London to Dover

Nick Cod
Posts: 321
Guys / Girls
I'm cycling from the Royal Observatory down to Dover this weekend. Anyone got any suggestions for the route / journey. Places to stop, scenic views, good climbs or downhills
Feedback please
I'm cycling from the Royal Observatory down to Dover this weekend. Anyone got any suggestions for the route / journey. Places to stop, scenic views, good climbs or downhills
Feedback please
2016 Cube Agree C:62 SLT DISC
2013 Cayo Evo 3
2013 Zesty 414
2002 Avalanche 0.0
2018 Vitus Substance v2 105 Gravel
2013 Cayo Evo 3
2013 Zesty 414
2002 Avalanche 0.0
2018 Vitus Substance v2 105 Gravel
0
Comments
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We are doing a London to Paris in September.
Starting from Morden (SW London) to Dover, so maybe you can adjust it to suit.
Here's a link to the ridewithgps route. About 92 miles to Dover. Goes through Caterham; also near to Hever castle & Tunbridge Wells. Quite scenic & a few nice (but not too steep) climbs.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2068685
HTH0 -
I would suggest the A2 as the most direct route. The bit from Dartford/Gravesend is a bit complicated but from Gravesend there's a nice downhill into Rochester, a long and up Chatham Hill, and then it's flat to Faversham.
After Faversham I'm a bit less sure because I tend to cycle to Canterbury rather than Dover, but there is definitely an Old Dover Road out of Canterbury but I don't know what it's like.
But if you do go via Canterbury, after Faversham you cross the end of the M2. After this roundabout (bit scary cos there are lots of motorway traffic) try and bear left onto a cycle path through Boughton. This takes take you up a much quieter hill, still steep, which I think locals call Dunkirk. It's much nicer than going up a busy dual carriageway!
After Canterbury you could try heading almost due south onto Stone Street. A really long straight road that takes you to the edge of the Downs. Then try and stay high as you head East towards Dover. Just be careful which the wind is blowing on Stone Street!
If you fancy going a slightly longer way to Faversham then look out for Hollingbourne Hill on this link http://app.strava.com/activities/48793593
not straight there but you get to go along some of Pilgrims Way.
Have fun. Save some energy for the hill up to Dover Castle! It simply has to be done...Giant TCR2 and lovin it!
http://www.trainerroad.com/career/pipipi0 -
Hot Chillee have just completed their 10th London to Paris ride so I'd suggest they are one of the closest groups when it comes to planning this route.
Have a look at
http://www.londres-paris.com/news_artic ... leid=105520 -
pipipi wrote:After Faversham I'm a bit less sure because I tend to cycle to Canterbury rather than Dover, but there is definitely an Old Dover Road out of Canterbury but I don't know what it's like.
I live a little to the east of Faversham. If you did choose to go via Faversham, instead of then heading off down the A2 to Canterbury, I would suggest the Seasalter Road to Whitstable, then Herne Common, Upstreet, Ash, Sandwich and then around the coast road. It would add 10 miles but it is a nicer route. However, the Hever, Tonbridge etc route is probably the more sensible one, but if you are cycling back again it would make a nice loop.0 -
Just to chime in with another route. This is the proposed route for the Macmillan London 2 Paris that i'll be doing next week.
http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/1086370 ... glish-leg/
Starts in Blackheath which isn't far from Greenwhich0 -
To add to the route from a couple of posts up - from the A2/broughton. you could go seaasalter/whitstable way but imho a much more scenic route would be to use the Elham valley - through bridge/Barham/Elham down to River and Dover. Very little traffic in comparison and used by many of the London/Paris rides.
Avoid the A2 from Canterbury to Dover - very high speed and there have been three bad collisions with cyclists in the last couple of years. There is minimal hard shoulder and WHY DO HGV's MOVE OUT ALL OF 10 INCHES FOR CYCLISTS AT 65 MPH WHEN THE OUTSIDE LANE IS CLEAR (should be in rant thread) - seriously I use the road a lot and see plenty of cyclists using it to head abroad/home with panniers etc with nobody giving them any room through a mixture of laziness/apathy and ignorance
Unfortunately I'm unlikely to be around this weekend or you could have popped in for a cuppa.0 -
I'd recommend a more southerly route, not along the A226/A2. Although direct, it's not a road I would choose for a leisure ride: constant undulations; through the centre of some ugly towns; about 40 sets of lights in seven miles between Strood and Rainham; and apart from Rochester's castle and cathedral I'm struggling to think of anything particularly worth seeing, unless industrial sprawl is your thing. You would also presumably be riding up Shooter's Hill on cold legs - not a good idea.
If you can ride south of the Downs you'll get open countryside and better road surfaces. One of the routes listed above takes you up the long climb from Wye to Hastingleigh and from the top you can see for miles. There's also a cafe somewhere up there which is reputed to be good.
Although a main road, the A20 (where it runs parallel with the M20) is good for a few quick miles if you're behind schedule: it can be windy but in most places is fairly wide and you can occasionally get a tow from a lorry.0 -
Cheers for the feedback guys, much appreciated2016 Cube Agree C:62 SLT DISC
2013 Cayo Evo 3
2013 Zesty 414
2002 Avalanche 0.0
2018 Vitus Substance v2 105 Gravel0 -
Be careful of the final stretch to Dover. Its basically a motorway with a tiny cycle lane running alongside it and trucks fly by at high speeds. Very hairy at night as a lot of the road is not even lit.
Its long and quite undulating and a bit of a drag.
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n+1 is well and truly on track
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