Most boring (and unpleasant to drive) stretch of country road in Sussex

[hans kraay fan club]

Your reference to Fontwell caught my eye. My favourite bit of Sussex road is between Fontwell and Storrington... fantastic views, curves you can see across, nice hills, sweeping bends, tight corners that can be taken quickly if you get the line right - it's got everything whichever direction you're going in.

This. I love this drive (which I do throughout the summer, as I live in Hampshire, but play cricket at Parham). Over Houghton Hill and the viewpoint, down though Houghton and Amberley, then left on Rackham Road, through the woods to the back gate of the Parham Estate.

That to me IS Sussex.

Home.

#sigh

 

[goldstone]

As for the OP, what is he on? That section is fun to drive some nice bends and the trees hugging the road giving glimpses of clearings in the woods.

The trees hugging the road is one reason I dislike that stretch of road so much. Each to his own, I guess.

 

[tinycowboy]

The trees hugging the road is one reason I dislike that stretch of road so much. Each to his own, I guess.

I prefer trees at the side of the road to (a) a pot-holed road, (b) a wall directly at the side of a narrowish road, and (c) a pavement at the side of a fast narrowish country road. Really, I just like an easy life. For favourite Sussex drives, approaching the downs southwards on the A23 is always a joy. I too like Storrington to Houghton, A259 overlooking Cuckmere Haven, Wilmington to Exceat, Poynings to Fulking. A27 Polegate to Lewes has its highs too.

 

[Cosmic Joker]

Most boring rural section in Sussex is the A259 between Chichester Bypass and Bognor Regis. Flat and featureless and empty. Unless you count a garden centre and a car dealership as features. In fairness there is a decent curry house in a converted pub beside the road as you approach Chichester to spice it up a bit, but its nothing much to look at. The A259 between Littlehampton and Felpham is no great shakes either.

I see that by post 9 the A27 between Arundel and Chichester had been nominated as the dullest while one bend on it had been nominated as the best best of road in the County. NSC at its best.

 

[Norman Potting]

I drove along that stretch a couple of days ago, I always imagine that building being taken over by some kind of Bond villian.

The denouement of one of my boss' adventures was here.

 

[Grombleton]

This. I love this drive (which I do throughout the summer, as I live in Hampshire, but play cricket at Parham). Over Houghton Hill and the viewpoint, down though Houghton and Amberley, then left on Rackham Road, through the woods to the back gate of the Parham Estate.

That to me IS Sussex.

Home.

#sigh

yesyesyesyesyes

I take that route often - i work in Pulborough and live in Littlehampton so i often get bored of Pulborough--Bury--Arundel--Littlehampton. So i turn off at Coldwaltham (or go out towards Storrington and turn off after the Wildbrooks) and go through Greatham/Rackham and join the B2139 into Amberley- the drop down to the Rackham Street/B2139 junction with the Downs looming in front...love it. Then its a lovely run into Amberley and hitting Houghton Hill.

My favourite bit of Sussex, that. Often ride my bike around there and hopefully soon working around there.

Other favourable mentions include:
A272 Petworth - Billingshurst
A272 Petworth - Midhurst (mainly for the area around the Cowdray Estate)

As for boring bits - I nearly died of boredom going from Littlehampton - Bognor the other evening. Plus as previously mentioned, driving on the outskirts of either Chichester or Horsham is miserable (however much i like the towns themselves).

 

[The Large One]

If it's boring, unpleasant and out in the sticks, surely it's the A23.

As a driver, you bypass some wonderful scenery knowing you need to keep your eyes on the road.

True, it's the road home (for many), but as countryside experiences go, it's boring.

Sod this... I'm off to start a Sussex's nicest road thread. Actually, upon reflection, this 'worst road' thread seems to be usurped by more 'best road' posts. More please...

