The Long Ride to the Coast - London to Dover 28th May

[Adam]

Time for another adventure in Kent (also posted on CC).

Start from Hyde Park Corner at 8 am, then basically using the traditional FNRttC Whitstable route with a late breakfast at Andy's Snacks in Rochester, then turning south before Faversham and heading inland for a late pub lunch and then up and down a bit to Dover. We might make a detour via the Battle of Britain memorial at Chapel-le-Ferne.

Around 95 miles, possibly a bit more, although I won't be doing this too fast, bearing in mind I'll have done over 200 miles the previous weekend.  And I won't be cycling back either, as I intend hopping onto the HS1 back to St Pancras.  Other trains are available to Charing Cross.

Usual rules, no-one left behind.

[Wowbagger]

I will be running off to Denmark with Peli. Mrs. Wow and Woolly will also be in attendance.

[steveindenmark]

I will be running off to Denmark with Peli. Mrs. Wow and Woolly will also be in attendance.

Make sure you bring your suncream as it is very hot and sunny here at the moment.

Steve

[Adam]

The likely route we'll take is shown here.  95 miles and only 3,300 ft of climbing.  I've put in some detours to take in some sights and also avoid some very nasty hills.

[Jurek]

Interesting to see that in the interests of aesthetics, you've opted for the Chilham manouvere - A good call.  

Had you anything in mind as a second grub stop?


Also... tell me if I am wrong, it looks to me that there are no advance discounts on HS1.
Is that correct?

[Adam]

Yes, two diversions - Chilham for the architecture and Capel-le-Ferne for the Battle of Britain memorial (seeing as we missed the Spitfires on our last visit).

For a late lunch, it's going to be the Sondes Arms again in Oversland/Selling, but I will double check they don't have another wedding.  I doubt they can beat the interesting mix from our last visit.

Re the HS1, sadly, they don't seem to get an advance discount, so with a railcard, it's £22.60.  Group Save would be available to buy at the station, so I think I'll take pot luck at Dover, to see if enough people want to get back to St Pancras so we can get a reduction off that amount.  

[Jurek]

Re the HS1, sadly, they don't seem to get an advance discount, so with a railcard, it's £22.60.  Group Save would be available to buy at the station, so I think I'll take pot luck at Dover, to see if enough people want to get back to St Pancras so we can get a reduction off that amount.  

That all sounds like it imminently makes sense...
However... are you saying that the stop in Selling works?
Or is it too close to the one in Rochester - and 10 / 15 miles further down the road might be better?

Just sayin' like...

J

[Adam]

Possibly - it's 30 miles on from Rochester so we'll see how people feel.  I'll check out availability further along, as suggested elsewhere.

[Tourist Tony]

Capel, dear boy, not Chapel. Tis a lovely place, that one.

[Adam]

Ta. 

[redflightuk]

Re the HS1, sadly, they don't seem to get an advance discount, so with a railcard, it's £22.60.  Group Save would be available to buy at the station, so I think I'll take pot luck at Dover, to see if enough people want to get back to St Pancras so we can get a reduction off that amount.  

I'll be going back to St P  Adam.

[Adam]

It looks like there'll be groups heading for Bromley South & St Pancras on the trains back, so Group Save should work.

Having finalised things, the revised route is shown here.  Still using the traditional FNRttC route so that means Shooters Hill, then a late 2nd breakfast around 10.45 in Rochester, before heading towards Faversham.

The late lunch will be at the Rose and Crown in between Selling and Shottenden, then rolling 2 miles down the hill to have an ice cream* in the stunningly picturesque village of Chilham.

Then a little climb and then a descent to reach a lovely 10 mile stretch of quiet back road where you only have to worry about going straight over 1 junction and not worry about any other turns left or right, before heading past the Battle of Britain museum located on the old wartime airfield of Hawkinge (the rest is now houses), then across up the hill at Capel le Ferne to have a look at the Battle of Britain Memorial overlooking the sea, before heading downhill to Dover.



* _{I'm assuming of course that it will be hot.}

[Andrij]

*raises hand for ride and HS1 back to London*
 

[Adam]

 

I think that makes it 14.

[Pippa]

This group of 14 - is it a racing snake group, or might they be prepared to slow it down a bit?

Would an addition to the group as you pass through Greenwich be feasible?

[Andrij]

This group of 14 - is it a racing snake group, or might they be prepared to slow it down a bit?

ROTFLMAO!

You must have missed this post: 

*raises hand for ride and HS1 back to London*
 

With no extra effort, I bet I can ensure this doesn't turn into a race to Dover. 
 
 

[Adam]

This group of 14 - is it a racing snake group, or might they be prepared to slow it down a bit?

Would an addition to the group as you pass through Greenwich be feasible?

You did my last Kent ride, back in August.  Was that fast???
No.  Only once did we get above 15 mph on the flat.  I'm a reformed character (possibly).

So don't worry about the pace.  08.40 next to Cutty Sark be OK for you?

[Pippa]

With no extra effort, I bet I can ensure this doesn't turn into a race to Dover. 

I'll race you...to be last to Dover 

@Adam - ah yes good point I had forgotten about that ride - sorry  0840 is good for me. I will try and spot the peloton coming through Greenwich and attempt to seamlessly join in so that you don't have to stop, hopefully.

[ianrauk]

I'll also be at Greenwich for 8.40

[Jurek]

And me  .

[Adam]

Me
Abs
Andrij (in sandals)
CharlieB
Clive ?
DavyWalnuts
GBS ?
Gerwinium (Greenwich late entrant)
Gursh
Ian (Greenwich late entrant)
iZap
John the Red
Jurek (Rochester even later entrant)
LouiseL
Luke the Jedi Master
Martin Teef
MartinT
Martok
Matt the paper folder
Pippa (Rochester even later entrant)
Wanda2010


Edited for later amendments

[gerwinium]

Could I maybe join in at Greenwich as well?

[Pippa]

Pippa (Greenwich Rochester even later entrant)

Make that a Rochester entrant.....

For reasons that I won't go into, I will be up super early that day, so rather than sitting around twiddling my thumbs, I will pootle down to Rochester and will have a leisurely brekkie and pick up the ride from there. I believe Jurek will join me.

Adam - where are you planning on eating your second brekkie in Rochester so I know where to find you?

[Jurek]

I believe Jurek will join me.

He will.

[Adam]

Adam - where are you planning on eating your second brekkie in Rochester so I know where to find you?

Where else but the cyclist's preferred eating establishment, complete with bike parking and banana inspectors:-



(Andy's Snacks)