Day 2 – The Ride to Brighton

A night in the hotel was just what we needed — clothes dried, room warm, everything nice and cozy.
A quick cup of tea in the room before breakfast, a good stretch, and then time to eat.

Breakfast was excellent — the hotel was a lovely pub place with a fancy design and a great kitchen. I have to say, I made a really good choice there.

While we were eating, Tobias pointed out some nice pictures on the wall. Then I heard a familiar voice — a gentleman arriving for breakfast with his family. I recognised it instantly: it was the pub landlord, Al Murray! I said hello and then carried on enjoying breakfast.

Afterwards, we packed the bikes and got to work on Tobias’s puncture. We replaced the inner tube, didn’t bother gluing the old one, and set off.

Soon we joined the Downs Link — the old disused railway line that connects the North Downs with the South Downs. We’d ridden here together two years ago, and here we were again.

It was fun, but a bit monotonous — straight like a German motorway and fairly flat, gradually sloping downhill toward the sea.

We stopped a few times to take in the views, snapped photos in the same spots as last time, and tried to make things fun wherever possible. Any little jump, bump, or pile of sand — we had to go for it, over and over.

After what felt like ages on the trail, we stopped at Southwater Country Park — the same place as two years ago (I know, everything’s compared to two years ago!). We had something to eat, basically lunch, plus a nice hot tea, and then carried on.

Tobias started complaining about his burning legs, and I said, “Just wait for the monster climb coming up soon.”

Our route didn’t go all the way to the sea this time — we turned onto the South Downs Way and climbed up Mill Hill (I think that’s what it’s called). It was a fairly steep track, all uphill from there. Tobias declared, “I won’t walk — I’ll pedal all the way!” And he did — with just a few short stops when the terrain forced him to or when he needed to catch his breath.

It was only a few kilometres on the South Downs Way, but wow, it was brilliant — the views, the climbs, and those crazy descents! We had so much fun, and Tobias loved it the most.

Eventually, we turned right toward Brighton and back to civilisation.
We popped into a bike/skate park, where Tobias did a few laps on the pump track, and then went to get something to eat.

Once we got our food, we thought we’d eat it on the train — only to realise it was a weekday, and bikes weren’t allowed on trains during peak hours… for another two hours! Whaaaat?!

Alright then, let’s eat the food here in the shop and figure out what to do next.

I checked the train options — maybe we could catch one from the next station after Brighton? But no, that was 18 km away — too far.
Then I found another train just 3.5 km away, leaving in about 20 minutes — and delayed a few minutes too (for once, a delay was good news!).

So off we went! Tired, cold, evening setting in, roads full of cars, and all uphill — but we turned it into a mission. It wasn’t a hassle; it was an adventure.

We reached the station with a few minutes to spare — time running out, hearts racing — and luckily, the stars aligned. We caught the train just in time!

I couldn’t buy tickets on the app because, according to the timetable, the train had already departed. But since it was delayed, it was still there. I asked the ticket guy if I could buy them at the counter, and he said, “By the time I print them, the train will leave. Buy them on board.”
So we did — and it worked! We managed to catch the train and saved ourselves two hours, just like that. It felt like a huge victory in that moment.

The trip started a bit on the boring side but ended perfectly. We’re already planning more bikepacking adventures for next year — and we can’t wait.