adamski
Guru
Come and join Audax Club Hackney for the third edition of The Way to the Sea 200 from Greenwich on Saturday 1st July. On both editions there were first timers getting around in time and this year I hope it’ll be similar. Last year our youngest rider had just turned 15. With loads of daylight, three supported checkpoints and a relatively flat profile it makes an ideal first 200 km ride, or a good ride to keep the legs turning after having done your PBP SR series.
The start is from beside the Cutty Sark ship in the centre of Greenwich, which has good train and DLR access from various parts of London and beyond. There's also car parking in the area, eg £4 all day on Woodlands Park Road which is just over a 1 km from the start
The ride leaves London via Shooters Hill and after ~15 km you’ll be out of the main sprawl and onto country roads. The first control will be next to Nurstead church (33 km), where I'm hoping I will have a volunteer stamping cards and offering up water and some simple food (bars + bananas etc.)
After Nurstead it's a quick descent to the Hoo Peninsula. Depending on the wind it could be a quick or slow ride across the Isle of Grain for the second control at about 70 km overlooking the Thames estuary. trickedem (FNRttC / San Fairy Ann Cycling Club) will be stamping cards and offering up flapjacks, bread pudding, hot and cold drinks.
The next control is on the Isle of Sheppey, which is only 7 km from the Isle of Grain in a straight line, but on the road it's 50 km back in order to cross the Medway in Rochester.
There’ll be more food and water on offer at Minster on Sea and more sea views. By this point you are over halfway.
The second part of the ride is 90 km and is very different to the first part because you head into (or rather over) the North Downs. The first climb over the North Downs is pretty gradual, the second (Birling Hill) you’ll notice. The final control is in West Kingsdown (get a receipt from Co-op, McColl’s etc.). There's then a beautiful ride along Knatts Valley to the beautiful Eynsford, before a small climb out of the Darent Valley. The last 14 km are through SE London but the route has been optimised to be quick and simple.
The finish will be at The Old Brewery, which is next to the Cutty Sark.
Entries will be opening over Easter: https://www.audax.uk/event-details/10038-the_way_to_the_sea
Here's the route from last year:
GPX: http://tiny.cc/l7cquz
Ride With GPS link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42442623
Elevation profile:
2022 cyclechat thread: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ach-the-way-to-the-sea-2022.284676/
2022 yacf thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=122719
2021 yacf thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=118510
The start is from beside the Cutty Sark ship in the centre of Greenwich, which has good train and DLR access from various parts of London and beyond. There's also car parking in the area, eg £4 all day on Woodlands Park Road which is just over a 1 km from the start
The ride leaves London via Shooters Hill and after ~15 km you’ll be out of the main sprawl and onto country roads. The first control will be next to Nurstead church (33 km), where I'm hoping I will have a volunteer stamping cards and offering up water and some simple food (bars + bananas etc.)
After Nurstead it's a quick descent to the Hoo Peninsula. Depending on the wind it could be a quick or slow ride across the Isle of Grain for the second control at about 70 km overlooking the Thames estuary. trickedem (FNRttC / San Fairy Ann Cycling Club) will be stamping cards and offering up flapjacks, bread pudding, hot and cold drinks.
The next control is on the Isle of Sheppey, which is only 7 km from the Isle of Grain in a straight line, but on the road it's 50 km back in order to cross the Medway in Rochester.
There’ll be more food and water on offer at Minster on Sea and more sea views. By this point you are over halfway.
The second part of the ride is 90 km and is very different to the first part because you head into (or rather over) the North Downs. The first climb over the North Downs is pretty gradual, the second (Birling Hill) you’ll notice. The final control is in West Kingsdown (get a receipt from Co-op, McColl’s etc.). There's then a beautiful ride along Knatts Valley to the beautiful Eynsford, before a small climb out of the Darent Valley. The last 14 km are through SE London but the route has been optimised to be quick and simple.
The finish will be at The Old Brewery, which is next to the Cutty Sark.
Entries will be opening over Easter: https://www.audax.uk/event-details/10038-the_way_to_the_sea
Here's the route from last year:
GPX: http://tiny.cc/l7cquz
Ride With GPS link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42442623
Elevation profile:
2022 cyclechat thread: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ach-the-way-to-the-sea-2022.284676/
2022 yacf thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=122719
2021 yacf thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=118510
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