NCN 21 - London to Eastbourne
NCN 21 - London to Eastbourne is a 150.7 km road cycling route in London & South East with 1377 m of climbing, about 26% of it off road, and it splits into about 2 days at a moderate pace.
The route leaves Greenwich on road and works south through continuous London suburbs, Lewisham, Catford, Penge, Woodside, before the density thins past Addington and the Surrey Hills begin to push up beneath you. The off-road fraction is spread across the whole distance rather than concentrated, so sealed road remains the dominant surface throughout. South of East Grinstead the line threads the High Weald, a succession of ridges and combes through Forest Row, Withyham, Eridge Green, Rotherfield and Mayfield, where the climbing is persistent and the descents short. Beyond Heathfield the terrain eases and the route flattens through Hellingly and Hailsham toward the coast at Sovereign Harbour and Pevensey.
Worth knowing before you go
Resupply is straightforward as far as Redhill and picks up again at East Grinstead and Hailsham, but the stretch through the High Weald between Caterham Valley and Heathfield is long and the settlements on the line are small. The route is tagged as road, but roughly a quarter of the distance is off-road, so conditions underfoot will affect that section of the riding. Navigation through the southern London boroughs requires attention where the line crosses and recrosses the urban grid.
NCN 21 - London to Eastbourne in numbers
- Distance: 150.7 km
- Climbing: 1377 m
- Off road: 40 km, about 26% of the route
- Riding time: about 10 hours, roughly 2 days at a moderate pace
Water, food, campsites and stations along this route are shown on the interactive map.
Plan it and ride it
The map on this page carries the surface breakdown, the elevation profile and every point of interest. You can split the route into days against your own pace, see what it will cost to ride, and take it with you. Download the GPX.
Read the NCN 21 - London to Eastbourne route guide.
Getting to the start without flying · Browse all routes
Route from Sustrans.
Compiled by Ed Hunton, Cicerone guidebook author, from TourTrax's own route data.