Ronde van East Kent

Sunday the 26th September, 2021

 

*** PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY SUNDAY 19th SEPTEMBER IF YOU INTEND TO JOIN US ***

(Preferably by adding your name to the 'going' list on the Facebook event page or by messaging or emailing me directly. This helps us gauge numbers for the meeting and refreshment points. Many thanks)

 

It's a bit late, but it's on!

The Ronde van East Kent is La Vie en Vélo's annual bike ride for friends, including the ones not yet met. The original idea was just to do a big ride before my season starts, but it has become a sort of big reunion for people who have been on my trips, and it has in only its fourth year evolved to include lots of new faces which is just great! 

It's not a sportive, there is no signage, there are no feed stations, there is no support vehicle (sorry, Mrs Vélo says no, not this time). I ride it, I don't drive a support vehicle (unlike at other sportives).

Think of it more like a traditional reliability ride.

Riders ride at their own risk.

Primarily, I put up-to-date info on a Facebook event page but I know and respect that plenty of people wish to live a life Facebookless. So, I will endeavour to keep this page updated, but if in doubt just email me for info at angus@lavieenvelo.com.

*** PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING ***

I need to get an accurate idea of numbers, so that we don't overwhelm the start and refreshment points. So, please let me know if you intend to join me either via the Facebook event page or via email to angus@lavieenvelo.com. I do need to get an idea of the numbers that will be turning up, assuming that weather conditions are passable.

I have published routes below. This is an event that is free to take part in and all riders are riding at their own risk.

 

 

Routes

Links to the 2021 routes are published below. All three routes will be anticlockwise loops out through Faversham and then south over the North Downs, before the routes split with the Imperial 100 route going down on to Romney Marsh before heading back to rejoin the other routes before coming back over the Downs and back to Whistable.

Every rider is responsible for their own navigation. I publish a route and riders download it and use it however they see fit, or they follow someone else who doesn't mind guiding them.  

There are links below to ridewithgps from where you can view and download each route file. You might use that link to generate your own paper maps if you'd like them. I strongly advise a belt and braces approach to navigation. For those on long routes you need to consider whether your device has enough battery power to last and consider bringing a spare battery pack for back-up. 

See the point below about the state of the roads and appropriate tyre choices.

 

The Imperial Century (100 miles)

Distances on the map above are in km.

The 100 mile is not like last year's gruelling, gnarly, bumpy, mucky box of tricks. This year it's a much more gentle affair and we have lots of flat social miles to settle in to the pack and crank up the average speed with the return over the North Downs as the only really notable climb. This is likely to be a relatively fast century for most people, but you will see plenty of hidden lanes that you may never have seen before.

It can be divided into three thirds.

The first third starts flat across the marshes to Faversham and then following National Cycle Route 1 nearly to Sittingbourne before we swing south west and head up the gentle dip slope of the Downs until dropping steeply down the scarp slope to Lenham and then on down on to Headcorn (right past the house where I grew up) and Frittenden on the Low Weald. 

The next third is largely flat with only an occasional very short dig as we wind south eastward through the Low Weald until we drop on to Romney Marsh near Appledore which roughly marks the halfway mark. From km50 to km120 there is only about 450m of ascent.

Suggested lunch stop: The Six Bells (not the Bonny Cravat right next door), in Woodchurch know that we're coming and are going to open early for usfrom 11am. They have a selection of sandwiches and baked potatoes, etc. Please use them because they are opening up an hour early especially for us. I will be taking a leisurely stop there probably about 11.30ish.

The last third is a mirror image of the first! We begin to climb up the Greensand Ridge to Pluckley, before the (not that) big climb up Hart Hill near Charing (1.2km @ 6% ave, with nothing beyond 11%, unlike last year's 20% horror show). The last 20 miles is very predominantly downhill back to the coast with only an occasional little climb of no more than a couple of hundred metres.

After being so mean (and going so slowly myself) last year, this is one for the rouleurs this year. Should be a nice, social, relatively fast way to bag a century. It's a kind route for kinder post-covid times.

Click here for the Imperial Century (100 mile) route  

No need to sign up to Ride with GPS or even do a 'friend request', it should just be publicly accessible. Let me know if not. Just export the gpx file from the RWGPS page and then upload it to your device.

Note: the route may be subject to edits nearer the time so keep an eye here for updates.

 

The Metric Century (100km or 61 miles)

 

 

The Metric Century is the Imperial Century route without the long, flat middle section on the Low Weald and Romney Marsh, so it does about 75% of the climbing of the Imperial route in only 60% of the distance.

It can also be divided into three thirds.

The first third starts flat across the marshes to Faversham and then following National Cycle Route 1 nearly to Sittingbourne before we swing south west and head gently up into the Downs.

The next third contains the vast majority of the climbing with the steady climb up the gentler dip slope of the Downs until dropping steeply down the scarp slope to Lenham. The route splits south-eastward from the Imperial route just after the Greensand Ridge descent at Grafty Green. However, it's not long before you turn northward steeply back over the ridge near Egerton, and rejoin the Imperial route before the (not that) big climb up Hart Hill near Charing (but nothing beyond 10%, unlike last year's horror show).

Suggested lunch stop: Somewhere in Lenham (about 46km), there are various options, but I have used the Cornerhouse Café before, just on the left as you come into the square, and it served decent coffee and good cake. I haven't warned them we're coming because there are other options in Lenham.

