Veloboy and I rode this yesterday. We set off from Greenwich in mist that just got thicker as we went up Shooters Hill and it was pretty bad around Meopham as well. It was a cold easterly wind too, but we made progress. Work on a railway bridge just before Meopham caused a re-route partly along an unsealed track, but as this was a fraudax (™ Deano) controls didn't matter.
We dropped down to the Hoo Peninsula and the busy road into Cliffe meant I'll do a tiny tweak of the route that'll add ~100 m to the overall distance. The ride across the Hoo Peninsula was into a stiff, cold, headwind.
It's a big, wide, road across the Isle of Grain and through all the industrial areas where the UK's supply of gas comes onshore. It's a surreal area, rather than postcard picturesque. At least the sun was making an appearance, lighting up the massive silos.
The ride back across the Isle of Grain and the Hoo Peninsula was with a strong tailwind with more and more sun appearing. The approach to Strood is difficult to route in order to avoid the A228. We went via Upper Upnor and the cyclepath that pops out near the
Black Widow Submarine.
The ride through Rochester and beyond was a bit busy and a bit annoying, not helped by the stiff headwind meaning it was hard work and slow going. However there's not a lot of other route options. The wind continued as we crossed onto the Isle of Sheppey. We stopped at a takeaway cafe on Minster beach and shivered as we stood around eating.
Minster feels like it's halfway, but is in fact beyond the halfway point (117 km there and 90 km on the way back). With a tailwind we were able to make quick progress across the Isle of Sheppey, although another road closure just after Iwade was frustrating. This time it was a static caravan parked on a lane making it absolutely impossible to pass. Hopefully it'll be gone by July!
The ride back through Kentish lanes with the sun out was fantastic, and in contrast to the more urban first part of the ride. This was also most definitely the hilliest section. The first pass over the North Downs was a relatively gently affair, but the cimb up Birling Hill was tough. From Vigo Village there were still a few more uphill pitches, but the worst was done. And the reward was a stunning view of London on the approach to Stansted Village.
After the final control in West Kingsdown we plunged down Knats Valley, crossed the River Darent at Eynsford,
via the bridge rather than the ford, and did the final really noticeable climb out of the Darenth Valley to cross the M25. The approach to Greenwich involved ~12 km of urban riding but there weren't too many traffic lights for suburban London. Home before the need to dig out the light