We've explored the country to the east of Canterbury and on this ride we're going to take a look to the west.

The ride begins in Sittingbourne and goes to Faversham exploring the Swale district along Sustrans route 1.From Faversaham we head to Whitstable and then it's up the Crab and Winkle Way to skirt Canterbury and return to Sittinbourne through Faversham.

There are opportunities to cut the ride short in either Canterbury or Faversham.

Pub Lunch.

Suitable for all bikes except racey road bikes.

Report

The curious decision to stat the ride at London Bridge when the same train stops at Greenwich was the result of honouring the first ride description which was made before fully examining the train timetable. In hindsight it would have been better to start the ride at Greenwich.

3 of us at London Bridge, Uric (a guess at the spelling), Ian and Roy and 3 at Greenwich, Janet, Neville and Jane.

A helpful ticket inspector explained we would be better changing at Chatham because that way we would avoid carrying our bikes over the footbridge at Gillingham. He also said he would tell Janet and Neville who had boarded further up the train. I checked with Janet by phone that she knew we were going to be changing at Chatham – the message hadn’t got through – not as helpful as I thought at first.

We sauntered out of Sittingbourne and soon found ourselves on characteristic Sustrans cycle route tracks, slippery, puddled, stoney, bumpy and in places strewn with glass and litter. I feared for Uric on his rather nice thin tyred Bianchi road bike. Sustrans routes aren’t the best places for these sensitive quick bikes, but as long as the rider is determined and isn’t as sensitive as the equipment the routes are passable and you are rewarded by being placed in the landscape rather than being on the edge.

Our route took us over the marshland to the south of the Swale and we were rewarded with excellent views over the Swale and quiet Kent roads and tracks. We were able to take in these views for considerably longer than planned as a stop for a puncture repair to my bike coming into Conyer along the raised flood defences of Conyer Creek proved troublesome as the replacement tube also proved to be faulty. Jane to the rescue with one of her tubes.

Coming into Oare we turned left and headed down a cul-de-sac to Harty’s Ferry. This is a point at the mouth of the creek that flows into Faversham where there used to be a ferry that went over the Swale to the Isle of Sheppey. On the other side of the Swale is the Ferry Inn on the Isle of Sheppey where we had a drink on one of our rides last year. This spot is also very popular with bird watchers, there is an army of twitchers down here and a notice board advises on the birds that have been seen in the area. On the ride down to the ferry I had another puncture, a result of not having found the intruding piece of glass the first time around. The group went down to the Swale and returned as I was putting the wheel back on the bike. As I pumped the tyre up the valve blew and then one of those very rare occurrences that result in the end of your ride – the lever on the quick release broke meaning I couldn’t get the wheel off to remove the tube again.

The group decided to continue while I walked into Faversham to get the train back to Greenwich. Getting off the train in Greenwich I found I had a flat in the rear tyre as well – just not my day – and not a good day for Specialized Armadillo tyres.

At home the bike was put right in about half an hour. It took a pair of pliers a new quick release and a couple of repaired tubes.

I’d be interested in how the ride went for those that continued . . . . . . I’m sure the rest of the group experienced a nice ride into Whitstable and a nice lunch on the coast.

Jane I owe you a tube.

Some photos later.

Ian Pendleton.

We saw the sign to Faversham as we turned off towards Whitstable just after we left you and were relieved to see it indicated only just over a mile to Faversham.

We made it to Whitstable, despite a few missed turns on the way through Faversham- the signage is tiny in places, just a little sticker on a post here and there. There's one point where the path seemed to take us back the way we had come at the point where you cross the river, but luckily I remembered riding along the dyke which we could see a little way off in the distance, just at the moment we were about to head off onto a muddy track which seemed to be going in the right direction. I think there might once have been a sign on the bridge but it seems to have been forcibly removed! Once in Whitstable we made for the Old Neptune on the beach- and all had jacket potatoes.

The pub is quite laid back and the staff forgot to put our order into the kitchen for about half an hour. We didn't really mind except that it meant we didn't finish lunch till about 3pm and realised that we might be pushed to cover the last 20 or so miles before it got dark, especially as it was very likely we would get lost a few times, without our expert guide! So we retraced our path back to Faversham and returned from there. We all concluded that we had really enjoyed the day, no one got wet and Neville and Janet enjoyed their first visit to Whitstable. Everyone seemed happy with the 35 miles that we covered. All in all, a surprising success for us, if not for you, Ian.

Jane Davies