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Waymarking on the South Downs Way

Don’t ride on footpaths: it’s illegal, it can damage paths and sensitive heathland environments and it’s really annoying for walkers. Besides, the bridleway and byway network on the Downs is so extensive that there’s no need to use footpaths.

Waymarking

Waymarking on the South Downs is generally excellent, you will find waymarkers on gates and signposts at regular intervals and at path junctions – where you need them most. As mentioned above, bridleways are indicated with blue arrows and in the case of the SDW those arrows incorporate the acorn emblem which indicates Long Distance Paths in England and Wales. Byways are indicated with red arrows and footpaths with yellow arrows, and these of course are out of bounds to mountain bikers and horse riders.

Although paths and tracks on the Downs are usually excellently maintained and comprehensively waymarked, it’s still quite possible to get lost. Signposts are occasionally removed or damaged; routes can be changed temporarily or permanently for a variety of reasons and it’s also quite easy at times to go whizzing past a path junction on your bike, oblivious to any waymarkers. There are also a few places where waymarkers are not obvious or clear; where this has been the case, or where there is a good chance of going astray for other reasons, it is noted in the route descriptions below.