There’s a reason that bikers gather around cafés every weekend like moths around a flame. Stopping off for some slap-up grub and a hot tea is a British biking tradition, and completing a motorcycle route without either just wouldn’t be right.
So, to celebrate that tradition, we’ve teamed up with Moto Corsa Motorcycles, in Dorset, one of our favourite biker haunts in the south west of England. Together we’ve devised a series of cracking weekend rides for you to enjoy over the next few months, with one tasty thing in common.
Every route starts or finishes at Moto Corsa’s on-site café, where you can grab a full English breakfast, or a lovely brunch, before hitting the road again.
In the first route of the series we brought you the Fry Up Run, a cracking route on the south-west coast that starts, unsurprisingly, with a fry up.
This time around we start at the classic biker haunt of Box Hill, Surrey, before heading to Café Corsa for brunch via the stunning South Downs National Park. Let’s get started.
Starting off on Box Hill
This motorcycle route through the South Downs begins at the top of Box Hill, just south of London, a mecca for southern bikers who come from miles around to tackle the famous hairpins of the zig-zag road.
Start at the National Trust car park at the top, which offers glorious far-reaching views, as well as an ice cream van or two for a quick treat. Then head down the hill via those tight bends, the South of England’s answer to the Susten Pass, before hitting the hedge-lined A25 in the direction of another popular biker hang-out, Newlands Corner.
It’s a well-known meet up spot for two-wheeled enthusiasts, but a tasty brunch is calling so don’t stay for too long before hitting the road once again in the direction of the South Downs.
Soak up the glorious flowing curves of swift country roads as you head into the National Park, towards the first landmark of the ride.
Into the South Downs
Our first stop of the day is Petworth House, a stunning Grade I-listed country house. If you’ve got time, hop out of the saddle and go for a wander around the magnificent grounds. You may even spot England’s largest herd of fallow deer in the fields.
From Petworth you’ll blast along the A272 on a fantastically twisting road that wriggles through woodland and rolling fields like a ribbon dropped from the sky, before arriving at Butser Hill, our next stop of the day.
It’s one of the tallest points in the South Downs and offers stunning views of the National Park, as well as a glimpse of hang and para-gliders surfing the air currents.
The great riding continues when you hit the road again, with more bends and curves that seem to be made with two-wheeled travellers in mind, eventually leading you to Winchester. The small city used to be the ancient capital of England and its cathedral, one of the largest in Northern Europe, is well worth a visit, if only in passing.
From Winchester you’ll ride another series of wiggling country lanes through the South Downs that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face, before arriving in Salisbury to see the Cathedral, the final landmark of the ride.
Known for its dramatic Gothic design and towering spire (at 123m it’s the tallest in the United Kingdom) it’s well worth a quick photo or a wander around on foot if you have time, before hopping back into the saddle once again for the final leg of the ride.
From Salisbury you’ll blast through the countryside once more on quiet, flowing backroads, arriving at Café Corsa just in time for a slap-up brunch, which comes with a handy 25% discount when you quote ‘ABR69’. Enjoy your food, you’ve earned it.
Ride this motorcycle route in the South Downs
Plug the waypoints below into your SatNav device to follow as near as dammit the ride on the south west coast.
Alternatively, you can also find the route on TomTom MyDrive, where you can also download the route as a GPX file. Head here to download it.
And don’t forget, quote ABR69 at Café Corsa for 25% off your brunch at the end of the ride.
- Start – Box Hill Car Park
- Newlands Corner
- Petworth House
- Butser Hill
- Winchester Cathedral
- Stockbridge
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Shaftesbury
- Finish – Café Corsa
(Due to local planning restrictions, Moto Corsa Motorcycles showrooms & Cafe are unable to open on Sundays and Bank Holidays)
Mileage: 137 miles
