Easy Route Wanted: London/Dover

[smutchin]

Just peering eastwards from the South West of England and wondering what all this talk of ‘hills’ is all about.

You, outside. NOW.

 

[ianrauk]

If anyone has a detailed copy of the Fridays Whistable route I'd appreciate it

There's no one FNR route to Whitstable as it chops and changes according to ride leaders and conditions on the night.
However here is the main outline of the route.

Main things that will be a problem for you and your rides will be the very busy traffic during the day, especially through Dartford, Gravesend, Northfleet, Rochester and Sittingbourne. Also be aware the the roads through Erith and Bob Dunn Way to Dartford Crossing can be very busy and intimidating with lot's of HGV traffic. Once you hit Grange at Lower Rainham it will be much nicer riding with just Sittingbourne to contend with.
Heading into Sittingbourne you will come across Basser Hill. It's a tough one and will have a lot of your inexperienced cyclists walking. Thankfully it's not a long hill and it's a great view of the Medway Basin at the top

Once you get through Faversham, the remaining miles through the marshes to Whitstable can be a joy if you have the wind behind you. It's as flat as you like. At Graveny you will pass the Freewheel Cyclists Pub which has a on site mechanic.

The usual FNR stop is at the Waterfront in Whitstable. Very cyclist friendly and can easy accommodate 20+ cyclists, but give them a call first. Not only great food and beer, the view over the estuary is top notch.

 

[ianrauk]

Basser hill is avoidable by going north through Iwade, which gives a slightly nicer ... OK different but still not particularly nice ... passage through Sittingbourne. As shown on this route.

I know. As I said in my post, the route I linked to is the main route that is used. The last FNR did in fact go via Raspberry Hill, but getting through Iwade once again can be fraught with lots of HGV traffic during the day.

 

[ianrauk]

Then turn off towards Longfield and Meopham, through the lanes to take the cycle path over the M2 bridge (avoiding the Medway towns, which are no fun by bike), then along the Pilgrims Way - it's a bit of an uphill slog for a few miles after the bridge crossing but not steep, then it's gently rolling country roads.

If you then cut south at Lenham, you can then skirt round the south of Ashford and along flattish country roads down to Hythe, then along the coast to Folkestone. There is the inevitable climb out of Wear Bay but after that it's pretty much all downhill into Dover.
Here's a route for you: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26409611

At Hollingbourne your route carry's on along the Pilgrims Way. This is more of a bridleway, certainly no good unless you are riding MTB's. It's best to do a right (after stopping at the Dirty Habbit for a pint ), then left onto the Greenway then the A20 the pick up your route again.

 

[ianrauk]

Perhaps @Flying Dodo can help here with a route

 

[smutchin]

At Hollingbourne your route carry's on along the Pilgrims Way. This is more of a bridleway, certainly no good unless you are riding MTB's.

Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't think the rough bit started until further on...

after stopping at the Dirty Habbit for a pint

Absolutely!

 

[smutchin]

There's another bit of bridleway before that too, just before Detling, that I wouldn't recommend.

Again, thanks for pointing that out - although that's actually a plotting error, RWGPS not following my intentions!

Your suggested alternative is actually more or less what I was thinking of. Route amended...

 

[Sharky]

Just peering eastwards from the South West of England and wondering what all this talk of ‘hills’ is all about.

We have one hill which was called and is still referred to locally as Death Hill!

 

[Beebo]

If you're starting at the top of Shooter's Hill, my suggestion would be to stick to the main road as far as Dartford - it's not great but it's direct, and the alternatives are a faff. And the descent into Welling is FUN!!!!

I have to agree with this.
There is no real way of avoiding main roads from Shooters Hill to Dartford. It is suburbs, so quiet routes will be fiddly with lots of chances to get lost.
You might as well bite the bullet for the first 10 miles and head straight to Dartford. There will be pinch points in Welling, Bexleyheath and Crayford to overcome, but the route is direct.

 

[MichaelO]

The Crab and Winkle Way, I've ridden this a couple of times. I lost a significant quantity of brownie points by taking my wife along it.

You're not the only one. The kids still haven't forgiven me 3 years later!!

 

[smutchin]

I once guided a few people back to Canterbury for the train after the FNRttC, via the C&W. They didn't thank me for it either!

The surface has been considerably improved since then but it's still a bit rough in places.

 

[User10571]

I've done the C&W (Whitstable to Canterbury) a few times on fixed.
Surfaces (for the most part) are not too bad, but I'd not argue with smutchin's view above^
Some of the inclines made me grimp (almost to the point of standstill-and-fall-over) thobut.

 

[Brains]

Just peering eastwards from the South West of England and wondering what all this talk of ‘hills’ is all about.

You know how in the south east everything is bigger and better than in the rest of the country ?
In this case what we are referring to geologically are the last Alpine folds, Shooters Hill is the most northerly Alpine Fold, so, to be accurate, you are correct, we should be calling the hills of Kent, the foothills of the Alpine Mountain Range !

Here is a photo I took at the start of the first Alpine ascent (in Deal, Kent). It could be tough!

 

[jefmcg]

What I get from this thread is that @Brains should start at midnight. Having done FNRttC Whitstable ride, that's not completely bonkers. Meeting in Greenwich/Woowich for supper, cycle through the night, breakfast on the ferry or in a cafe. Accommodation within 20km of the port at calais, then people can spend the rest of the day sleeping, exploring the town or going for miniature cycling adventures along the coast.

 

[Brains]

What I get from this thread is that @Brains should start at midnight. Having done FNRttC Whitstable ride, that's not completely bonkers. Meeting in Greenwich/Woowich for supper, cycle through the night, breakfast on the ferry or in a cafe. Accommodation within 20km of the port at calais, then people can spend the rest of the day sleeping, exploring the town or going for miniature cycling adventures along the coast.

There are at least three of us on the ride that have done the DD more than once and done the odd FNRTC ride (but not back to back) who would actually be up for doing it overnight.

However the rest are strictly fair weather pootlers, hence the reason why I'm reading every post above to glean as much info as I can to find the most suitable route for less serious cyclists, I dont want them bailing out on day two !