Local Knowledge - cycle friendly routes through Maidstone

[AJB]

I’m looking for anyone with local knowledge of Maidstone and a more friendly cycle route through it.

My Medway Meander 200 Perm enters Maidstone from Tovil and uses the A229 dual carriageway along side the river before turning off towards the Prison and continuing  to Boxley.

The ride yesterday on a very busy A229 was not nice, so looking to reroute.

Can anyone with local knowledge suggest a better route before I spend a day there to recce the area

Anton

[AJB]

I think I've found a route thanks to Google Maps and will check it out in a few weeks when I next intended to ride my Medway Meander.

L off Old Tovil Rd onto College Rd (B2010)
L @ T (still on College Rd)
Keep R (3 lanes) and follow signs for Parking
SO @ T/Lts (Mill St) passing Museum on R
SO @ T/Lts using Bus Lane (Mill St)
R @ T (High St)
L @ T/Lts (Wyke Manor Rd)
Bear R opp Duke of Malborough PH (Union St)
L Wheeler St
L @ T/Lts opp Aldi (Well St)
Pass HMP on L
R @ T/Lts $ BOXLEY

[mmmmartin]

Anton - is this any good - Maidstone can be a pig on a bike because of descending to the river then the busy roads across it, then climbing up out of the valley.
https://goo.gl/maps/PgjyrhNM1LovWX2V9

I think that path alongside the river is a cycle route - also, when i did the Medway Meander I did it anti-clockwise which meant descending Boxley Hill - at about the same speed as the traffic rather than (walking) up it slowly..... doing it that way round does mean the hills after Crowborough and before Eastbourne come early in the ride but they're not too bad.

I do have very unfond memories of those hucking hills.

[Martin]

I still have an unused MM card which I won't be using, found the hills quite gratuitous on the calendar version back in 2007. I know Maidstone town centre well and the one way system over the Medway is a bit of a bottleneck, looks like cycle path is the best way to avoid it

[mmmmartin]

you're right about the hills, but i did enjoy the tricky nav across the Medway flood plain, and obvs World of Water food was always good. I thought as a perm it was quite clever - I'd start from Tonbridge with a bank chit, then Edenbridge and so on - all controls open 24 hours, so could be done at any time. On a 200 in Kent there'll always be hills but at least they were on fairly empty roads.

[Martin]

the Man of Kent 200 perm is my favourite in the area, mainly because i can get there easily by train (which not everyone can) It also isn't flat but by going West-East-West it follows the lie of the land rather than cutting across it.

[AJB]

Anton - is this any good - Maidstone can be a pig on a bike because of descending to the river then the busy roads across it, then climbing up out of the valley.
https://goo.gl/maps/PgjyrhNM1LovWX2V9

I think that path alongside the river is a cycle route - also, when i did the Medway Meander I did it anti-clockwise which meant descending Boxley Hill - at about the same speed as the traffic rather than (walking) up it slowly..... doing it that way round does mean the hills after Crowborough and before Eastbourne come early in the ride but they're not too bad.

I do have very unfond memories of those hucking hills.

mmmmartin

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check it out when I do my recce at the end of August.

Antpm

[AJB]

I still have an unused MM card which I won't be using, found the hills quite gratuitous on the calendar version back in 2007. I know Maidstone town centre well and the one way system over the Medway is a bit of a bottleneck, looks like cycle path is the best way to avoid it

Martin

I thought you liked hills 

I started in Hailsham, since on the route, and although there are hills to Crowborough, the descent from there was well worth the climbs. It also meant that the lanes from WoW to Eastbourne to Hailsham, which are better known to me, easier to navigate especially when tired.

Yes Maidstone was a pain

Anton

[AJB]

I think I've found a route thanks to Google Maps and will check it out in a few weeks when I next intended to ride my Medway Meander.

L off Old Tovil Rd onto College Rd (B2010)
L @ T (still on College Rd)
Keep R (3 lanes) and follow signs for Parking
SO @ T/Lts (Mill St) passing Museum on R
SO @ T/Lts using Bus Lane (Mill St)
R @ T (High St)
L @ T/Lts (Wyke Manor Rd)
Bear R opp Duke of Malborough PH (Union St)
L Wheeler St
L @ T/Lts opp Aldi (Well St)
Pass HMP on L
R @ T/Lts $ BOXLEY

Checked out the above route change this weekend and it is 100% better than original on the main road.

Note if anyone does the Medway Meander in reverse and uses the  above, then they will be going against one way roads

Anton