Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

So I kicked off my 2017 adventures with a couple of days to complete the South Downs Way. Was supposed to be doing it with a mate, but he had to pull out late in the day. Looking at the forecast, there was no way I was going to miss out too. It's nice to get some alone time too I find. I hopped on the 16:04 train from Waterloo to Winchester on the Friday evening and was pedalling by 17:15. So started two and bit glorious days of sunshine. Don’t think I saw a cloud for the whole 100 miles.

Here’s a pic of my bike set-up for the trip. Tarp, groundsheet, roll mat and sleeping bag upfront in a 13l drybag. Extra layers for the evening in the seatpack and various bit n bobs in the frame bag. The hardcase in the bottle cage had my toolkit. This meant my rucksack only really had water and snacks in which was nice. I hate having too much weight on my back for these longer rides.

Managed to bosh out about 15 miles the first evening, however as I had all weekend, I was in no rush. Had a lovely pint in the pub at Exton before pressing on to find a bivvy near Meon Springs. Managed to find a quiet little spot atop a hill. Figured it would be less cold here than in the valleys. It was still pretty baltic though as soon as the sun went down. Dinner and a beer under the moonlight and I could feel the stresses of the week melting away.

I was woken early by some seriously horny pheasants/grouse however the 5:30 start meant I was fed, coffee’d and packed up by 7am. My two luxuries, a travel pillow and Aeropress, meant I felt ready for the day ahead.

I was right about valleys being cooler; descending to cross the A3 through the Queen Elizabeth Country park was cold and really dewy. Got soaked by spray from the grass and needed the climb out the other side to warm up. As the day got going I was treated to stunning vista after stunning vista.

Managed to make my way to Houghton for a pub lunch and a rest up. Not having to rush was nice. This is about halfway so every mile more was a mile less to do on the Sunday. At Devil’s Dyke I’d done about 50 miles for the day, 65 in total and so was ready to call it quits. A couple of pints at the pub were nice enough. Spectacular view, shame about all the people. I then retraced my steps a little to find a lovely spot for the night.

A better night’s sleep meant a slow start to the morning but up and going by 8. With 35 miles left and another stunning day to come, I couldn’t really believe my luck. The legs still felt fresh apart from my right knee which was slowly blowing up. It happens on road rides around the 100 mile mark but this was first time mountain biking for a while. Need to get to the bottom of it. Anyway, it’s great riding for views, not so much technically.

This all means you can just plod along and the signage means navigation is basically redundant. Great coffee in the Youth Hostel near Southease, a cracking pint and some cheesy chips at The George Inn at Alfriston before the final slog over to Eastbourne.

Cruising into the seaside town a sense of accomplishment tinged with disappointment it was over. Suddenly you’re back amongst the world a ride like this filters out. Beer on the beech seemed appropriate.

Then a train to catch home. Managed to squeeze in a decent Fish n Chips on the platform while I waited which was excellent.

It’s probably the perfect introduction to off-road bikepacking. It's so accessible from London, and really simple to get around. It's hard work though, so massive respect to anyone that does in a day. If only there were some slightly better descents it would be right up there. It was always a bit of shame to crank all the way to the top a down only to fly down the other side on a straight bridleway. Hopefully Dartmoor/Exmoor later in the year if I can find another 3 or 4 days away from the family. Just hope I can time it with weather like this!