Round Hurstpierpoint by Bike - Sussex Nomads Cycling Club

By Ashley Knowles

     So you’ve been watching the weather for months, your bike cowering at the back of the garage, cobwebbed and unloved? Well, it’s time for that to change; there’s a feeling in the air of a new season with fresh promise. It’s time to grease your chain, pump up your tyres and head out into the countryside.
     This ride is a relatively short introduction to the beautiful, secret lanes that surround you. Avoiding the main roads, you’ll find peace, quiet and a sense of exploration. You can ride the route with any roadworthy bike and you should manage the distance if you’re at least moderately fit … but don’t underestimate the steady ascent in the middle! Take a snack and plenty to drink, and remember that you’re doing this for fun. Pace yourself, and take a break if you feel you’re overdoing it.
     From the centre of Hurstpierpoint, head east towards Hassocks. After the sharp left-hand bend at the entrance to New Way Lane, turn left on to College Lane. Be careful as you pass the houses here, as there’s very little room for cars. At Hurstpierpoint College, take the left turn on to Chalkers Lane, then the first right on to Danworth Lane and relax; you’re now in countryside proper.
     You don’t need to navigate now for a mile and a half, until you reach the end of the lane. Turn left on to Gatehouse Lane and almost immediately go across the Goddards Green crossroads by the Sportsman Inn. Mind your head as you cycle under the vehicle barrier, and carry on along Bishopstone Lane until you hit the A2300. Cross carefully on to the continuation of Bishopstone Lane, then immediately turn left on to Job’s Lane, a hidden back-way parallel to the A-road. After two-thirds of a mile, turn right on to Stairbridge Lane and continue north for two and a half miles, in the process crossing the A272 onto Buncton Lane. You should detect a change in the landscape; you’re seeing the same unremarkable but charming Sussex fields but the road has started to head upwards.

Read full story on pages 10/11.

Village People - Chris Bradford

Chris Bradford, author

By David Tingley

“It was whilst travelling on a bus in New Zealand, entertaining the other passengers with my guitar. That’s when I knew,” Chris said, as he told me when he knew he wanted to be a professional musician. Yet somehow his journey led him to become a bestselling children’s writer.

Chris Bradford lives in Hurstpierpoint with his wife Sarah and two sons Zach and Leo. Chris is an accomplished author with 23 books in print, sold around the world in 20 languages. He is best known for his Young Samurai series set in 17th Century Japan as Jack Fletcher trains to become a samurai warrior. However writing fiction wasn’t Chris’ first dream. 

At 22 he left Exeter university with a degree in English Literature under his arm. “But not with any desire to write literature,” Chris explains. No, music was his thing, but first he had to get some travel out of his system. He travelled around Africa, the United States, Australia and New Zealand - where he had the ‘light bulb moment’.

On his return to the UK Chris turned his thoughts and energies into, in his words, “becoming a rock star”! He studied at the London Music School and soon formed a band with friends – Clearway. “We were a five piece rock band with a bit of funk thrown in,” Chris explained. “A kind of cross between Coldplay and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They were great years!” 

He describes the success of Clearway as ‘surviving rather than thriving’. They played to packed clubs and recorded a number of albums - albeit self-funded. The band’s highlight was undoubtedly playing at the 21st Celebration of the Commonwealth in front HRH Queen Elizabeth at Kensington Gardens in 2001. 

But Chris now had his heart set on becoming a songwriter and, through his carefully planned networking amongst the industry, he was invited to join the comittee of The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA). Here he represented young songwriters and found himself sitting next to composers who had written for the likes of Cliff Richard, Elton John and Elvis. One of the first ideas he brought to the table of BASCA was for them to produce a book about how to write a definitive hit song. To his surprise they all loved the concept and he was tasked with talking to publishers about the book. To his even greater surprise publishers loved the idea too, and it wasn’t long before he was offered a deal!

Read the full story in the April issue of Hurst Life

Neighbourhood Plan - 92.4% VOTED 'YES'!

From Hurstpierpoint Parish Council website:

Local community supports Plan

The Referendum took place on 12 February 2015 and 2139 electors voted, which was a 42% turn-out. 92.4% ( 1972 electors) voted in favour of the Plan, which means that it will now become the formal planning guidance for the Parish. Council Chairman John Wilkinson said “The Council is delighted to have the support of local people. We know some of the proposals are not everyone’s first choice, but the Plan provides a clear and credible future for restrained development in our villages.”