We took the 77 bus to it's last stop at Devil's Dyke and took footpaths through fields of cows and…read moremagnificent views of the farm lands below, the sea in the distance and frolicking lambs. We got caught in a rain storm and made our way to the pub by the bus stop. Locally made Gin, delicious leek and potato soup with duck paté and bread, made the rain a blessing. It's wonderful, that in 20 minutes you can travel from the gaudy honky-tonk of the pier to such a peaceful and natural setting.

The curiously named Devil's Dyke is one of the most scenic spots on the South Downs Way. Just five…read moremiles north of Brighton it's easily accessible even when you're not walking the path. It now belongs to the National Trust so car parking fees apply but you can also get the bus up to the Dyke from Brighton in the summer months. The views are fantastic, and on a clear day you can even see as far away as the Isle of White. Its a great location for walking, mountain biking, zorbing of paragliding; or just a picnic if you are feeling a little more sedate. There is a pub if you fancy a pint and an ice cream van most of the year round. Legend has it that the dyke was formed by the Devil to drown the parishioners of the Weald, but scientists tell us that is was formed naturally during the last ice age. However it was formed, the end result is the longest, widest and dryest dry valley in the UK and it's absolutely stunning.

For me Ditchling Beacon is little more than Sussex's most beautiful car park. Maintained by the…read morenational trust it serves as the final and most brutal challenge of the London to Brighton Bike ride. For the main part it's a great place to start a long walk across the downs on a route that (heading west) has a few interesting points to offer including some historic dewponds and an area of land known to the mountain biking community of Sussex as Tank Tracks. The reason for this being that it was used a training ground for tank drivers during the Second World War. As with most places on the downs the whole walk offers incredible views all year round and unlike Devil's Dyke for example you are free of the reminder that the pub offers of how close you are to civilisation you are.

Ditching beacon is the site of a Paleolithic hill fort, though sadly nothng remains of the original…read morestructure. What is left is one of the most breathtaking views you will get of the Sussex county. The site is a nature reserve maintained by the National Trust and if you want to get out of the city and have a walk along the downs, then this should be your first port of call. If you follow the route West along the chalk downs you will pass a couple of old dew ponds (used by herders in times past for watering their flocks) and end up coming to a quaint little windmill. The actual car park will usually have an ice cream van stationed for any refreshments, but aside from that don't expect a pub or venue to quench your thirst. Hence, bringing along some snack and drinks is a good idea. The car park is fairly adequate, but on summer weekends you may have to resort to parking on the side of the road. I came here a lot as a kid and would really recommend this as a nice Sunday afternoon walk to burn off the effects of the Sunday lunch.

Visitors more familiar with the densely built up City Centre of Brighton and its Georgian…read morearchitecture will be surprised to learn just how many large parks the city has. One of the nicest, and most historic, is Stanmer Park, on the eastern outskirts of the city and adjacent to the lovely campus of the University of Sussex at Falmer. The park is set around Stanmer House, built in 1720 by the first Earl of Chichester, Thomas Pelham. Set in its own little valley, the estate includes Stanmer Village and church: the former a picturesque private village built for the estate's workers, and the latter rebuilt in 1838 when the earlier mediaeval church burned down. As with many such estates, it was planned on the principles of classic English landscape gardening, and consists of sweeping areas of lawn planted with specimen trees, all edged with woodland. Bought by Brighton Council in 1947, the grounds are now open to the public as parkland. The 'village' includes a cafe ('see separate entry under 'Stanmer Tea Rooms') and public toilets. Part of the old stable block now houses a mildly diverting small museum of rural life (free entry but rather limited opening hours) and a nursery which is open to the public, selling a wide range of plants, in what was the house's walled garden (which closes at 16h). The whole ensemble is maybe not quite as well kept as it could be, but it's nice enough. The House itself has been beautifully restored and is let as a conference and private function venue, and some of the main function rooms can be visited (again, for free) when not hired out. It contains a collection of old photographs, but most of the original contents have long since gone - however, the modern furnishings fit in well enough in a 'Country House Hotel' sort of way. However, the main reason for a visit to the Park is just to get some fresh air, in nice surroundings: it's a great place for a game of cricket or rounders, or picnic, or just a woodland walk, and is very popular with students from the nearby University and families in the summer. The park is a 15 minute walk from Falmer station, and 10 minutes from the University, but on summer Sundays and Bank Holidays there is an hourly bus service (route 78) from the centre of Brighton, via the railway station, during the day, right up to the Village and House. Car-parking is in the process of being reorganised, but is normally not a problem unless there is an event taking place.

Stanmer Park is located just off the A270 between Brighton and Lewes, right next to the University…read moreof Sussex Campus, in the village of Stanmer. It is a lovely place to walk the dog or take the kids for a run around if they need to expel some excess energy! There's a small car park, but be warned this can get packed out pretty quickly, as it seems to serve as an overflow car park for visitors to the village, church and pub! Easily accessible from Falmer village and Sussex campus, Stanmer park provides a really nice, scenic walk- it's not particularly challenging or varied, more of a light stroll around the estate's grounds. I often used to pop over to Stanmer to stretch my legs and get a change of scenery, during my first year at university, it's a really great place to have on your doorstep, which I suspect many students aren't even aware of. If you feel like exploring, you can also wander through the village, where there's a really sweet old church and a pub that do nice food. Stanmer House itself is also quite something to look at and Stanmer Nursery is nestled away at the side and is well worth a visit. This is where the council grow many of the flowers they use in displays all over the city! Oh and if you're interested in Eco living and building, be sure to check out the Earth ship, it's incredible and they do tours!

An excellent place for doggie walking my Bonnie loves it . Also popular with cyclists joggers…read moretwitchers. lots of nicely set out paths . Hides for twitchers to view the birds without disturbing them a lovely nature reserve

Fabulous walk that my mate and I did a couple of years ago. We made good time along the ridge and…read moreplanned lunch in The Shephard and Dog at Fulking. However, we ended up having it in The Rising Sun at Upper Beeding. Nice lunch taken of Steak and Kidney pie with a couple of pints of RuddlesBUT.oh dearwe then had to get back up the ridge via Annington Hill! Big mistake.

Fulking Escarpment is perhaps best approached from Devil's Dyke heading west across the northern…read moremost ridge of the South Downs. It sits picturesquely overlooking Fulking with patches of trail-filled woods at its base. Originally used for small scale chalk based operations, its face is festooned with rugged trails snaking their way down and across from the ridge to Fulking and the woods at the bottom. This place is a bit of a must for the Brighton based outdoors enthusiast like me. Aside from the stunning panoramic views of the Weald these trails offer a great location for a spot of cross country (XC) or more fast paced Downhill (DH) Mountain biking. I personally find these trails really refreshing by comparison to many of the more manmade trails of say Penshurst off-road cycle club. Most of the trails are deep set into the escarpment after years of rain and use from horse riding, the upside of this being that A. you can often pull out a cheeky wall ride and, B. The chances of you plummeting off the side of the trail and down the steep hillside to the woods below are reduced. In terms if the accent these trails are great for the XC rider who wants to really challenge their climbing ability while fighting a more technical track, but for those of us with heavier more cumbersome DH bikes a brutal push is all that waits for you. The wooded trails at the bottom are much better suited to walking and as ever walkers are going to be one of the things to watch out for on these trails, as are Horse Riders. In short this is a good spot to hit locally with REAL natural challenges and some awesome lines to try out, but as ever with none bike specific spots, be mindful of others while enjoying your weekly hit of adrenalin.