Note: the same train leaves London Bridge at 08:59 before calling at Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal, Abbey Wood and Dartford. Arrives in Gravesend at 09:45.

The ride takes NCN 1 and then diverts through Wainscott to Rochester. The reason for leaving NCN 1 is to enjoy an unrivalled view over the Medway and Rochester. From Rochester the route travels down the eastern bank of the Medway to Aylesford. Dinner will be at the Priory and there will be time to take a look around.

The return to Gravesend is up the west bank of the Medway and through Cuxton, up and over the North Downs and through Cobham.

This route is mostly on roads and should be suitable for all bikes. Remember to bring lights.

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Nick, William and Jo were already on the train when it arrived at Greenwich and Ian, Alan, Jane and Ray got on at Greenwich. The Bromley contingent of Trevor, Andrew and Charles met us as we approached the Promenade at Gravesend.

The ride out of Gravesend along the riverside on the Promenade over the Shorne Marshes to Lower Higham, Mockbeggar towards Chattenden and Upnor along NCN 1 is very familiar and a lovely route. However if you take the right hand fork at Two Gates Farm and take the direct route into Rochester through Wainscott to Frindsbury Church you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view both east and west down the river Medway. We stopped for approximately 20 minutes both on Church Green and in Frindsbury to take in the superb view.

Through Rochester and under the Medway Bridge which carries the lengthening M2 motorway and then carrying on through Wouldham, up to the Pilgrims Way through Burham and Eccles we arrived at the Friary. The Friary makes an interesting place to look around as well as providing a quiet setting for reflection and meditation for those who are stressed out from driving on the roads. We had lunch here, simple food, baked potatoes, soup, toasted sandwiches. All are all very cheap – dinner here including a coke cost me under £4 – and unlike the last time I was here it arrived very quickly.

After lunch it was back over the Medway on the pedestrianised stone bridge in Aylesford and north up the western side of the river. Between Aylesford and Snodland the roads are all very busy and undergoing some changes. At one set of road works for a new road layout one of the workers was particularly helpful by holding up the traffic for a couple of minutes while we all made it across the road. Through Snodland and past the giant paper mill it was left at Holborough and up onto the west bank Pilgrims Way. There seems to be Pilgrims Ways on both sides of the river running parallel with each other. All roads lead to Canterbury. At Cuxton we turn west and climb the North Downs to Cobham. At Cobham we say goodbye to Trevor, Andrew and Charles and head back to Gravesend. Before getting back to Gravesend though we had to cross the A2 and there was a major road being built here which I could only speculate was a lengthening of the M2, maybe to link it to the rail terminal at Ebsfleet. There was no way for motorised traffic over the A2 here but provision had been made for pedestrians which meant we could get over with our bikes and keep to the planned route.

The train back to London had one of the best carriages I’ve seen for carrying bikes. It had room I estimate for about eighteen bikes at one end of one carriage. The isle down the centre of the carriage was even wide enough to wheel your bike down. They should all be like this.

Stats
34.9 miles
3.50 hours riding
5.10 hours total
10.1 mph moving average
8.2  mph overall average
360 feet max elevation
1933 feet climbed
55.5 feet of climbing per mile (hillier than I thought it was going to be)