England : Kent Beer and Beach Huts Ride or Weekender July 9th/10th 2016

[User10571]

Thoughts! Rye, Camber , Dungeness ,New Romney,Bilsington, Ashford?

Do it the other way around, and it would be downhill (literally) all the way.
Rye, I seem to remember, has quite a few decent eateries. Making it a good destination.
Finishing in Ashford invariably means an uphill finish on heavily trafficked roads - they're always easier to deal with when you are travelling downhill IME.

ETA - Just to add, does Ashford score well (or at all) on the delight-meter as destinations go?
ETFA - A bit of Network Rail surfing reveals that there's a a rail connection between Rye, Ashford and STP - although I fully understand why that it might not serve the needs of some (many?) contributors to this thread.

 

[sotkayak]

Missed a good ride by the looks and also a chance to meet Andre again (it's a small world). My excuse for not joining the ride was a more pressing engagement at Woodchurch fete, where my band were invited to be part of the entertainment. Another time hopefully.

Looks like a ride from or to Rye is being planned ,Steve....May be catch up then...

 

[Hill Wimp]

Do it the other way around, and it would be downhill (literally) all the way.
Rye, I seem to remember, has quite a few decent eateries. Making it a good destination.
Finishing in Ashford invariably means an uphill finish on heavily trafficked roads - they're always easier to deal with when you are travelling downhill IME.

ETA - Just to add, does Ashford score well (or at all) on the delight-meter as destinations go?
ETFA - A bit of Network Rail surfing reveals that there's a a rail connection between Rye, Ashford and STP - although I fully understand why that it might not serve the needs of some (many?) contributors to this thread.

Yes Rye would be a lovely place to end up and this could easily be made into another forum ride that is easily accessible for those from London. Sounds like some recce work needs to be done so i best get to it.

 

[Salty seadog]

@Hill Wimp
I realy should check out the rides section more often, I would have loved to have come along, I cycle this area all the time as I'm in Dover. Lovely pictures and I know all the places. I grew up in Eastry and regualy ride Dover > Canterbury >back through Preston etc and through to Sandwich along the roman road to Deal and back to Dover......
As it happens I am away this week but if another one should be arranged give me a shout......

 

[Salty seadog]

Yes Rye would be a lovely place to end up and this could easily be made into another forum ride that is easily accessible for those from London. Sounds like some recce work needs to be done so i best get to it.

Rye is a good run and a lot can be done along the coast. Its a route I've done several times.....

 

[Salty seadog]

You could meet us there and secure a spot and if you have room possibly take any food bought at the Goods Shed to save us carrying it ?

Ahhhh, the goods shed, the best sandwiches.....amongst other fine produce.

 

[HertzvanRental]

Do it the other way around, and it would be downhill (literally) all the way.
Rye, I seem to remember, has quite a few decent eateries. Making it a good destination.
Finishing in Ashford invariably means an uphill finish on heavily trafficked roads - they're always easier to deal with when you are travelling downhill IME.

ETA - Just to add, does Ashford score well (or at all) on the delight-meter as destinations go?
ETFA - A bit of Network Rail surfing reveals that there's a a rail connection between Rye, Ashford and STP - although I fully understand why that it might not serve the needs of some (many?) contributors to this thread.

Sounds good. Along the coast ? Across the marsh? Bit of each?

 

[User10571]

Sounds good. Along the coast ? Across the marsh? Bit of each?

That's the badger!
Leave Ashford via Beaver lane, and Kingsnorth after that you're onto little lanes through Bilsington, Newchurch, St. Mary's, Littlestone road to take you to the seafront.
A good detour would be the sound mirrors at Denge.
http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/soundmirrors/locations/denge/
Unfortunately we've missed the only opportunity to do that this year (on July 3rd). They're not readily accessible the rest of the time.
Across Dungeness - the biggest shingle spit in Europe - and home to 600 specis of plant life - a third of all those found in Britain.
The over Jurys Gap - the Kent/East Sussex border, and on past Camber Sands to Rye.
I think I may have a GPS track of this route at home. Maybe. I deffo have maps.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Bizzare.

I have just mapped that very route out on Map my Ride.

36 miles and yes as you say all downhill. The initial bit from the station to Kingsnorth is a bit weary but wouldn't take long.

 

[User10571]

Bizzare.

I have just mapped that very route out on Map my Ride.

36 miles and yes as you say all downhill. The initial bit from the station to Kingsnorth is a bit weary but wouldn't take long.

Some of the nastier bits round Kingsnorth (and where the T£sco is) can be navigated by seperate cycle path which runs parallel to the road.
Those roads before you reach the lanes, are fairly quiet in the morning - it is later in the day that they become meh.

 

[Hill Wimp]

@Flying Dodo did a forum ride from Ashford to Dungeness some years ago. It was lovely.

Edit: Here's the thread https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/a-flat-well-almost-pootle-in-kent-sun-1st-july.104495/

Here is the GPX route that @Flying Dodo used from that thread https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1340202.

It looks really good, just need to pick a date now.

If i am not mistaken @Stephen Piper lives down this way on the coast so may be able to check out @Flying Dodo route above and see if it needs tweaking as that ride was in 2012.

 

[Hill Wimp]

I feel a new ride coming together and it's one that people can choose to do as a circular or get the train back from Rye to Ashford.

 

[Stephen Piper]

I know these roads very well and the route looks good. Minor points: the route does show a small section on the main road through Dymchurch at 15 and 16 miles which would be better staying on the seawall, Lydd to Rye (25 to 34) follows a cycle path which is poorly surfaced at the Rye end (past 33) so would recommend staying on the road there if you have a road bike. Hope to join you for this.
Just seen, already mentioned, there are many cycle paths through Ashford there is a nice one that follows the Stour heading south from asda which may be a better route to Kingsnorth

 

[Hill Wimp]

Sounds good.

Not sure what your thoughts are on this but the ride is probably better done either before the school holidays or after they have gone back in September as the coast roads tend to get busy ?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Sounds good.

Not sure what your thoughts are on this but the ride is probably better doen either before the school holidays or after they have gone back in September as the coast roads tend to get busy ?

Does that just leave next weekend for the before the holidays option?