 

[jakarta]

Nice to hear everyone likes the Fontwell-Houghton-Storrington run, but I wish most of the commercial traffic would b*gger off and use the A27 instead! The Air Quality and congestion in the centre of the village are awful most days, luckily I live in Sullington at the top end of the Thakeham Road.

My boring and unpleasant vote is for the A264 between Horsham and the M23, although with the amount of building going on it will be Crawsham in a few years.

Best stretch of country road in Sussex is shirley the A272 from Billingshurst to the Hampshire Border, just over 25 miles of loveliness, especially on my CBR600!

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

The A22 from Eastbourne to Uckfield is pretty poor, road surface in places is awful too, not bad on the stretch north to East Grinstead though, as it goes through the Ashdown Forest. Also, its pretty annoying to drive as it is the route mainly used by lorries to/from the M25 and since it is single carriageway North of Hailsham - you have only 1 place to attempt to safely overtake at East Hoathly, often get stuck behind them as I regularly drive between Eastbourne and Uckfield. Uckfield is just as bad as the road too, just a crap town of nothing really.

The A259 from Pevensey to Hastings is dreary as well, especially through Bexhill......mainly because most of the time your stuck in traffic.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

There's a 100m section of the B2133 between Newpound and Loxwood (heading north) that has some of the worst conjoined potholes currently available. A nightmare, especially at night, as you have to straddle the centre line to avoid the worst of them. The views are quite nice though.

 

[severnside gull]

How is driving at 20mph dangerous?

Modern cars are not geared to be driven at such a low speed and as a result motorists' attention is taken away from the road to focus on the speedf course when you hit someone as a resulr you are less likely to kill them

 

[The Spanish]

this thread is Partridge-esque in its genius.

Genuinely good work.

Another vote for A259 Seaford to to Old Town Eastbourne. Its got everything.

*edit* thats my vote for best.

worst is the A23. Made worse by the fact it used to be such a good drive before.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

The road to the south of shoreham harbour is the worst if you look inland & suffer the never ending humps and shingle & the best if you look out to sea & watch the waves smashing the harbour wall & surfers by the Hot Pipes

 

[Vegas Seagull]

The most boring drive is up the 1 st at East Brighton & the best is from the stunning World Class18th tee at Seaford Head

 

[Mew]

The A24 between Findon and the A272 is a great road ruined by the Storrington roundabout, 2 stupid speed cameras and the garden centre junction. Otherwise great example of rolling Sussex countryside.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Clearly none of you have driven the M62 between the M6 and Manchester. A truly tedious length of tarmac, epic in its monotony, which is invariably jammed solid every morning, resulting in the longest, narrowest car park in the western hemisphere. I have frequently driven the whole length in first gear, and even that meant tailgating the poor sod in front.

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Although it is not all in Sussex, the A281 is a painful road to drive at times. The same idiots that insist on doing 50 in a 60 limit, then do 40 in a 30! God forbid you get stuck behind a horse box too. Very few places to overtake and a nasty habit of feeling like you're further ahead on the road than you are.

 

[Black Rod]

The A24 is a horror show. That road round the back of Amberley gets another vote from me, just ahead of winding up the Beacon and looking down on Mid Sussex on a clear day

 

[Insel affe]

There's a 100m section of the B2133 between Newpound and Loxwood (heading north) that has some of the worst conjoined potholes currently available. A nightmare, especially at night, as you have to straddle the centre line to avoid the worst of them. The views are quite nice though.

I am puzzled if you driving at night the views would be well, shit. And if as you say avoiding pot holes during the day surely you have no time unless you fancy going off road to enjoy the view. So just which is it ?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Although it is not all in Sussex, the A281 is a painful road to drive at times. The same idiots that insist on doing 50 in a 60 limit, then do 40 in a 30! God forbid you get stuck behind a horse box too. Very few places to overtake and a nasty habit of feeling like you're further ahead on the road than you are.

The A281 between the A24 and Guildford is a pain to drive anytime although, and in a perverse way, I sometimes hope that the residential re-development of Dunsfold aerodrome gets approved.