London to Gillingham, National Cycle Route 1 (NCR1). Pretty short day at just around 75km.
GPX (GPS route) from Charlton/Greenwich available for download here.
GPX (GPS route) from Charlton/Greenwich available for download here.
The plan was to leave London very early, but didn't leave until 7am. There was a heavy rain and thunder storm, so I waited it out. Once it stopped, it was nice and clear to go. Made it to the National Cycle Route 1 at Woolwich all nice and dry. Then rode along the foreshore (dedicated cycle trail) and then along the side of the industrial area and docks.
The heavens opened and the thunder and lightning started again, and it was some of the heaviest rain I’d ever seen. I had to make a quick change into just bike shorts and a tshirt on the side of the abandoned docks, as everything I was wearing was going to get soaked. Continued on in the lightning and downpour along the Thames wasteland, and then hit the marshes around Erith. Mud was flying everywhere. Even though I have mudguards, this is just testament to how strong the rain was. Mud ended up all over the top of my pannier bags and all over my back.
I don’t know what they put in the soil in the marshes around Erith, but the mud corroded a 2L water bottle that I had, and corroded a heavy duty plastic bag. The whole area out there seems like the wild east. It's quite isolated and has a lawless vibe. If anything happened to you, there'd be no help for miles.
The heavens opened and the thunder and lightning started again, and it was some of the heaviest rain I’d ever seen. I had to make a quick change into just bike shorts and a tshirt on the side of the abandoned docks, as everything I was wearing was going to get soaked. Continued on in the lightning and downpour along the Thames wasteland, and then hit the marshes around Erith. Mud was flying everywhere. Even though I have mudguards, this is just testament to how strong the rain was. Mud ended up all over the top of my pannier bags and all over my back.
I don’t know what they put in the soil in the marshes around Erith, but the mud corroded a 2L water bottle that I had, and corroded a heavy duty plastic bag. The whole area out there seems like the wild east. It's quite isolated and has a lawless vibe. If anything happened to you, there'd be no help for miles.
Note that the NCR1 is totally inappropriate for road bikes through the marshes. Flash flooding at on NCR1 in Gravesend. A nice section of NCR1 just out of Gravesend, on a dedicated cycle path.
On the approach to Rochester and Strood the NCR1 is on the road and goes through a wood. Very nice, has a nice looking quaint pub in the woods. Then it bends around an army base before dropping into Strood. By this stage my back brakes were kaput, and it was only day one. It was probably the toxic grit, combined with London grit, and all the mud and water just wearing them down. I had no spares.
Stopped by the River Medway in Strood to change out of my muddy clothes (the mud had now dried and was a horrible chalky dust). Lunch in Rochester, checked out the castle and cathedral. Nice cobbles around parts of the old town. The pub was great for lunch – chose the one right next to the old bridge. The cricket was on, which was also good.
Stopped by the River Medway in Strood to change out of my muddy clothes (the mud had now dried and was a horrible chalky dust). Lunch in Rochester, checked out the castle and cathedral. Nice cobbles around parts of the old town. The pub was great for lunch – chose the one right next to the old bridge. The cricket was on, which was also good.
Stayed the night at a YHA just out of Gillingham. They had a bike shed which was handy, and there was (an expensive) pub down the road. Actually the hostel is a converted oast house, which made it all the more Kentish. But I wouldn’t stay there again on this route. It was just too difficult to get to on a bike (cutting across the A2 in Chatham is easier said than done). The whole oast house thing is a bit of a con, because when you're in there it's just a normal building - the pointy roof is invisible inside. The showers weren't particularly clean and the front desk was more interested in chatting on the phone.
