The best cycling routes around Horsham

Getting out into outstanding landscapes

At the very western edge of the High Weald AONB and just mere miles from Surrey Hills AONB, cycle routes from Horsham open up endless possibilities for adventures. Riding through the High Weald in spring and summer offers unrivalled opportunities to see exquisite wildflower meadows and pass through woodlands bursting with life. Ride to Ardingly Reservoir or over to the fantastic Ashdown Forest with its oak and sweet chestnut woodlands, and open heathland. 

To the north, Surrey Hills AONB is brimming with bike routes throughout its undulating, verdant landscape. Box Hill can be found here, made famous for featuring in the London 2012 Olympics, and you can ride its phenomenal switchbacks like the pros. 

On-road and off-road routes provide two-wheeled adventures for every type of cyclist and you can pedal over purple heathlands, whizz down into valleys and ride through charming villages. These two AONBs provide enough bike rides to last a lifetime but head south and you’ll quickly fall in love with rides in the South Downs National Park. 

This sprawling chalk escarpment stretches almost 70 miles (113 km) across the counties south of Horsham. You’ll find exceptional views from rolling hills, breathtaking river valleys and woodlands filled with birdsong. 

Notable historic sites

A historic market town, cycling around Horsham cannot fail to reveal snippets of the region’s past. Of great significance to the Romans, several major Roman roads pass through the area just west of the town, the best known being Stane Street. Bike rides from Horsham can take you to a great many sites, including down to Bignor Roman Villa in the South Downs. A strenuous day ride, you’ll wind your way through rolling countryside, over the River Arun and up to Bignor. 

Dating back to Elizabethan times, Parham House on the edge of the South Downs is a stunning piece of architecture and makes for a wonderful objective on a bike ride south. Set into absolutely incredible surroundings with patchwork hills and well-maintained grounds, this historic house is a much-loved local treasure. 

Everywhere you pedal from Horsham out into the West Sussex landscape will reveal old farmhouses, rural churches and a surprising number of moats.