I also rode out to Eastbourne around the same time. This is not the most direct route - I wanted to take in some of the best scenery in the South Downs rather than get to the town as quickly as possible (and I wanted my ride to hit 100 miles once I added on the ride home from Victoria station). Down to the Woolwich foot tunnel same route as above, then a not particularly pleasant section on the South Circular, before heading out of London via Chislehurst. My route took me on the A224 out near the M25 at somewhere called Badgers Mount, but looking at the map there's a more pleasant smaller road ('Old London Road') that runs parallel here which would be better to take. Then out into Kent and it gets hilly. Up Ide Hill and bomb down the other side. I stopped at a nice pub in Markbeech. Head down to Ashdown Forest in Sussex and then up Kidds Hill, known locally as 'The Wall'. Once you get out of The Weald you have finally have the respite of 20 flattish miles. I stopped at another pub in Laughton. Then down through Alfriston and up yet another vicious climb called 'High and Over'. Into Seaford and then turn left to head east for the rest of the ride. More climbing in the South Downs, some great views - take a breather at Birling Gap to look at the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, stop again at the top of Beachy Head (I got fish and chips from the pub here), then finally plunge down into Eastbourne. There's no reason not to go straight to the station without following my strange detour in the town - I was just having a look at where my grandparent used to live.
@JamieF
I also rode out to Eastbourne around the same time. This is not the most direct route - I wanted to take in some of the best scenery in the South Downs rather than get to the town as quickly as possible (and I wanted my ride to hit 100 miles once I added on the ride home from Victoria station). Down to the Woolwich foot tunnel same route as above, then a not particularly pleasant section on the South Circular, before heading out of London via Chislehurst. My route took me on the A224 out near the M25 at somewhere called Badgers Mount, but looking at the map there's a more pleasant smaller road ('Old London Road') that runs parallel here which would be better to take. Then out into Kent and it gets hilly. Up Ide Hill and bomb down the other side. I stopped at a nice pub in Markbeech. Head down to Ashdown Forest in Sussex and then up Kidds Hill, known locally as 'The Wall'. Once you get out of The Weald you have finally have the respite of 20 flattish miles. I stopped at another pub in Laughton. Then down through Alfriston and up yet another vicious climb called 'High and Over'. Into Seaford and then turn left to head east for the rest of the ride. More climbing in the South Downs, some great views - take a breather at Birling Gap to look at the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, stop again at the top of Beachy Head (I got fish and chips from the pub here), then finally plunge down into Eastbourne. There's no reason not to go straight to the station without following my strange detour in the town - I was just having a look at where my grandparent used to live.
Route here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9423963
Some video of the last part: https://youtu.be/0WFLm0dtLPo