Ditchling Beacon is the highest point on the South Downs in East Sussex, at 248 metres, and the way up from the north is steep enough to make a loaded bike grumble. The lane leaves the village of Ditchling and climbs the scarp in a series of narrow bends, with a gradient that is a serious test for cyclists, who treat it as a rite of passage, since the London to Brighton charity ride famously ends with this climb. A motorcycle takes it in its stride, but there is little room to pass, so patience is needed.
At the top, the land opens into a wide, open grass hilltop with a view that justifies the climb. To the north lies the Weald, a green, wooded plain stretching away to the horizon, and to the south the Downs roll toward Brighton and the sea, a pale glimmer on clear days. The summit carries the earthworks of an Iron Age hill fort, a ring of banks and ditches built more than two thousand years ago, and the whole hilltop is a nature reserve of chalk grassland, rich in wild flowers and butterflies in summer.
The wind is the thing to watch. The Beacon is exposed, and a stiff breeze coming off the Channel can be strong and cold, even in summer, so bring a windproof layer and keep a firm grip when getting on and off the bike at the car park. Weekends are busy with walkers, cyclists and dog owners, and the car park fills early on fine days. Mornings are quieter, and sunsets from the top are worth waiting for.
Nearby Ditchling is a village of about fifteen hundred people, with old flint cottages, a museum and a couple of pubs, and it was once home to a community of artists and craftspeople. It is a good place for coffee or a bite, but fuel is limited. Hassocks, about five kilometres away, is a small town with a station and shops, while Brighton, a short ride south, offers everything. Fill up in one of those before you tackle the Downs, because the roads beyond are quiet and the pumps are far apart.