bridge Inn. The
cost is �35 per night. They have a garage in which they can store bikes.
They've got three rooms, I think one is twin. The only thing to check is
the time they can serve breakfast. We didn't get going on day 2 until
9.15, following an 8 am breakfast which was a bit late. The
breakfast was worth it though.
The other thing about Amberley is that it is a
pretty good half way point for anyone trying to bike it in 2 days. I
think it is 47 miles from Winchester.
3. This walking site has a page of 'B&B': http://www.pchatfield.freeserve.co.uk/sdw/index.htm
4.
Roy:
We have just done the sdw in two days stopping overnight in Washington.
The Long Island B
& B is fantastic. The alternative route through Washington goes nearly
past the door. Pub across the road that does food ( except Sunday) .
Very helpful hosts and huge breakfast that set us up nicely for the
second day. Tel 01903 892237.
5. Jon:
We
stayed at the Castle Inn in Bramber, http://www.castleinnhotel.co.uk/,
they
have a number of twin rooms (cost us �35 each), somewhere lockable to store the
bilkes, and reasonable food with a beer garden to stretch out in. They were very
flexible for when they could do breakfast (from 7am). You also get a ride along
the road first thing to help settle the breakfast before you start climbing the
hills again. One thing I would say is that is a tough first hill (Beeding Hill)
after a full fry up!
6. Rob, Graeme & Neil:
Lunch at 'Five Bells' Buriton recommend.
Cocking
stayed at Moonlight Tea Rooms ; fantastic hospitality, dried clothes.
Jack
& Jill pub Clayton, accommodation basic, but evening food & breakfast
excellent.
7.John:
Stayed Cocking Bluebell Inn, beds uncomfortable, noisy
extract fan below window; food good, reasonable price, friendly landlords.
Jack&
Jill Clayton, secure store for bikes, good b&b food good but bit pricey;
extract fan again.
8. Hannah: campsite Graffam, & Pyecombe; ate Five Bells
Buriton, stayed B&B before at Chilcomb nr Winchester (see 'visitors
comments' page.
9. Martin :
ACCOMMODATION - We stayed at the Running Horse at Littleton
near Winchester to start. Very good
rooms and very good food. Recommended.
The 2nd night was at The Bluebell at Cocking.
I find it difficult to write anything good about this place.
Awful rooms and beds, food terrible.
If I could find a way of getting it closed down I would and that would
repay them for my stomach upset. (think have heard similar comments see John
above before about Bluebell at Cocking?)
FOOD - Apart from the Bluebell at Cocking it was great
along the whole route. (Note July 2009: Bluebell is shut!) FEB 2010 REOPENED
NEW OWNERS www.thebluebell.biz
10.
Russell: For your
accommodation section I would like to heartily recommend the Four Acres B&B
(www.fouracres.org.uk) just off the
SDW in Fulking (just past Truleigh approx 65 miles from
Winchester
). It is run by Sarah who was very friendly and welcoming even though we were
utterly soaked and caked in mud. We were able to hose down our bikes and store
them in her shed and dry clothes in her utility room. The house is modern and
luxurious and the breakfast superb. All for about �30 per person. There is an
excellent pub in the village, the Shepherd and Dog (www.shepherdanddogpub.co.uk)
which does suitably hearty meals too.
11. Simon W & Simon H
South Harting early evening. I recommend this town
highly. The Ship does great beer and food. We stayed at The Pyramids B&B -
�30, 2 minutes from pub. We then cycled all day to Pyecombe where we stayed at
The Whitehouse � again �30. Great hosts, very friendly and accommodating. The
Plough is 2 mins down road and does excellent food � with an M&S at the BP
station next door for riding provisions� it was another perfect place to
stay.
12 Andrew S
Can heartily recommend the Four Acres, Fulking. Very helpful, good
breakfast and good local pub.
18.
David
& Fran and family:
Accom � Mays Farm b+b,
Longwood Dean. Comfy, clean, hearty breakfast.
�
Accom � Wetherdown Sustainability Centre, Droxford
Road, East Meon, Petersfield 01730 823549. Friendly
basic hostel, help yourself to large self-catering breakfast,
envigorating shampoos and shower gels, secure bike storage.
�
Accom � Moonlight Cottage tearooms b+b.
Pricey, outside loo for family room, good food but didn�t live up to
previous glowing write-ups.
� Accom � The Sportsman, Crossgates
Rd, Amberley. Clean, needed 3 rooms to accommodate family of 5 so was
pricey, food good.
�
�
Accom - Alfriston YHA. Clean, comfy, cosy
and good buffet breakfast. Smugglers
Inn pub in Alfriston village, good food and served all day eg our
evening meal was at 4.30 pm.
19.
Jon F
Winchester
to
Eastbourne
over three days:We stayed in two excellent B&Bs, Downsfold in Cocking and
FourAcres (Now closed) in Fulking; I would highly recommend them.
20 Chris T
Gumbar Bothy, highly recommend.
21
Sue D (June 2011)
We cycled for 7 hours per day and arrived between 4 and
5pm at our accommodation. We saw very few other riders - probably owing
to the poor weather prior to our trip - all the sensible people were
waiting for the sun! Walkers were all very friendly and we were careful
not to mow them down (much).
We stayed at Moonlight Tea Rooms In Cocking on the first
night (approx a third of the way from Winchester) and had a warm
welcome, tea and cake, hosepipe to wash our bikes, comfy beds, TV and a
good evening meal and breakfast, with double yolk eggs from Steve's
chickens. A great B & B.
We visited the Bluebell pub in Cocking - refurbished over
a year ago and really stylish and pleasant without being flashy. The
real ale (TEA) was excellent and fellow guests who ate there said the
food was lovely. They also do B & B and the barmaid said the bedrooms
had all been refurbished recently.
On our second night we stayed at 'Four Acres' B & B (Now closed)in
Fulking. Again, great facilities for bike washing, tea and biscuits
galore, huge bedroom and luxury bathroom and sooo peaceful (you will
hear owls, foxes etc). Sarah has the house up for sale though, so not
sure what will happen here in future.
We ate at the Sheperd and Dog in Fulking. Classy yet
hearty food, but not cheap, especially the deserts. Worth it though for
a good feed and a fine choice of ales. Friendly helpful staff too. It
got suprisingly busy for a Monday night - obviously a well run place.
They are so busy on Sundays that they don't even accept bookings!
