Cantii Way

[jiberjaber]

Cycling UK launched another new route this year, Cantii Way https://www.cyclinguk.org/cantii-way

Couldn't find a thread for it, so thought I would start one.

Looks pretty flat (famous last words!) and relatively local to me being in Essex - some good options for start points around the route or just use some of the route to get to the South Coast ports? Some on road and some off road bridleways / byways / cycle paths etc

I've ridden the Herne Bay through to Dover section a few years ago as a route to get to Dover for the Ferry pre-LEL17 - no where near as fit as that now so I'm planning a train assisted start from Ashford Int this weekend however I have a few options for return including the North Downs Way.

Camping this time, hotels and B&B seem crazy expensive nowadays    Planning on spreading it out over 3 night stays to avoid getting lulled in to not seeing stuff as I go past it!



Anyone else ridden it or planning to?

[SpaceBadger]

I’m planning to. It’s a very loose plan at the moment. Cycling UK did a very good presentation on the route at the Cycle Show recently.

[jiberjaber]

Just finished riding round yesterday, not quite as flat as expected but then I'm more used to Essex land!

Not a bad route but I was expecting more off road in some parts.

[andrewc]

A nice report on that here.  https://www.pannier.cc/journal/kent-downs-coast-loop-bikepacking-the-cantii-way/

[Carlosfandango]

We rode it last week and enjoyed it. We went along the coast on the Isle of Thanet, it was practically all off road. Even the shared paths weren't busy, we started on Monday to avoid the weekend.
The last day North to Ashford was along quiet lanes rather than tracks. It's surprising how remote you can feel even in a busy County. It was easy enough to book campsites near the route.

We'd recommend it for an easy tour.

[citoyen]

The route passes within 1km of my home, and looking at the map of the route, there are only a couple of small sections that I've not ridden. Never done it all in one go though. Tempted to do it as a DIY 200 - modifying the route slightly so it's not too much over-distance. It has some useful tile-bagging opportunities too.

There are a couple of places where I'm slightly surprised at the route they've chosen. Mainly the bit where you have to go on the A28 just before Chilham - the turning towards Ashford is a really horrible junction. There's an alternative way you can go from Chartham to Wye that doesn't involve crossing the A28 - from the end of Mystole Lane, instead of turning down the hill, carry straight ahead on to the Pilgrims Trail. This eventually brings you out on Olantigh Road in Godmersham. It's a bit rough in places but I've ridden it on a road bike with 28mm tyres.

[cycleman]

Would I get the trike through it?. Thinking of trying this route sometime in the future 🤔

[bhoot]

....easy enough to book campsites near the route

We have thought about it as a nice easy accessible trip from home and would camp, so interested to know where you stayed.

[jiberjaber]

....easy enough to book campsites near the route

We have thought about it as a nice easy accessible trip from home and would camp, so interested to know where you stayed.

When I did it, I stayed at the following:

Day 1: https://www.strava.com/activities/7398851587
Train from Chelmsford to Ashforsd Intl. (make sure you note where the accessable carriage is on the display boards to get to the correct end of a very busy train service!)
Birchington, overnight Hawk campsite (£19/night) with pre-camping drinks at Wantsum Brewery and a none Cantii route bridleway to the camp site. Evening meel at Minnis (ok, but not great). Nice micro-pub in town.

Day 2: https://www.strava.com/activities/7403659233
From Birchington to Capel-le-Fern with some route modification to take in the Spitfire museum at Marston (free entry & cafe on site) - road quite busy around there though. Lots of additional good off-road added to museum and near Dover. Long drag up out of Dover. Overnight at Little Satmar campsite, (£19/night) only 2 dinner options (other than a pot noodle at the camp site) The Valant Sailor (closes early, further away from campsite) &  The Royal Oak, very trad pub, super cheap (massive plate of food and 4 pints, £16)

Day3: https://www.strava.com/activities/7410027648
Capel-le-Fern to Rye Foreign Overnight at Hare & Hounds, just outside of Rye along A road up the hill £12/night

Day4: https://www.strava.com/activities/7414615974
Rye to Westwell
Good off-road added not on Cantii way to get down from RF to Rye
Overnight on the NDW at a small campsite Dunn Street Farm, £10/night no local food places, so needed to picnic based on buying food in the co-op in Wye.

Depending on how you slice & dice the route there are other camping options, Kingsdown is very popular for example.  Needed to book a week or so in advance, I left it to the week before and had to ask by email directly to get on the Hawk and Hare sites as online they were showing as full but they were able to squeeze a 1 man tent on ok.

[bhoot]

Thanks... we wouldn't go until September which probably means camp site bookings become a bit easier. And also good tips on some of the route mods. We would use our touring bikes, so mild off road fine but nothing too gnarly.

[andrewc]

Thanks for the info.  I'll be down that way in September as part of a longer trip, so might follow some of it. 


£19 campsites