The cycle route is broadly the same as the walking path, but you will find a few sections where the routes diverge. But even as I heard myself saying to Rob ‘I don’t want to ride anymore, I want to go home’ I knew I couldn’t let myself off the hook that easily. Always a hot topic with chat of doing the double and attempting the record. The final section of trail into Winchester city centre runs alongside a busy road to get people safely across the ring road from the South Downs Way. As I approached Chanctonbury Ring I saw bike lights ahead of me, a welcoming committee of friends come to chase me over the top of Brighton and away from the lure of going home to bed. Knowing I was doing the Double he asked me if I was just setting off. He’d ignored the signs and headed for Beachy Head! Herne Hill Velodrome's Velofete - Fixed Gear Crit. I watched paragliders floating above the Downs in the sunshine. I used mine on a 10-hour setting which meant I had no back-up when it got dark again.Cross your fingers and hope it won’t happen to you. A quick wipe down and some savlon revealed no deep cuts – but he’d taken a hard hit on his thigh and developed  a bruise the size of a tennis ball. Contemplated staying all day, but the trail beckoned so headed west past impressive white-washed hotels and residences built in a time when the seafront town was de rigour.Today it is like many other former coastal retreats, trying hard to find a new identify in a world where Easyjet will whisk you to Faro or Barcelona for £50 return. The South Downs Way Pubs/Cafes. The charming pub traces it’s history back to the 14th Century and has a …

Certainly not looking to set any records! I really don’t like carrying weight on my back while cycling, hence the panniers, but on this occasion it was the wrong decision. Then it was more hill climbing onto the village of Alfriston where we had stayed last year on the London to Paris run. They bounded into the trees as I sped towards them.Still on a high from seeing the owl, my night riding experience was made even more perfect by the noisy arrival on the trail ahead of me of a badger. The start was inauspicious. After two successive weekends of overnight rides, I thought I’d have a change and do a Saturday day ride instead. On the very steep sections I could hardly keep the front wheel on the ground, it was rather like playing Buckaroo! No time for chatting though, I was in the zone: eat, drink, pedal, eat, drink, pedal.From Ditchling Beacon I was back on my own and the temperature started to drop.

The women’s unsupported record currently stands at 27 hours, 26 minutes and 52 seconds (Lydia Gould). Great view of the church overlooking the floodplain with some kind of fete well underway in the church yard. A very pretty village and an inviting pub in the High Street, but decided we should push on.As usual on these trips its the people you meet on route that make it really special – this morning a chap from Swindon who had come down in advance of his wife to spend a few days cycling around. Hatching a crazy goal to cycle the South Downs Way 3 times in succession seemed utterly ridiculous. I was keen to get across the road as the next section of trail is part of my commute home from work so I know it well and was hoping to make back some time on the more familiar route. Everyone was out having fun in the sun, including me.At Kingston Ridge Rob appeared again on his bike to spur me on and then at various points along the way friends popped up to wave and cheer. It is very much like Ambridge here – all terribly terribly nice – the kind of England you thought had died out.“They should call this Chalkshire” my son Matt had remarked when we’d walked the route years earlier  – and he was quite right – it was everywhere as Matthew found to his cost later in the day. Who goes on a 200-mile bike ride without being able to fix a simple puncture? The men’s unsupported record currently stands at 17 hours, 47 minutes and 30 seconds (Josh Ibbett). We are happy to help you arrange doing it in a longer time. Filmed last year, Wahoo sent a group of riders on a trip across the South Downs Way: watching it now will either inspire you to start planning a post … And repeat. Magical.Fortunately after our afternoon low point morale the miles started to build up so by early evening I was confident enough to phone ahead and book a table at the Bridge Inn in Amberley just opposite our accommodation at Cherry Tree Cottage in the Houghton Bridge area, right by the station. We must have looked quite extraordinary among the shoppers.Then hopped on the train back to Waterloo – a final handshake on the Embankment and Matthew headed North while I went East Headed home muddy and tired but elated. No long distance bike ride will ever be free from mechanicals.Try anything new on the day. (Big thanks to Sabreen at Active Physio Clincs for the amazing pre-ride physio which kept my legs turning smoothly right to the last) but my breathing was becoming laboured every time I had to go uphill and I was getting impatient for the finish line now.Friends popped up to cheer me on again and I must admit that though I had wanted to do the Double Alpine-style, having cheerleaders for moral support was fantastic. This is actually shameful. I’ve only previously ridden the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne with others so this was going to be my first solo ride of the whole W – E route. Had it been apple crumble or spotted dick I might have been tempted to stop.On arriving in Jevington we found a pretty little tea-room so we sat sipping tea and coffee just a few miles into our journey in a sunny garden surrounding by bird-feeders and clinking tea-cups. Darkness fell and it started to rain. The women’s unsupported record currently stands at 27 hours, 26 minutes and 52 seconds (Lydia Gould).