After Lenham you do drop down again to Grafty Green and then, of course, have to climb back over both the ridge up the distinctly sharp Greenhill Lane and then Hart Hill over the Downs, so don't eat too much!

The last 20 miles is very predominantly downhill back to the coast with only an occasional little climb of no more than a couple of hundred metres in length.

You can see and export this file from my ridewithgps page:

Click here for the Metric Century (100km) route on ridewithgps.

No need to sign up to Ride with GPS or even do a 'friend request', it should just be publicly accessible. Let me know if not. Just export the gpx file from the RWGPS page and then upload it to your device.

Note: the route may be subject to edits nearer the time so keep an eye here for updates.

 

 

The Half Century (50 mile) route:

The short route is a nice wander through Faversham to Sittingbourne and then up on the Downs above Lenham. For this one the route turns there back toward Whitstable, looping east around Faversham. It's not too bumpy with most of the climbing after you leave the National Cycle Route 1 near Sittingbourne and rise steadily over about 10km on the the top of the Downs above Harrietsham. After that it's mostly downhill, although not entirely, back to Whitstable. 

Suggested café stop: I recommend the excellent Rodmersham Coffee Shop at Rodmersham Green at about 33km / 20 miles. It's a real cyclists' favourite in a lovely location. It opens at 9am.

 

Distances on the map above are in km.

You can see and export this file from my ridewithgps page:

Click here for the Half-Century (50 mile) route on ridewithgps

No need to sign up to Ride with GPS or even do a 'friend request', it should just be publicly accessible. Let me know if not. Just export the gpx file from the RWGPS page and then upload it to your device.

Note: the route may be subject to edits nearer the time so keep an eye here for updates.

 

 

Start

The first roll-out from the Beach Cafe (3 Beach Walk, Whitstable, CT5 2BP) will be from 8am on Sunday, the 26th September. See below for suggested roll-out times.

They have kindly offered to open up early for us so maybe plan to get a coffee and/or a bite to eat before you go to make it worth their while.

I will be there for a cuppa from about 07.30, aiming for a roll-out by 08.00am.

The Beach café shuts at 14.00 on a Sunday so may not be open when you get back but the Bubble Café 100yds around the corner (on the beach front, past the Hotel Continental, above the public loos!) is open until 4pm on Sundays and they know that you might be coming. There is also the Hotel Continental just around the corner which serves drinks and food all afternoon. 

 

Suggested roll out times:

To ease potential congestion in the Beach Café at the start and to try and get us to the stops at roughly the same time, around 11ish, then i suggest a self-policed staggered roll out.

Suggested roll-out times:

• 08.00 most Imperial 100 riders (including me!)
• 08.30 fast Imperial 100 riders & most Metric 100 riders
• 09.00 fast Metric 100 riders & all Half-Century riders

Obviously, if you'd like to ride together with people on different distances then just pick a sensible time. 

 

 

The state of the roads and your tyre/wheel/bike choice.

All Ronde van East Kent routes are very purposefully planned to take you on to sleepy little lanes for significant distances. The idea is that you see the best of our neck of the woods and that is best found off the beaten track on tiny lanes.

So, you will often be riding on lanes with green bits up the middle, potholes, mud and hedge trimmings.

Good 4-season road bike tyres would be fine, but this is almost certainly not the ride to break out the summer bike with the ightweight wheels and summer slicks.

Why? Well, it's a trade-off to avoid the idiot drivers as much as possible. Sticking to the tiny lanes, which are sometimes not the best-maintained, is the best way to do that! 

 

 

Refreshments:

We start from the excellent Beach Café (3 Beach Walk, Whitstable, CT5 2BP). They have kindly offered to open up early for us so maybe plan to get a coffee and/or a bite to eat before you go to make it worth their while.

This is, very purposefully, a rural route so there aren't loads of places to stop for refreshments, especially early on a Sunday morning, and there are no formal arrangements, but I have called a couple of places to let them know that you may want to stop in and buy some food and/or drinks. I have indicated on the routes on ridewithgps where you might find sustenance.

The recommended midpoint for the Imperial 100 route is the Six Bells at Woodchurch on the edge of Romney Marsh, just past the 50 mile mark. I have let them know to expect us, so please use them to make it worth their while opening up an hour early on a Sunday.

For the Metric 100 route, Lenham is maybe your best bet - just shy of your halfway point. I suggest the Cornerhouse Café which opens at 9am. If you'd like to reserve a table, call them on 01622 851360.

At about 20 miles on all routes is the fantastic Rodmersham Coffee Shop. Might be a bit early for those on the longer routes, but could work well if you're just doing the Half-Century. They do great coffee and cake, etc.

 

Parking:

If you need it, there is pay & display nearby at the Gorrell Tank car park opposite the harbour, but there is also plenty of free parking in residential streets not far away, especially if you head up towards Tankerton and inland off Northwood Road, or up on Tankerton slopes at Marine Parade.

Trains:

I don't think that there are trains arriving into Whitstable from London before about 9am. So, Maybe join us a bit further down the route? There is a Victoria train that gets into Faversham, about 8 miles into all routes, at 09.10 or into Sittingbourne even earlier which is about 20 miles into all three routes. The other option would be to get a train to Harrietsham and pick up the route at about the 30 mile mark at Lenham, or at Headcorn at about the 40 mile mark. On the way home, if you've had enough you can pick up trains at Pluckley.