We meet at London's Marylebone train station at 09:00 for a 09:15 start.
Trying to avoid as much traffic as possible, we can't help but pass a few landmarks on the way out of London - Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, then over Chelsea Bridge and past Batersea Power Station. In fact it's not until our first coffee break near Coulsdon that we'll start to see fields, and that's nearly 30km into the ride!
From then onwards, it's more a matter of avoiding places than going through them. Lunch is near East Grinsted, and with luck we'll squeeze in a further coffee break mid-afternoon before arriving in Brighton around 6pm.
Hard to avoid the climb (150m) out of Brighton, but at least this route takes us on mainly quieter roads, and it's more straightforward than getting out of London! Then back to the country lanes. Our return journey takes us slightly to the west of our first day, and I still aim to stop for a mid-morning coffee before skirting the edge of Gatwick airport and a lunch stop in Horley.
Again avoiding the traffic wherever possible, we cross the Thames on the Wandsworth Bridge, then over the Serpentine Bridge near Hyde Park and finally Marylebone. I aim to arrive by 6pm, but for anyone booking trains, don't book anything before 7pm to give us some contingency. We'll stop for mid-afternoon coffee assuming we are making good time.
Land Only - £120
A deposit of £50 per person is required as soon as possible once the Tour Organiser has confirmed your booking, with the final balance to be paid by 01-Jul-2026
Written Notice Received:
Cancellation Charge:
01-Jul-2026
£50 (deposit)
02-Jul-2026 onwards
Full price of the tour
Complete the booking form
The price of £120 (land only) is based on a minimum number of 4 people taking part in the holiday. If there are insufficient bookings by Wednesday 01st July 2026, we will contact you and return all monies paid.
This Holiday is classed as Very Energetic.
It is a 'moving on' tour, i.e. no fixed base.
The terrain is variable, but undulation and hills should be expected.
The tour starts and finishes at London's Marylebone train station at 09:00 (for a 09:15 start). There is the potential to meet people on our way south, e.g. at London Victoria if this is arranged with the Tour Organiser before making a booking.
Travel to the start and from the finish is not included in this holiday. It is very important that you note that neither your Tour Organiser nor Bikexplore are responsible for you in any way until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. Should you fail to arrive at the appointed time for whatever reason, we will not be responsible for any additional expenses you may incur in order to meet up with the tour group. Before finalising travel arrangements, you should ensure that the tour is definitely going ahead.
Should there be insufficient bookings or pandemic travel restrictions are re-imposed, we reserve the right to cancel the tour at any time. It is therefore recommended that you book fully flexible and refundable transport and accommodation or wait until you have been told the tour will go ahead. In the event of the tour being cancelled we will not be responsible for any losses incurred outside what you pay us.
We will use WhatsApp to communicate details like café stops, meal arrangements, places of interest and any emergencies on route. Ideally everyone will bring a smart phone and be happy to be included in the group.
If you are unable to join the WhatsApp group I can only communicate with you in an emergency.
The maximum number of participants will be 12 including the Tour Organiser.
We will stay in 3-star hotel on the sea front. I have booked only single and twin rooms, but it may be possible to switch a twin to a double on request, depending on availability.
Rooms will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Therefore, if you wish to share a twin but there are no twins left, you would have to take a single room and pay the supplement.
Prices are based on two people sharing a room.
Only a few single rooms are available. Please note single rooms can be of a lower standard than twin or double rooms even though they may incur a supplement.
Meals - We will be catering for ourselves throughout the holiday. The only meal provided is breakfast at the hotel. Coffee stops and lunches will be in cafes en route. For those who wish to join, we will have a group meal at a restaurant near the hotel in Brighton on the Sunday evening.
We will frequently be travelling through rural areas and will stop at cafes during the rides whenever possible but you should buy and carry sufficient food and drink in case one of those planned is closed.
Please ensure that you have access to sufficient monies to cover any meals you will need to buy.
Check that you have informed the Tour Organiser of any dietary requirements in your Booking Form.
Please remember to pack any medications that you need to take regularly.
A touring cycle, hybrid, tandem, recumbent or lightweight road bike would all be suitable for this holiday, since we will endeavour to avoid tracks if possible.
You should ensure your cycle is well maintained, paying particular attention to wheels, tyres and brakes.
A low bottom gear (eg. small chainring the same size or smaller than the largest cog on your rear wheel) is recommended; if unsure about gears, please talk to the Bikexplore Organiser about them.
Mudguards are optional but demonstrate respect to those who are following you in wet weather.
Lights are recommended in the very unlikely event of arriving back late and useful if walking outdoors at night. A bell is advised and bring a bike lock for security. Water bottles are required to ensure you are hydrated at all times.
You will be expected to carry sufficient spares and tools to deal with punctures and minor repairs, including a spare inner tube. There may not be many bike shops on route and they are never when you need them.
You are advised to use 28mm tyres, or larger, to suit the variable terrain.
You will be carrying you own luggage and therefore you must ensure that your panniers, or bike packing bags, are of sound construction and are securely attached to the bicycle.
Before the holiday you are advised to have a trial run with the weight on board to ensure that you are happy with the handling and that the equipment is suitable. As it is only 2 days, you are advised to pack light! It is suggested that the overall luggage weight should be no more than 6kg. If you need advice please contact the Bikexplore Organiser.
The holiday is for 2 days with no rest days.
This is a moving on holiday.
Most of the roads are minor and will be hilly in parts. We may need to use some busier roads at times, particularly in and around London, but we avoid them and stick to quiet roads and cycle lanes as much as possible.
Part of the route may take in greenways, canal towpaths and/or bridleways.
Most of both days will be spent cycling. Participants will be expected to ride at their own pace and often in loose groups, at around 18-20 kmph on the flat, slower up hills, usually meeting up at cafes for lunch and refreshment breaks. You will be notified of the two or three available or recommended refreshment stops each day.
It is expected that you may want to stop for photographs, look at the view or explore and this is okay. You are on holiday.
Inevitably, you might consider parts of the route hilly, and there is no back-up vehicle to carry your luggage, so you need to be fit to get the most out of this tour.
It is essential to get out on your bike and do some ~80km rides before the tour starts.
There may be steep descents too, so you should be able to negotiate these safely.
Please note it may not always be possible to follow the itinerary exactly due to road works or weather etc, as things do not always go as planned. In these circumstances, you will be advised of alternative arrangements.
The Organiser will not always be at the front of the group but may be anywhere within it, as circumstances require, so you will need to be aware of the route and likely stopping places each day.
In deciding what clothes to bring, take a look at the forecast before packing. In addition to cycling gear, it is recommended you bring something lightweight to wear for our evening in Brighton.
Lightweight waterproofs (a top at least) will be needed.
Sun cream, lip balm and sun glasses are recommended. The best protection from the sun is to cover up.
My packing list is available on request - advisable if this is your first tour.
Gpx files for the route will be provided before the start of the tour. If you have any other mapping needs, let me know.
Travel insurance is not compulsory for UK nationals traveling in the UK, though we recommend you consider it.
Tour Organiser: John Upton; jupton100@gmail.com