To the Knepp Estate Wilding Project
September delivered a glorious final instalment of summer for Saturday’s Clarion excursion into Sussex. Sixty miles, a thousand metres of climbing, and an improbable quantity of food separated our start at West Croydon from the finish line in Haywards Heath, with the famous Knepp Estate providing a suitably wild intermission.
The Full Monty Five Clarionites assembled at West Croydon in glorious sunshine, taking on coffee before the serious business of leaving London began. The suburban sprawl steadily loosened its grip, and our first halt came near Coulsdon at The Full Monty café. Displayed proudly in the window was that increasingly coveted mark of civilisation: a Clarion Cyclists Welcome sticker.
Alex evidently took the café’s name as an instruction rather than a suggestion. His breakfast arrived bearing sufficient provisions for two ordinary meals—and perhaps a modest third. Suitably fortified, the party remounted.
Over the Downs Beyond Coulsdon, the roads improved considerably. Finding ourselves in no particular hurry, we made a short diversion to the site of the former Netherne Hospital near Hooley. From there came the North Downs and, once they had been successfully negotiated, our reward: mile after mile of superb lanes heading south into Surrey and Sussex.
The weather could scarcely have been better. Summer appeared determined to make one final case for an extension, but thankfully without the oppressive heat of July. We were treated to blue skies, warm sunshine, and just about the perfect temperature for riding a bicycle.
There were occasional reminders that civilisation still existed. The least glorious section of the expedition was a Saturday passage through Horsham town centre, where pedestrians, traffic, and the general business of a market town briefly replaced hedgerows and empty lanes. Happily, Sussex soon returned us to more agreeable surroundings.
A Wild Safari Our principal destination was Knepp, the celebrated 3,500-acre Sussex rewilding project. A short stop at the Wilding Kitchen and Shop might have sufficed, but yellow route signs beckoned, and the Clarion is not an organisation noted for resisting an unnecessary diversion.
We followed the trail deep into the estate. This involved climbing a treehouse for a magnificent view before continuing to a viewpoint offering an even grander one. Knepp is famous for the return of nightingales, turtle doves, purple emperor butterflies, and free-roaming herds of cattle, ponies, pigs, and deer.
The Clarion wildlife tally was rather more exclusive: we saw a single rabbit.
The Final Stretch & Debrief Reunited with the tarmac, it became apparent that our unexpected safari had worked up an appetite. Fortunately, the imposing Old Barn Garden Centre near Dial Post presented itself shortly afterwards, where a hearty lunch restored the party to something approaching operating condition.
Thereafter came yet more excellent Sussex lanes—the sort of roads that make one wonder why anyone ever cycles anywhere else. We skirted Burgess Hill before beginning the final, slightly less romantic schlep towards Haywards Heath.
Every respectable Clarion expedition requires a debrief, and ours was conducted at the excellent Grape & Grain. Over suitable refreshments, the day’s findings were compared: the weather had been magnificent, the lanes superb, Knepp had been successfully explored, and at least one member had consumed enough breakfast to sustain a small audax team.
From there, it was only a short roll to Haywards Heath station and the train home.
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