The Way to the Sea Event Details| Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

The Way to the Sea Cutty Sark Gardens, London Andy Yates

200Km

Summary

208Km cycling event starting from Cutty Sark Gardens, London.

Controls at

Grain
West Kingsdown - collect a receipt
Plus 2 information controls

E-Brevet permitted.

Description

This is a great 200 for anyone stepping up to the distance or as a taper ride for LEL. There'll be plenty of daylight in July, there's only one hilly section & you'll get refreshments at Nurstead, Grain & Minster.
Entries will open up at Easter.

The ride has a historical theme, starting next to the Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich, following the Thames estuary out to the Isle of Grain, passing by the Chatham Dockyards, onto the Isle of Sheppey before returning to finish in the Old Royal Naval college in Greenwich.

The first 135 km are relatively flat after which there's a hilly 55 km section over the North Downs on the return to London.

The route leaves Greenwich via Shooter's Hill and Bexley and the first control is in Nurstead (33 km). The ride then descends to the Hoo Peninsula, which is depicted in Dicken's 'Great Expectations' as an area of wetlands and salt marsh. The second control is at the beach car park in Grain (68 km). You are then 6 km as the crow flies to the next control, but it's 50 km of cycling back around the Medway. But at least you will get extensive views of the estuary. The ride crosses onto the Isle of Sheppey via the Kingsferry Bridge. There'll be a control with food at the beach in Minster (118 km).

After returning back to the mainland the ride then crosses the North Downs to an info control in Burham and then the final control in West Kingsdown at 176 km (Co-op / McColl's etc). There are a number of sharp hills in this section, the main one being Birling Hill after Snodland.

From West Kingsdown the ride descends to Eynsford before a final climb and then a straightforward ride through SE London, before finishing at The Old Brewery in the World Heritage grounds of the Greenwich naval college.

The most up to date routesheet and gpx files are attached, tho they may be small changes before the event due to road closures etc.

Ride With GPS link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42442623