Weekend ride on the 1st/2nd of Feb 2020?

[AlexB]

There don't seem to be any Sunday rides scheduled this weekend, so I'm thinking of jumping on the high speed train to Faversham and following a loop out to Ramsgate and then back.
It looks to be about 65 miles. I've not ridden the route, just plotted it out on cycle.travel : https://cycle.travel/map/journey/139093
Does anyone fancy it, or is there anyone with local knowledge who can tell me what terrible error I'm about to commit?

Looking at trains, we could use the 9:30-ish train and get a super saver return for less than £25 return. High speed train takes about 1 hour to get to Faversham.

 

[ianrauk]

I would avoid Thanet Way. Instead at the roundabout at mile 7 and a half, do a left onto Canterbury road and go through Whitstable following the FNR route. Past the Waterfront Cafe. Follow the road up Tower Parade. It's a little climb but you get stunning views of Tankerton at the top. You can then drop down to join the Viking Trail along the coast line all the way to Herne Bay as per your route

 

[mjr]

I would avoid Thanet Way. Instead at the roundabout at mile 7 and a half, do a left onto Canterbury road and go through Whitstable following the FNR route. Past the Waterfront Cafe. Follow the road up Tower Parade. It's a little climb but you get stunning views of Tankerton at the top. You can then drop down to join the Viking Trail along the coast line all the way to Herne Bay as per your route

1. Isn't Herne Bay on the return as posted? Outbound seems to go down the Crab and Winkle Way (National 1).
2. If you're going to go through Whistable (in either direction), why not go along Preston Parade and Joy Lane?

 

[ianrauk]

Yep,
Just stay on the coast road to Whitstable and stay on Joy Lane

 

[Milkfloat]

Make sure you don't have skinny tyres, the surfaces are shocking, really boneshakers.

 

[AlexB]

Thanks for the advice folks. I've revised the route (I think) following your advice: https://cycle.travel/map/journey/139093

As for tyres, I'm a masochist and will be running fairly supply 700x28c. I'm usually fine on even full-blown off road routes.

 

[mmmmartin]

Alex, that's a good route, I know all of that and my only suggestion would be that as you approach Canterbury you take the route shown on the map in red and labelled "1" - That's a nice quiet way into Canterbury with no crossing of busy roads.
Finally I'd suggest you make a note of the difference between herne bay and Whitstable. One is very down at heel, many disabled people, many on benefits, low end retailers, not so much working class as unemployed benefit class. The other is prosperous, full of artisanal shops, wealthy and middle class. Yet only a few miles apart. The FT did a big story on it a few years ago. See also the (similar but less) difference between Broadstairs and Margate.

 

[AlexB]

Thanks Martin, I was in Faversham recently and I couldn't get over how chintzy and prosperous it seemed. Having grown up not far from a seaside town I also know how small distances can translate into big differences in prosperity. Lee on Sea, Southend, Chalkwell and Shoeburyness all share the same stretch of coastline and have very different characters.

 

[ianrauk]

Herne Bay sea front is actually quite nice since they spruced it up. However, venture a few streets back and it's very grotty.
Also on the seafront. Well known Audax cafe Makaris.

 

[lilolee]

Alex, just spotted this, obviously a bit late. I must do this myself around to Margate were we have a flat.Hope it goes well.

 

[AlexB]

Well, that was a ride of two halves!
In short I abandoned. Everything was going great until Canterbury, but on the turnaround I realised I was dealing with a fearsome headwind. I simply couldn't make enough place to get me home safely, so took the train from Birchington on Sea back to Victoria. A lovely ride for the most part, but pulling into the wind for a couple of hours was a killer!

 

[ianrauk]

I was thinking about your ride on the way to work this morning. I should have said before. Do 2 routes. 1 in each direction as the wind along the coast can be brutal, so route to suit.

Sorry you had to abandon. Our ride to Leigh On Sea yesterday suffered the same horrid headwind for the return making for very hard work.