I had the inspiration to cycle down to the south coast today, and was surprised to find myself arriving in Hove before midday. The route took in mainly quiet lanes, there was the odd round-about, but on the whole I thought it was fairly safe. On the way back I used the Downs Link, which is a bridleway that stretches from the coast to Guildford. I highly recommend it as it is a real gem.
Route Map:
To download the route as .gpx, click here