Cliffs, Coast & Marshes: Saturday Adventure Ride

** Please read this ride description carefully, to help you decide if this is the ride for you!**

Overview

This is a strenuous ride, but less tough than our Saturday ride in June. It is a long ride, with a (painfully!) early start, to try to avoid over-crowded trains to the coast. Train fares are expensive as we are using the High-Speed route from St Pancras via Ashford International, and services for the return journey are infrequent.

The first two hours of the ride are challenging, as we navigate the White Cliffs from Folkestone to Dover. Nearly all of the 600m of ascent in the ride is during this first section. Once past Dover, we have an easy-going ride, following the coastline through Kingsdown, Deal and Sandwich, then turning inland along the Stour Valley to Canterbury. Our route follows National Cycling Network Routes 2 and 1.

The Ride

From Folkestone Central Station, we ride down to the seafront and pick up NCN2, sometimes called the “Chalk & Cliffs Way” in this area. After enjoying glorious views of the English Channel, we discover the quaint back street of Folkestone’s Old Town, where we will get down and walk through some cobbled lanes. Leaving the town behind, we ride up to East Cliff for a brief pause to view the Siren artwork https://www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/artists/marc-schmitz-dolgor-ser-od/. Then we have a long, sometimes steep, climb to the top of the White Cliffs at Capel le Ferne, followed by a roller-coaster ride along traffic free trails, following the line of the cliffs, until we drop down again to sea level at Dover.

After riding through the docks area, the marina, and the seafront, we turn to the cliffs again, picking up NCN Route 1. Named Dame Vera Lynn Way, the traffic- free route to the top is a tortuous climb, where we will push & pull our bikes, including some sections on steps with gulleys & ramps. The worst of it is over in 20 minutes, when we reach a viewing point taking in the docks, the castle and the surrounding area in a panoramic view. We still have more to climb, but the gradient is easier, as we follow a track through woodlands. Once on top of the cliffs, we have an easy ride through the pretty village of St Margaret’s at Cliffe and then roll downhill to return again to sea level at Kingsdown.

A lovely shared path runs alongside the shingle beach with its colourful flowers, boats, and views out to sea, taking us through Walmer and into Deal. Here we will turn off just outside the town centre for a well-deserved lunch stop. (34km)

After lunch, we continue along the seafront, then follow the road inland through a landscape of marshlands to the historic town of Sandwich. We ride through the town centre with its attractive old buildings, then continue into more open countryside. The final 25km of our ride is across easy terrain, on winding country lanes through quiet villages. At Fordwych, we turn onto an off-road trail along the River Stour and through woodlands, before reaching the outskirts of Canterbury. An easy route of well-marked cycle tracks brings us smoothly to Canterbury West station for trains home.

Travel Arrangements

We will take the 08.07am South Eastern train from St Pancras International, arriving at Folkestone Central at 08.58. Off Peak Single fares are currently £43; Senior Railcard discounts apply; Oyster is valid to Stratford International. There is a cheaper, but slower, service from London Bridge; you would need to take the 07.13am departure to reach Folkestone at 08.41am.

We will return from Canterbury West. Trains to St Pancras go at 23 mins past the hour, journey time 55 mins. Off Peak Single far is £43, Senior Railcard discounts apply; Oyster is valid from Stratford International. Trains to Charing Cross go at 6 mins past the hour, journey time 1 hr 45 mins. Off Peak Single is £31.90; Senior Railcard discounts apply; Oyster is valid from Orpington. Please do not buy a ticket for the return journey that is only valid on a specific train, as we cannot guarantee the time of our arrival at Canterbury.