3 Day Tour Around Kent Route Pointers

englander

I'm gearing up to go on my first cycle tour next Monday around Kent. I'll be doing it solo and I'll be camping for 2 nights. I'm not terribly familiar with the so called "Garden of England" so I'd like it if anyone with some knowledge of the roads and lanes can impart some of their wisdom regarding places not to miss whilst I'm there. 80-100 miles per day is the target, preferring quiet country lanes over busier/faster A roads. Without further ado, here are my preliminary routes with a brief summary:

Day 1: London -> Kingsdown
Going from home to the first camp site. I'm actually relatively pleased with this route. I'm aiming for a maximum of 100 miles per day and I want to see Canterbury Cathedral whilst I'm passing through. The route is pretty direct and already at my daily distance limit, so aside from minor tinkering to go on the more scenic/quieter roads, there isn't a terrible amount of adjustment that I feel can be made here.

Day 2: Kingsdown ->Bexhill-on-Sea
This day is the biggest unknown to me. I've put a preliminary route following the coast, but it's quite a short day of riding. I would like to venture inland a bit, but I don't know if there is anywhere in that vicinity which is worth aiming for (in terms of a scenic/interesting/historical place to visit).

Day 3: Bexhill-on-Sea -> Home
I think the main decider here is which direction I want to head back into London from. I'm forever in the Surrey Hills, so for a change I think going via Warlingham/Caterham type places would be better. Again, anywhere between the south coast and the M25 that's worth going through?

I look forward to any comments/constructive criticism.

owenlars

Day 2, Dover Castle and Bodiham Castle are both amazing in different ways, Dungeness and Romney Marsh for unique and very different biological environments, Rye is lovely as is Tenterden and Battle Abbey outside Hastings is always worth a visit.

Day 3, The Royal Observatory at Herstmonceaux, look at Tunbridge Wells, drop into the Enigma bike factory at Hailsham if you can organise it with Jim and Mark.

Should be a good three days.

englander

That is exactly the advice I was looking for! Thanks very much.

Indeed, the weather is shaping up to be great (at long last) so it should be very pleasant.

colinsmith123

Day 1 - London to Kingsdown

Head south and pick up The Pilgrims Way and sort of follow this to Canterbury. Riding through the lanes of Kent. A lot less traffic alot more scenic than riding along the Thames Corridor. You're more likely to find fellow cyclists heading in a similar direction and a bit of history thrown in too.

Pilgrims is quite easy to follow to Leybourne. Then head south on New Hyde Lane to A20 then about a mile to the turning for Aylesford. Head for The Priory for a tea and a piece of cake before heading up Rochester Road, turn right on The Old Chatham Road to the bottom and in Grange Lane, left up Boxley Lane, through Boxley and back on to Pilgrims Way. And then you can either head north and pick up your route or keep heading east towards Canterbury. One word of caution though, this route is a possibly bit more hilly so factor the additional time.

Don't know the other routes as they are off my radar. But hope this helps.

englander

Fantastic, I've incorporated all advice into my 3 days of routes. I'm going to Dover Castle on Tuesday morning and set off on that day after lunch in the castle grounds. The plan is to have breakfast a top the white cliffs of Dover.

I have a nasty headwind on day 1, but that turns into a stunning tailwind on day 2.

I'll be living on flapjacks (a lot of them), porridge and pubs for dinner. I am looking forward to it!

colinsmith123

Englander, how did you get on?

englander

It went very well thanks!

Zipped by Dover Castle on Day 2 after having breakfast on the edge of the White Cliffs of Dover. Went by the observatory at Herstmonceaux, too. Completely knackered by the end of it.

The camping went amazingly smoothly, I met some interesting people both at the camp sites and on my general travels without even really meaning too. People just stop and ask what you;re up to if they see you lugging around a tent, sleeping bag and back pack in the middle of nowhere!

Kent generally is very pretty. I'm thinking about my next tour now; maybe coast to coast or London to Paris (rode with some L2Pers I bumped into on Day 1 - they invited me to join them which was tempting, but I said I'd leave it for another day!)