In Canterbury: North Sea loop

June 19, 2022

Weather and will are both issues this morning as we discuss plans for the day over breakfast. There’s the chance of rain to be considered, and we aren’t sure how much of a ride we want to sign up for even if the weather cooperates. I had previously mapped out a 45 mile counterclockwise loop that circles the Kent coastline but an out and back is obviously called for today, a ride that will let us go at different speeds and continue as far as conditions permit. I draw a 52 mile OAB along the north coast to Margate and back, well further than we’re likely to go but covers the bases, and we’re off.

The ride begins with a seven mile shot north to Whitstable on the North Sea. Once we bike our way out of the urban core it’s a very pleasant ride with a modest climb as we ride past the University of Kent and join the cheerfully named Crab and Winkle Way for the rest of the way to the coast. Conditions are cool and windy but pleasant.

On the Crab and Winkle Way, a segment of National Cycle Route 1 that runs north from Canterbury to Scotland. We’ll follow it today until we reach the North Sea, but I imagine we’ll be seeing more of it in the weeks ahead.

We’ve been seeing these iconic milestones scattered along the way ever since we arrived in England. According to the fine print there are a thousand of them, funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network.

At the site of the South Street Halt, the first stop on the former Whitstable to Canterbury Railway, known as the Crab and Winkle Line.

Entering Whitstable on the Crab and Winkle Way.

From Whitstable our plan is to follow the shoreline eastwards toward its far eastern point at Ramsgate, turning back whenever it seems appropriate. This part of the Kent coastline is almost absolutely flat, and for much of the way we’re cycling along a promenade atop an elevated sea wall. I don’t remember ever seeing a coastline quite like this one, with miles where long wooden erosion barriers (groynes, a new word for me) extend out into the sea, close-spaced at perhaps a hundred feet apart. The ride itself gets a mixed review though as it’s a succession of concrete slabs with a seam every fifteen feet or so.

From the long lines of colorful beach cabins it’s clearly a heavily used coastline that must often teem with beachgoers; but there are few teams out on this cold, damp and windy day - just scattered individuals and families, often tucked under their umbrellas or huddled for shelter up against the leeward side of a groyne. We end up huddled under shelter ourselves about 12 miles into the ride near Herne Bay when it starts showering, and we consider whether to just turn back here as we eat our lunch.

We’re enjoying some of the candid shots we can capture with Rachael’s GoPro.

The beach is lined for miles with groynes like these as we approach Herne Bay, a resort town that reminds us unflatteringly of Seaside back in Oregon.

While we’re stopped for lunch the rain stops too, so we continue on. There’s a stiff headwind, but this is a good thing actually. Once we decide we’ve had our fill we’ll just turn around and get blown back west.

It’s a steely gray but dry sky as we bike east from Herne Bay.

On the Oyster Bay walking and cycling track, an annoying surface we’re happy to come to the end of that’s better suited to walking than biking. It persists for a mile or two, but we stick with it drawn in by the sight of a striking silhouette in the distance.

On the Oyster Bay Trail, we see three figures in what is apparently a countrywide series of artwork of Local Heroes, selected by communities as the figures to represent them. Here, a Roman Woman, an oyster harvester, and a RAF airman from Herne Bay who died in an air raid over Germany.

Looking inland from the sea the landscape is absolutely flat, and below the level of the sea wall. In Roman times this was underwater, the broad Wantsum Seaway.

The ancient ruins at Reculver. Originally the site of a Roman fort until the Romans left the island in 407 AD, in 669 Saint Mary’s Church was built upon its ruins. Then it too was ruined by the Vikings, rebuilt once more, and finally abandoned.

A playground for the kids, a worry for the mum.

The ruins of Saint Mary’s Church and the Roman fort Regulbium.

Beyond the ruins the ride and weather both improved significantly, and we enjoy the best miles of the day as we bike east to Birchington-on-Sea.

Beautiful riding conditions west of Birchington-by-Sea.

We kept being drawn in by the flat, smooth path and compelling scenery.

A wonderful ride, one neither of us wants to see the end of.

Video sound track: Under the Boardwalk, by the Drifters

At Birchington we decide we’ve gone far enough and need to start heading back. Neither of us wants to repeat the rough miles between Whitstable and the ruins though, and we decide to improvise an inland route back to Canterbury. It’s slower going - pick a likely point a few miles down the road, map to it, start again with the next goal - it’s a reminder of how much nicer it is to have the whole route preloaded.

We don’t stop for many photos at all, because we’re time boxed. We have a dinner reservation at six, but before that we’ve scheduled a Father’s Day call with Shawn that we want to get back for. It’s looking like we’ll be late for the call though so when I annoy Rachael with a stop at this beautiful thatched roof house (Magpie Thatch), she texts Shawn to alert him that we likely won’t call until after dinner.

We ride on, and then in a few miles are pleased to see that we’re coming upon our own track from earlier in the day. Great! We can just follow it home from here, we think. It doesn’t seem quite so great though when ten minutes later we pass by Magpie Thatch for a second time and realize that we’ve doubled back into our route from just fifteen minutes earlier. Sot that extra four mile loop tears the time budget for sure. We’re late for the call of course and nearly late for dinner as well, arriving at the restaurant only one minute before our reservation.

Magpie Thatch, pretty enough that it’s worth a second look whether we want one or not.

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Ride stats today: 44 Miles, 1,500’; for the tour: 152 miles, 7,100’

Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 152 miles (245 km)

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Jen RahnHappy belated Father's Day, Scott!
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