To Maldon

June 21, 2022

We’re out the door by 9, fancifully imagining we might make it to Gravesend in time to catch the 10:00 departure of the ferry across the Thames. It feels unlikely, but if we miss that there’s another one scheduled every thirty minutes throughout the day so we aren’t worried. Our main concern is the ride as a whole, which is nearing 50 miles. We’re just targeting an early ferry to keep ourselves on track so we won’t drag in too late in the afternoon.

We don’t make the 10:00 ferry. It would help if we were speedier bikers, but the main culprit this morning is NCN 1, which has the usual set of unusual surprises for us starting with a short but super-steep push up Donkey Hill.

So what does NCN 1 have in store for us today?

For starters, let’s push up Donkey Hill. Do we still think we’ll make that 10 AM ferry departure now?

Once up Donkey Hill we’re back on the pavement riding a reasonable stretch - quiet streets for the most part, but with a reasonable shoulder for the rest. We set a decent pace as we climb the low ridge separating the Medway and Thames basins, and then enjoy a swift coast down the northern side. We lost enough time laboring up Donkey Hill that we’re not holding out hope for the 10:00 departure, but 10:30 feels assured unless there’s a mishap.

Coasting down the north side of the ridge, the mouth of the Thames comes into view.

Seen along the way: a four poster oaster.

So it’s not a mishap exactly, but our 10:30 dreams receive a rude wake up call when we come to the Thames and Medway Canal. NCN 1 takes us down a pretty path right beside it - pretty scenery, but pretty rough and pretty slow. After the third time running over my water bottle when it falls out of the cage from bouncing over the rocky trail I strap it on the back and pick up the pace, hoping to get back on track and catch Rachael.

The Thames and Midway Canal has an interesting and confusing story to tell, btw. Too confusing to summarize, so if you’re curious follow the link.

The pretty, rough trail beside the Thames and Medway Canal.

This obelisk was erected as a boundary marker, to clarify which jurisdiction was entitled to dues collected for fishing rights along the canal. The city of London had jurisdiction on the northern half, and Rochester had the south.

So two miles of that definitely slowed things down. Still, once I’m finally back on pavement 10:30 still looks in play until I unexpectedly see Rachael biking back my way, shouting at me to stop and turn around. The path’s a dead end, and we have to lose a minute or two to back up and take an alternate route the Garmins provide us. But then another minute or two goes to the next dead end, and still another to the third.

Which is at least one dead end too many. We miss the boat.

So close! We arrive at the loading pier just as the 10:30 leaves the shore, right on schedule.

No disaster though. The next one’s at eleven, the weather’s fine, and we pass the time looking around and watching traffic steam up and down the famous river. Soon enough our boat’s returning and by 11:15 we’re disembarking on the other bank, at Tilbury. In case you come this way yourself, note that it’s a foot/bike ferry only, costs 4 pounds per person for a one-way trip, and the ferry doesn’t run at all on Sundays and holidays.

The view west up the Thames. Downtown London is about 20 miles upriver, around a bend to the left.

Looking across the Thames. The opposite dock for the ferry is just to the right of that monstrosity.

The Gravesend-Tilbury ferry. If you’re biking up the coast you definitely want to take this ferry. It’s a substantial detour upriver to the first bridge crossing the river.

On the ferry. If you’re part of a group you might need to cross in shifts. I’m not sure there’s capacity for more than about six bikes.

This gives a good sense of perspective. We’re on the north bank now, looking back toward Gravesend. The ferry is that tiny thing nestled beneath the snout of the great white whale.

