Bike ride to Hever Castle,Kent 20th August 2011

I woke up this morning with a bike ride in mind.I was still umming and aahing where to ride to (either Kent or Cambridge), when I got the bike out. I got on the bike and started to ride to Romford. That sorted that then Kent it was. Now will it be Hever Castle or Leeds Castle??. Well you can guess by the name of this post what it was. I rode through Romford,Rainham and up to the QEII Bridge at Dartford. I hate this part of the ride every time I go to Kent,Industrial ,bleak, Smelly full of fumes and of course high speed roads with crap drivers.

I called across for the patrol to take me across the bridge.Whilst waiting two other cyclists pulled up who were crossing and then riding along the Thames into London. After a very long wait the car arrived to take us over.

I rode through Stone hoping to avoid the ride past Bluewater. However this route takes you up a steepish and down the other side to Swanscombe and you still have to ride past Bluewater Grrr... This area was designed with one thing in mind CARS!!... trying to ride up to cross over the A2 towards  Bean, you're on a dual carriageway with cars cutting in front of you to take the slip road to the A2, up a steep hill that I was struggling with. I was a little scared to say the least. Anyway I made my way through Bean into Betsham and straight away I was on the gps on my phone to see where I was. I made my way to Longfield where I passed the first of many Oast houses converted into homes.

Continued to Longfield whilst constantly consulting the GPS. I stopped by a beautiful pub which wasn't open which was a shame. Still I had a long way to go, too early for beer.

Past a lot of rolling Farmland, which was the flavour of the day Hills and more HILLS!!!

I made my way into Meopham where I stopped off in a vineyard that was advertising free tastings. Some posh owner came out and there was no way he was gonna offer me the free tastings. Maybe he could tell I was more of a lager lout that wine expert. Might have something to do with my rolled up trousers and sweating profusely . He said why do you do it,referring to the cycling.He said it don't look like its doing you any good lol. I left with no free tastings :(.

I continued into Meopham and past the windmill.

I rode on through Culverstone Green and and through Vigo Village on the A227.Crossed over the M20 and onto Wrotham and into Borough Green where I joined the A25. Another fast road full of steep hills. I had entered the Kent Down Area of Natural Beauty. Don't know where they're called the Kent Downs seemed full of Ups to me!! Went through a delightful village of Ightham on to my way to Seal.

Ightham

More hills on the A25, I was seriously tired now and one beat me and had to walk a little way up.I saw two red arrows fly over. ( I later heard on the news , one crashed at the Bournemouth air show Sad ).

 I cycled past the Sevenoaks wildfowl reserve and into Sevenoaks. I'd passed the area of Riverhead where I wanted to make my way down and ended up in the town centre. At this point I was seriously tired,lost and annoyed at missing the junction I needed. I was close to giving up and getting the train home. But the thought of failure got the better of me and I asked an old lady for directions, who said you're still miles away and if I was still feeling energetic I was to continue through the town turn right before the Oak Hotel to head towards Ide Hill. I wasn't feeling energetic however I thanked her and made my way long the High Street of Sevenoaks.

I made my way to Ide Hill up yet more hills towards Four Elms, I was ready to give in, thinking why didn't I just go home in Sevenoaks. A few hills beat me again that I walked the bike up.

I made my way into Four Elms where I stopped for a quick break by a pond.

I then rode onto Edenbridge and into Hever and up a long never ending road to Hever Castle. I thought the road would never end.

 I rode back to Hever rail station to catch the train home.

 I got the train to London Bridge, rode from London Bridge Station to Liverpool Street Station through the rain and the train home to Romford. 53 miles for the day, not a big mileage but a day full of hills that really made it a hell of a day. Top speed of 35 mph (downhill) couldn't have gone faster but that was quicker enough. The breaks were on, I thought if I come off at this speed its gonna hurt.

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 :)