London to Brighton Cycle Route
Travel from the banks of the River Thames in Greenwich to the South Coast on this popular route along National Cycle Network Routes 21 and 20. The route runs for a distance of about 65 miles, using a mixture of minor roads and traffic free paths.
The ride starts by the Cutty Sark on the Thames in Greenwich and heads south along the Ravensbourne River and Pool River to New Beckenham. From there you continue south to Elmers End where you will pass through the lovely South Norwood Country Park. The park includes a pretty lake with lots of wildlife to look out for. The route then continues through the pretty Addington golf course and on to Addington Hill along the London Loop.
The ride then heads through New Addington, Warlingham and Caterham to Redhill. There are several off road sections to enjoy on this section with pleasant stretches through Holt Wood near Warlingham and Mercers Country Park near Redhill. The park incldues a nice lake which is great for birdwatching.
From Redhill you continue to Crawley, passing Horley before an interesting traffic free section through Gatwick Airport takes you to Crawley.
The final section runs from Crawley to Brighton first passing through Tilgate Forest in Tilgate Country Park.
The park includes a nature centre, lakes, lawns, gardens and miles of woodland and bridleways.
From the park the route continues to Handcross where you can see the pretty Nymans Gardens before passing the villages of Staplefield, Bolney and Hickstead. A long traffic free section then follows taking you to the outskirts of Brighton with views of the South Downs as you go. The final stretch takes you through Brighton passing the attractive pavillion gardens before finishing near the prom.
See the video below for an insight into the section from Crawley to Brighton on NCN 20.
London to Brighton Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
London to Brighton Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
London to Brighton OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
London to Brighton Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
The route passes close to one of the highlights of the South Downs at Devils Dyke. You could take a small detour west from the route to visit the wonderful viewpoint and dry valley. There's some good pubs to stop off at near here in the village of Poynings including the Royal Oak. There's a beautiful garden area here, with a newly refurbished Barbecue Area to enjoy in the summer. You can find it in the village at a postcode of BN45 7AQ.
Bob's Cafe is also in Poynings and a real treat. There's a splendid outdoor area right next to a large field so there are open and expansive views to enjoy here. The friendly cafe has an interesting history and includes a table tennis table, and a long rail to hitch your bicycle (or dog) to. Dogs are allowed in the adjacent room too. You can find it at a postcode of BN45 7AL.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Cutty Sark in Greenwich where the route begins. This clipper ship was built on the River Leven, Dumbarton in 1869. She was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest.
River Ravensbourne, Lewisham. The pretty river is a tributary of the River Thames in south London It flows into the tidal Thames at Deptford, where its tidal reach is known as Deptford Creek. It is 11 miles in length and flows through the London Boroughs of Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich. It is a feature of the opening part of the ride.
Wildflowers in the summer in South Norwood Country Park, Croydon. There's some nice surfaced cycle routes in the park including National Cycle Route 21. There's a visitor centre and a cafe where you could enjoy a pit stop for refreshments.
Lake at Mercers Country Park. There's a nice surfaced trail running along a pretty lake in this country park in Redhill.
Lake, Tilgate Park, Crawley. Tilgate Park is the largest public park in Crawley. Before the development of the Crawley New Town, it was the home of the Campbell family. Malcolm Campbell developed and tested his designs of the "Bluebird" world water speed record holding boats on this lake in the 1930s and 40s. This park includes a Nature Centre, cafe, a Walled Garden, a maze and good mountain bike trails.
Brighton Beach at the end of the route. Here you can enjoy a stroll along the prom and the pier.