With still over 35 miles to go we’re wondering how this ride is going to go - especially after being wearied by yesterday’s shorter ride. Surprisingly though it’s not bad at all, and we arrive in Maldon at 3:30 much less tired and stressed than after yesterday’s. It’s not the most scenic ride, following normal streets and roads for much of the way; and there’s one wierd stretch where the Garmin thinks we should take our lives in our hands and dash across the unbroken stream of cars racing down four lane A127. We’ve done that sort of thing when we were young and foolish, but today the two mile detour seems like the smarter choice. Other than this though and bike paths and shoulders are more consistent than yesterday, easier to follow, and feel much safer. There’s one steep 13% lift up oddly named One Tree Hill where we stop at the completely forested park at the top for lunch; but otherwise the hills are all moderate and manageable. And by the time we get about ten or fifteen miles from Maldon it feels like we’re finally leaving London’s conurbation behind.

Not many reasons to stop for pics though. For the most part we just ride.

A pretty stretch of the road, on the north side of One Tree Hill.

So I suppose these will just be a fact of life to deal with this summer.

Somehow we ended up on the wrong side of a locked gate here, the other side declaring it guards private property. There’s a high stile to the side I was pondering unloading the bikes and porting over until Rachael pointed out that pushing through the gate much easier.

Video sound track: just a tune by some old Brit

We’re staying in Maldon at a White Horse Inn, the booking we were thinking of back in Dover when we tried to check ourselves into that White Horse Inn. We like the look and feel of this one and are glad that we changed our plans recently and decided to stay over here a second night.

In Maldon’s White Horse Inn, continuing with the research project.

For dinner Rachael left a phone message requesting a reservation at an Italian restaurant a few blocks down Main Street - but when we arrive there it’s dark, even though the posted hours clearly state that it should be open today and at this time. So we stare at the map and pick our second choice we’d considered, Fish on the Quay.

It’s lucky the Italian place is closed, because we enjoy a surprisingly wonderful evening at the waterfront at the mouth of the Chelmer/Blackwater River. Everything about it is great. We have an outside table just yards from the riverside and enjoy our meal watching boats drift by and gulls swoop across the sky. It’s an excellent evening - comfortably warm and almost completely calm; and the waterfront itself is calm, with almost no motorized traffic at all. Wonderful to be in a peaceful small town on the river.

Toward the end of the meal we’re intrigued by a man walking around in wild dress with a pheasant-feathered hat, his face fiercely painted in red and black. Then a few others arrive, by foot, car and bike. It’s an event, and these are the performers.

At first we think they must be here to perform for the tourists just arriving on a gorgeous sailing ship; but when the ship docks all the passengers all disperse, while more performers continue to arrive. Puzzling, since this is a Tuesday night. An odd time for a public performance in a small place like this, we think.

Eventually the situation reveals itself though. The performers are Morris Dancers, and for the next half hour we watch in fascination as one set after another takes the stage. And Rachael, who’s struck up a conversation with someone along the side while I’m grabbing photos and video, learns of the cause. It’s Summer Solstice! This is probably the best summer solstice we can remember since that amazing evening in Paris 28 years ago.

A cruise on a traditional Thames sailing barge arrives. I don’t know why these are called barges, because they certainly don’t look like one.

The Morris Dancers arrive by a variety of means.

I’ve only seen Morris Dancers once or twice before, and was surprised by all the different costume and dance style variation there is. This style is from the border region between England and Wales.

The roots of blackface in Morris Dancing is uncertain, but may refer to Moorish origins (Moorish is a possible origin for the name Morris). It’s disappointing to see that this is now a topic of controversy as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Ride stats today: 48 miles, 2,000’; for the tour: 235 miles, 10,900’

Today's ride: 48 miles (77 km)
Total: 235 miles (378 km)

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Bob DistelbergMorris dancers are fun to watch. We have a festival every year that brings groups from all over the US, and they perform in multiple venues throughout the area. Really entertaining.
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1 year ago

Tricia GrahamSounds a much better day. The small amount of cycling we have done on England doesn’t put it high on our list of great cycleways. Our experience of course was crowned by the white cliffs route from Dover to St Margaret’s
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Tricia GrahamYes, it was much better. I’m optimistically thinking things will steadily improve the further north and away from London we get.
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1 year ago