Bike ride out to Rochester and Chatham via Upnor 30th July 2011

Firsty please feel free to click on the links that'll take you to more info and websites.

I set out early this morning to meet Richard at Tilbury Ferry. I cycled via Romford,Rainham,Grays and onto Tilbury. I met up with Richard and boarded the Tilbury to Gravesend ferry after paying for our £3 return ticket." A coach full of pensioners crossing the water to board The Princess Pocahontas boat accompanied us,never seen the ferry so full.

Once off the ferry we picked up signs for the NCN 1 route, we followed this out of Gravesend, a good section of this route wasn't at all suitable for road bikes.

Richard climbing a hill just past a Ministry Of Defence land on Lower Rochester Road just outside of Lower Higham.

I was talking to Richard as we cycled past fields of Wheat, hops and apples, that I wanted to see Upnor Castle if we could find it. And as by Magic we stumbled onto Upper Upnor a lovely village full of friendly people.Upnor castle is a preserved monument, part of the river defences from the sixteenth century.

Upnor

Upnor Castle

Across the water from Upnor we could see Chatham. We left Upnor and headed back along the NCN1, lost it for a while before back tracking and getting onto the Saxon Shoreway. We were in Rochester shortly afterwards.

Rochester cathedral

We locked the bikes up in the high street, Something I was not comfortable with, but looked far safer than the tourist information's facility hidden away behind a fence and bins. We then had a look around The six poor travellers house. Six Poor Travellers House is a 16th-century charity house in Rochester, Kent, founded by the local MP Richard Watts to provide free lodgings for poor travellers. Watts left money in his will for the benefit of six poor travellers, each of whom, according to a plaque on the outside of the building, would be given lodging and "entertainment" for one night before being sent on his way with fourpence.

The six poor travellers house

We next made our way along the various curiosity shops down to the Guildhall Museum showing life on board a ship back in the 17th century and life during Victorian age and the life of Charles Dickens.
The Rochester Guildhall was built in 1687 and is one of the finest 17th-century civic buildings in Kent.

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Typical Victorian Home

Typical Victorian Home

Typical Victorian Kitchen

We left for another mooch about the High street..............

A town cryer delivering a message and a little poem .

We then left for Chatham and down to the Historic Dockyard.
On way we had the pleasure of a motorist who thought we shouldn't have all the room on the road, and told us exactly what they thought as they shot by. Shame they didn't stop couldn't have been a nice chat lol.

We then headed back into Rochester and to the Golden Lion for a pint and Burger which I managed to get for £3.99 instaed of £4.99 which it should have been, whilst ordering I was accosted by a Millwall fan!!He grabbed hold of my hand and said "Can't wait for the two games against you this season" then said"You've met the pikey, and Ive got 30,000 more to bring down to Upton Park" I said" Eh yeah I'm going back to my seat" lol....that's what you get for wearing a Hammers shirt south of the water :)
One last look about before we left for Tilbury.

East Gate

Rochester Castle

We left for Tilbury along the same route we came in, we got so far along the NCN1 and I was sure there was another way that wasn't as bad a surface for my road bike....WRONG!! we ended up on the waters edge of the Thames by Shornemead fort after crossing Shorne marshes and passing a  Ministry of defence Live firing range sign No Entry. I ended up off roading on a road bike, not a good idea. We eventually ended up in Gravesend and got the ferry back to Tilbury and I got then got the train back to Romford. 51 miles for the day :)

A ride into London 22nd July 2011

A last minute decision saw me riding into London for a look about. I rode via Dagenham,Barking where I got onto the Super Highway C3....(super bah... I lost the route twice due to poor sign-age and a few sections closed due to roadworks!!)
Anyway along the C3 past Beckton,Canning Town and then lost it  past Canary Wharf no signs saying where to follow the route.I rode along Aspen way by passed the Limehouse link tunnel and popped back up on The highway which I followed up to St Katherines Dock and Tower Bridge.

This Pub was over flowing, was tempted for a drink myself but didn't want to leave the bike and probably way too pricey round these parts anyway lol.

And the out of the dock to Tower Bridge;

Cycling a bit further I passed the Tower Of London;

Then onto Lower Thames Street and across Southwark Bridge onto the South bank (present theme is the seaside)

One of the many street Entertainers

This was some weird arty type show, I didn't understand a bit off!!

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Then further along to where the kids hang out skateboarding and BMX ing... my camera on the phone wasn't fast enough to catch them in action.

Then up to the London eye and the views across to Westminster;

 And back down the river looking towards St Pauls Catherdral;

 Onto Westminster Bridge where I got myself a pot of sugar coated peanuts at Local price and not Tourist prices:)...however the eastern European seller was very interested in how much my bike cost saying it looks expensive !!

Then a Eastern European woman tried the old I've lost my oyster card have you any money please...you can guess my answer lol.

I then cycled back along the embankment,Whitechapel,Bow etc to Stratford where I got the train back to Romford. 28 miles for the day