Note: the same train calls at Sevenoaks at 09:31 and Ashford International at 10:18 before arriving at Canterbury West at 10:36.

Ride up the Crab and Winkle Way to Whitstable and then join the Viking Coastal Trail and ride along the coast through Herne Bay, pass Reculver, and go through Margate, Broadstairs before turning back to Canterbury just past Ramsgate.

We've done this ride before. Check out the report and photographs from the 2005 ride and the photographs from Craig's Canterbury 5 Churches ride in 2006.

Pub lunch

All day medium paced ride. Suitable for all bikes except racers.

Report

Tracy, Jane, Mercedes, Mark, Tim, Tim, Shen, Matt, William, Paul, Nick, Ian, Jurec, Susil, Simon, Bill, Colin and Sam were all at London Bridge for the ride today and we all managed to get in the back four coaches of the splitting at Ashford International South Eastern train.

It was £9.75 return for those that got the 4 for 2 group save tickets.

I can’t remember anyone coming on a 50 mile ride before with a single speed but as Matt cruised passed me on the first and only hill out of Canterbury my misgivings about him finishing the ride slid away with the elevation. Unfortunately, Tracy who was at the back of the group coming up the hill decided to get off turn around and go back. I wish I’d been there because I’m sure that if I’d had a chance to tell her this was really the only serious hill all day she could have been persuaded to stay for more than one mile.

Out of Canterbury and we make our way through the university campus and onto the Crab and Winkle Way bypassing Blean through Clowes Wood. I took a different route through Whitstable aiming for a view point that watches over the sea fortified with an armoury of cannon. Must have gone too far east and missed it. Anyway next time – this is an annual ride.  We descended to the Saxon Shore Way, some down a path and mountain bikers, led by Mark, down a grassy bank. Despite the grey sky it’s hard to beat this kind of relaxed, promenading seashore riding. There’s a placid sea to our left and terraces of colourful beach huts to our right. In fact I might rename the ride the ride the ‘beach hut ride’ Tracy Emin of bed, tent and beach hut for the Saatchi collection got hers from around here somewhere. Tracy rides a bike too.

Coming into Herne Bay, a platform out to sea gradually appears through the murk. Paul asks me what it is. I don’t know so I tell him it’s the end of the pier. Not satisfied with this he asks a couple of locals coming out of their front garden. They tell him it’s the end of the pier. The middle section disappeared in a storm, fire or hurricane some time ago. They can’t decide which but are in agreement that it was the second longest in the country before it disappeared into the sea. Onto Reculver and dinner. It’s an early dinner, but it’s a good spot, scenic, historic and a choice of a pub or café. Nick and I opt for the café and fifteen others go to the pub.

Egg, sausage chips and beans is only £3.70. The cloud breaks and the sun beams through. Bon appetite!

Paul told me the pub coped easily with the numbers there and everyone was served in about 15 minutes. We wander around the ruins of the 12th century church before the ride gets underway again heading along a path on top of the sea wall. The weather is now glorious; the sun is out, the beaches are filling and we have a breeze behind us making the riding quick and easy. Approaching Birchington a group of about 15 oriental young women on bikes is coming in the opposite direction. Quite a sight. More of spectacle though is the performance of one member of this group coming off the path and falling 6 feet down a vertical drop from the sea wall. Is the Chinese State Circus in town? Actually I was quite worried as I looked over and saw her lying on the ground motionless with her bike on top of her, but she gradually started moving and smiling and said she was OK. So I took a photo. Matt jumped down and handed the bike up. We satisfied ourselves that she was OK and rode on. On through Birchington, Westgate, Westbrook and Margate all the way by the sea and then up onto the cliffs as we skirt the bays between Margate and Broadstairs. We pass Dickens’s Bleak House go through pretty Broadstairs and descend into Ramsgate.

A tired Shen, not a regular rider and having ridden farther than ever before reluctantly decides to call it a day. Keep riding Shen it gets easier the more you do. See you again. The rest of us have a tea break and admire the view over Pegwell Bay of the defunct Richborough power station.

From Ramsgate we head halfway around Pegwell Bay and then at Cliffs End turn inland to Minster. From Minster the ride fractures a little and becomes a little frantic as a rumour goes through the group that there is only one train an hour back from Canterbury and that we are probably just going to miss a train. At one point a group of riders at the front, ahead of the leader, head off in the wrong direction and it takes a phone call to get them to turn around and come back – ten minutes lost according to my watch man, Tim. About 3 miles out of Canterbury the ride splits into 3 groups as some riders decide they absolutely must get the 18:10 train. The slower group miss the train by 5 minutes. Can anyone help me with the maths here? Ten minutes lost by having to wait for the group that went the wrong way ahead of the leader and a train missed by 5 minutes. Well I suppose it’s not about maths and 5 minutes here and there but more about being able to enjoy a slow ride along quiet Kent country lanes. I really don’t think its fair that we put pressure on slower riders in this way.

At Canterbury West the group splits again and I head off with Tim and Jane to Canterbury East for a train that will take us to Bromley South on the Victoria line. Ironically, on the platform at Canterbury East we meet the first group of riders who had moved off to catch the early train. Without GPS and a leader they’d gone to the wrong station. It turns out that only Paul, Jurec and Bill made the earlier train.

Whatever happened at the end it was still a brilliant ride. Thanks  for the emails and phone calls saying how much you enjoyed the day.

Stats
7 hours 10 minutes
54.6 miles
11.4 mph moving average
7.4 mph overall average
1717 feet climbed
Max elevation 249 feet.
18 riders

Photos tomorrow.

Thanks everyone. See you all again soon.
Ian Pendleton
Lewisham Cyclists