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National Cycle Route 21 (or NCR 21) is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. It runs from Greenwich in South-East London south to Crawley, then east to Groombridge and south to Eastbourne, with a short final loop northwards again to its end at Pevensey. [1]
The route is approximately 150 km (93 miles) long. Several sections are not suitable for road bikes.
Links to:
The route forms much of the English section of the Avenue Verte, a planned long-distance cycle route linking London and Paris.
Greenwich | Lewisham | South Norwood | New Addington | Redhill | Horley | Gatwick Airport | Crawley
This section starts by leaving NCR 4 beside the River Thames and following the Waterlink Way south through South-East London, generally on well-surfaced bridleways and residential roads and climbing gently. On leaving Greater London the route quickly becomes more rugged, following a number of paths and roads, including the long access road to Woldingham School. After passing under the M25 motorway the track quality improves again and the route heads west to Redhill, before again heading south, close by the London-Brighton railway. It passes directly underneath the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, weaves through the runway approach lights and continues south to Crawley.
Between Redhill and Crawley the route duplicates Route 20.
Crawley | Crawley Down | East Grinstead | Groombridge
This section is largely on well-made railway paths through attractive countryside and consists of the Worth Way immediately followed by the Forest Way. It finishes just south of Groombridge, with a short signposted spur to the village itself.
Groombridge | Rotherfield | Mayfield | Heathfield | Hailsham | Polegate | Eastbourne
The first half of this section is on undulating country roads, passing by Eridge Station. About one mile before Eridge Station is a spur connecting Crowborough with the route. After Mayfield there is a steep off-road section. The route then follows the whole length of the Cuckoo Trail from Heathfield to Eastbourne, crossing NCR 2 at Polegate.
The route follows the coast up from the east side of Eastbourne, passing the harbour, to Pevensey, where it meets NCR 2.
Wealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England. Its council is based in Hailsham. The district's name comes from the Weald, the remnant forest which was once unbroken and occupies much of the centre and north of the area.
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles (8 km) north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its rail links were closed as part of the Beeching cuts. The 2011 census put the civil parish of Polegate at a population of 8,586, with 41.2% aged 65 and over.
The East Coastway line is a railway line along the south coast of Sussex to the east of Brighton, England. Trains to the west of Brighton operate on the West Coastway line. Together with the West Coastway and the Marshlink line to the east, the line forms part of a continuous route from Havant to Ashford. The Brighton Main Line route to Eastbourne and Hastings, via Plumpton and Cooksbridge, shares the East Coastway line east of Lewes station.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton is a Latin Church Roman Catholic diocese in southern England covering the counties of Sussex and Surrey. The diocese was erected on 28 May 1965 by Pope Paul VI, having previously been a part of the larger Diocese of Southwark, which was elevated to an archdiocese with a new ecclesiastical province on the same date.
Polegate railway station serves Polegate in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, 61 miles 39 chains (99.0 km) from London Bridge, and train services are provided by Southern.
Heathfield is a market town in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The town had a population of 7,732 in 2011. With neighbouring Waldron, it forms the civil parish of the Heathfield and Waldron, which had a population of 11,913 in 2011.
The Cuckoo Trail is a 14-mile (23 km) footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.
The Worth Way is a 7-mile (11 km) footpath and bridleway linking the West Sussex towns of Crawley and East Grinstead via the village of Crawley Down. Mostly following the trackbed of a disused railway the path is an important wildlife corridor. It is part of the National Cycle Network.
Tunbridge Wells West is a railway station located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It is one of two railway stations in Tunbridge Wells constructed by rival companies. The other, Tunbridge Wells Central was opened in 1845 by the South Eastern Railway (SER). Tunbridge Wells West was closed to mainline passenger services in 1985, but part of it still remains as a heritage railway line. Opened in 1996, it stands next to the original engine shed. The line is called the Spa Valley Railway.
The following are lists of recreational walks in East Sussex, England
The BN postcode area, also known as the Brighton postcode area, is a group of 30 postcode districts in South East England, within 18 post towns. These cover southwestern East Sussex and southeastern West Sussex. The main sorting office is at the Gatwick Mail Centre in Crawley.
Groombridge railway station is a station on the Spa Valley Railway (SVR) in Groombridge, East Sussex, England. Once a busy station serving four directions, it closed in 1985 to British Rail services. A new station the other side of Station Road bridge was opened by the SVR in 1997 as part of a standard gauge heritage railway to Tunbridge Wells West.
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route. At the fair, which was held each April, a lady would release a cuckoo from a basket, it being supposedly the 'first cuckoo of spring'. The railway line served the following Sussex communities: Polegate, Hailsham, Hellingly, Horam for Waldron, Heathfield, Mayfield, Rotherfield and Eridge. Services continued through Eridge and onward via Groombridge to Tunbridge Wells.
National Cycle Route 4 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from London to Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. Between these, the route runs through Reading, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Swansea and St David's. Within Wales, sections of the route follow branches of the Celtic Trail cycle route.
The Forest Way is a linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge.
National Cycle Route 20 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network and follows the Wandle Trail in London.
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-21