Just rode FY's new Down to Downs perm (1.75AAA 106km) using the suggested start of Edenbridge.
A lovely ride, hard as expected. Toy's Hill was an early shock to the system, and after the long descent into Brasted there's a new one for me on the other side of the A25. A typo on the route sheet in Brasted had me scratching head but soon I saw a massive hill looming ahead (probably the steepest on the ride) so knew I was on track. Much like the Ide Hill Grimpeur you Descend Descend Descend from the top and eventually pop out on the A21 at Green Street Green where the petrol station gets a 5* for Tchibo Cappucino and Star Bars
You then go along the A21 for a bit (found out there is a parallel cycle path) before a drag back up to Knockholt where you drop down to the M25 on what I assume is the last hill back up on the Hell of the Ashdown. A new road for me up from Sundridge to Ide Hill for an info. You drop down the Beast (all the descents are on well surfaced single carriageway roads which make this an ideal winter ride) and wiggle through past Bough Beech reservoir before some moderate lumpy stuff and eventually the petrol station at Langton Green just outside Tunbridge Wells.
From there it's a scoot down into Groombridge and the lovely drag up though Friar's Gate; Ashdown Forest makes you work for the views as they take a while to appear but are well worth it (the South Downs from one direction and the North Downs coming back). At the top is the long descent to Maresfield where I used the alternative route through Underhill; not sure if this will become a permanent detour though.
Plenty of choice for food in Uckfield (I sat on a bench outside Tesco) before a reverse back up to the top of the Forest and back down to Hartfield (where I saw a couple of Japanese Pooh fans walking up the path-less main road to Gills Lap
) before the fairly gentle and steady climb back up to Stick Hill and eventually the final and welcome whizz back down to Edenbridge. Very nice to do it this way as the climbing gets shallower as you go round the route.
so I now have a spare GdS in case anything goes wrong with the last 3