Cycle round Kent for Care4Calais

Hi

For the third year running, I'm doing a fund-raiser for Care4Calais. After walking round London in 2021 and cycling round London last year, this year I'm aiming to cycle round the coast of Kent. I plan to do this in 7 stages, starting at my home and heading out along the north coast before going round Thanet and down past Dover and Folkestone to finish at Rye. A total of around 210 miles - though it may be more if I get lost or sent on diversions. Please sponsor me generously! 

Many thanks to all who have donated already. Today's the last chance for those who've been holding off, I think.

So, please, go for it! All amounts received will go to helping people with very little and living on just £8 a week, providing them with much needed clothes and shoes, leisure activities, and assistance for transport, education and medical needs.

Today I went back to finish the job. I got from Martin Mill to Folkestone (Folkestone West, indeed) with no mechanical assistance. So I've cycled around the whole of the Kent coast to my satisfaction. But the near-gale-force gusts of wind directly from the south-west defeated me on some of the hills and I had to walk and push - the epitome of the "always into the wind" issue I'd noted back in May. The top of the cliffs between Dover and Folkestone is 164m above sea level - and I'd been right by the sea in Dover. Then I nearly wore my brake blocks down descending into Folkestone. But I got to the station eventually, even though I was by them weighed down by fish-and-chips. And the views at various points were fantastic.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated already

The map

Day 7 completed, Folkestone to Rye, 33 generally very flat miles besides the sea. My knee has been playing up and train strikes have intervened causing delays. I need to go back, this coming Saturday I hope, to do the missing Martin Mill to Folkestone stage over the White Cliffs of Dover. So nearly all done. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far.

Slightly slower progress, leading to some delay in completion. Day 6 last Saturday was meant to be a long day, from Ramsgate to Folkestone, with lots of hills to get to the top of the White Cliffs of Dover (twice, once either side of the port). But my dodgy knee was complaining even on the flat bits round Sandwich, and I feared the effort required for long climbs. So I stopped just over half way at Martin Mill (the name appealed) just before the steepest bits. Call that day 5 1/2. I'm giving my knee a little rest and hope to tackle the rest of the way to Folkestone on Friday, then finish with the ride via Dungeness to Rye on Tuesday 16th

Day 5 of the cycle round Kent completed. A fairly short day, Herne Bay to Ramsgate, basically the Thanet coast. Even shorter and more pleasant than I'd expected as a very high proportion was off-road, on cycle paths that either ran alongside the sea (only problem, you have to dismount when passing potentially crowded areas fronted by beach-huts) or on cliff tips. The high point was probably Reculver, though it could have done with more explanatory signs; second high point was Broadstairs, which looked lovely so I'll have to go back. Low point - cafe at the Turner Gallery in Margate was closed so I couldn't follow Andrew Young 's instructions to have tea and cake there (I did see a - very - little art, though).

Please donate generously to Care4Calais - the link's below. I'm now over 2/3rds of the way through, so I'm quite likely to make it!

Many thanks to all who've donated so far

Day 4 completed, Sittingbourne and where I reached on Thursday, via Faversham and Whitstable, to Herne Bay. Generally following bits of cycle route 1, largely interesting and pretty but rather circuitous off-main-road ways. Only 27 miles, but I started rather late as I had a late-morning event in London, and the off-road sections were quite rough and slow, with various bits where I had to walk.

Day 3 complete. Along the coast from Rochester to Sittingbourne and then a (probably unnecessary) loop of the Isle of Sheppey. The path along the estuary around Gillingham and Rainham was very pretty, as was some of the Kent countryside. Plus a great lunch at The Albion in Newington - lovely people working there. The Isle of Sheppey was hillier than I'd imagined it would be, with busy, narrow roads to cycle along to reach Leysdown at the far east end, and strong easterly winds to contend with. 37 miles by the time I reached Sheerness for the train home just as it was starting to rain and get really miserable.

Crossing Deptford Creek, the old boundary of Kent

Crossing London Bridge, just about at the start of the journey 

I've actually started the cycle ride. On Sunday 23rd I cycled from home in Islington over London Bridge and down through Greenwich, Woolwich and Erith to Swanscombe (about 30 miles). Yesterday I cycled from Greenhithe, round the Swanscombe Peninsula, through Gravesend, round the Isle of Grain and ended up jn Rochester. I hope to finish in Rye by 8th May