Riders wishing to travel from Bromley South map can get the 09:02 and change at Orpington for the 09:26 to Ashford.

Originally conceived to start from the source of the Gerat Stour at Lenham the ride now starts at Ashford to avoid long travel times to Lenham.

Our journey now takes us out of Ashford and follows route 18 along the Great Stour valley towards Canterbury. We travel through Wye and before reaching Canterbury we cross the Great Stour at Chatham and steadily climb the 600 ft up the North Downs before dropping to Lenham to find the source of the Great Stour. After Lenham we follow the river back into Ashford.

Lunch in a pub somewhere.

Entirely on roads and route 18 - should be suitable for all bikes.
48 miles
2850 feet of ascending - hilly by our standards.

Report

7 of us in all today, Catherine, Jane, Ian, Ian, Steve, Katie and Ibrahim. It was nearly 9 but William and Jo didn’t get up in time and we met them high on the North Downs at the Bowl doing there own ride.

Ashford has a great cycle route running through the centre of town along the banks of the Great Stour. We’ve followed it out westwards before several times so it made a change to go in the opposite direction for once. The cycle path is easily found from the station – follow the exit signs from the platform and then turn right out of the main entrance – the river and the path are only a few yards away. We only followed the river for half a mile before joining the A20 for a mile before hooking up with the quiet lanes of route 18. Into Wye along the river valley was a nice easy ride but then came the 1.5 mile, 350 feet climb to Sole Street – no chevrons on the map but a tough little hill. The reward for this 1.5 miles of effort is the 3 mile descent through gradual descent through Denge Woods and the the steep drop down Penny Pot Lane – I’ve done this several times now on different rides and it still thrills.

Into Chartham over the Great Stour and up into Old Wives Lees. We’re only a third of the way into the ride but theres really nowhere between Old Wives Lees and Lenham, on the route, to stop for lunch. It’s not difficult to choose what to eat here because there isn’t much of a choice. It’s a Big Burger, chips, salad and a pint for £5.50 or scampi, chips, salad and a pint for £6.00. Catherine, a confirmed veggie did manage to hustle some cheese and onion rolls from some where to go with the chips and the salad.

Lunch out of the way, a quick descent and then it’s the 10 mile 450 feet gradual climb to The Bowl at Warren Street and the fore mentioned meeting with William and Jo. From Warren Street it’s downhill into Lenham. We take a quick look at one of the three spring fed ponds that form the sources of the Great Stour and then head for afternoon tea, cream teas and cakes in the centre of the pretty Lenham.

After Lenham the ride rolls back into Ashford criss crossing the Great Stour as it widens from it’s stream like dimensions into a small river.

Stats
6hours 45 mins
46.5 miles
6.8mph over all average
11.5 mph moving average
2760 feet of climbing
60 feet ascended per mile
35 mph max

Thanks everyone for coming
Ian Pendleton.