Day 70 – Southend-on-sea to Burnham-on-crouch

 

 Date: Saturday 30^th April 2011   Distance: 37.57 Miles

 

Stayed at Premier Inn Harwich, and arranged to leave the car there until we returned Monday. We caught the 8.30 train from Harwich to Manningtree. So far so good! Then, train to Ingleston? It was cancelled and the next one postponed we saw our day whittling away. Luckily an almost empty train, surprisingly, drew in and we made Ingleston. We had to ride 5 miles to Billericay, while everyone else took a coach because of railworks, and then we got the train to Southend. A convoluted trip but the ride between trains was quite rural, passing a pretty historic house with the words ”sans dieu rien” on the clock tower. Unprepared for this ride we hadn’t the right map so the female voiced sat nav cried out directions from Bob’s back pocket.

 

We arrived at Southend, Victoria at midday and our ride started with a lady cyclist stunned at the side of a roundabout as a long tail back collected. Plenty of people attended her and police and ambulance were sounding off but she looked fine.

We rode along the prom against a stiff wind avoiding pedestrians until the proper cycleway. Wind-surfers braved the gales. We passed more artillery posts and a garrison right on the coast.

 

Shoeburyness had some posh tiered houses, one with a fantastic swimming pool, looking out to sea and over the beach huts. At Great Wakering we passed an unusual church with a white spire tucked inside a stone tower. At the Anchor pub we had baguettes and lovely light Harvest Gold beer.

 

We passed though Little Wakering then Rochford to the ferry. It was an extremely hard ride up the last lane and I thought it a bit wild for a ferry crossing today. I was right- Cancelled! We had to ride all the way back to the main route but at least the wind was on our side. A crossing here would have saved miles.

We passed many buildings with black weatherboarding characteristic of Essex and also small churches with towers and spires inside. How would these be marked on the OS map?

 

We stopped to buy an extra bike lock. The shop was made noticeable by a shop dummy dressed as a policewoman by the side of the road. It was a busy well stocked shop but we didn’t feel like valued customers.

 

Battlebridge was interesting with antique shops and buildings full of character. The rural station here was where we caught the train to Burnham-on-Crouch (the other end of the ferry we would have taken if the weather had allowed) We had a dinner date at 7 and had been down one side of the estuary- enough is enough!

 

The roads were getting dangerously busy and the wind with no let up so we were really pleased to get to our B and B, the Oyster Smack Inn. It had 10 rooms, 5 above and 5 outside which is where we were- a bit like a Motel . Because we hadn’t seen our friends for many years this privacy was rather nice and we had quite an expensive but tasty meal in the restaurant followed by a walk around the town, looking across the ferry route in the moonlight.

Day 69 – Tilbury to Southend-on-sea

 

 

 Date:Monday 25^th April 2011   Distance: 31.49 Miles

 

We drove to Southend Central Station where we parked on the road opposite as it was free all Bank Holiday. A traffic warden told me it was alright to park all day as we weren’t disabled. How crazy is that?

 

We took the bike on the train in bits to Tilbury Town (Fenchurch Street train) and we were able to see where we would be cycling later. A local cyclist told us that this area is pretty for cycling but what with landfill sites and fly tipping we weren’t so sure. The farmland looked poor (we learnt later that it hadn’t rained properly since February) with some rape, peas and wheat and the vegetation variety in the hedgerow (but no hedges either) was limited. It was hot sun with few trees to break the wind.

 

The cyclist on the train had told us that Coal Fort would be interesting- a free wartime museum. Only open Bank Holidays and one Sunday a month probably accounted for the locals flocking there. Today there was Irish Dancing, Bands, Owls, Army Recruiting, Drama as well as tours going round the museum exhibits. All the recreation space – grass- was full of families picnicking. When we tried to leave there was gridlock on the narrow road just leading to the fort, which had very limited parking facilities. We had a job getting through walking with the tandem. We stopped at the top at a pub, Ship Inn which was friendly with a garden. The food was nice as well as cheap. Cars were still queuing for the fort, or leaving it , when we left the pub.

 

Cycleways were disjointed and in small number. Disappointingly there were only houses, litter and views of Canvey Island. We passed a landfill at Muckley which we thought appropriately named. There were no sheep, a few cows but some hardy ponies. As the places have been so heavily populated they seem in dire need of places to go for leisure. Hundreds of people walked along a footpath from Benfleet to Leigh on sea. There were views of a ruined castle ( that’s more like it!) and  then it was good cycling along the estuary as the tide started to come in- quickly. Lack of butterflies and bird varieties in the estuary made us feel they may need a conservation programme.

 

 Leigh on sea was humming with activity- hundreds of people walked the cobbles taking in its charm. This happens every weekend. We stopped at a very efficient cafe that sold delicious scones- Bob had the cream and a plain scone which was unusual. A little girl was with her dad who was serenaded by the entire staff singing happy birthday when she bought him a special cake with a candle.

 

The houses after this were quite plush as we drew nearer to Southend. It was a  motorbikers weekend and they were parked across the cycleway- closed for the purpose. Again this place was heaving. It must have had a face lift since the seventies when I was last here. There was lots for people to do and it was very noisy- Funfair shrieks, a bar singer in the street complete with numerous body piercings, boys doing wheelies on mopeds and oldies on roaring Harley- Davisons displaying skulls and other gothic decoration. The long intact pier had a steam train going seawards. We climbed to the station and tired and hot retrieved our car from outside it, looking forward to the peace at home.

Day 68 – Sittingbourne to Gravesend

 

 Date: Sunday 24^th April 2011   Distance: 50.17 Miles

 

 

We left at 9am and went through Bobbin to Lower Halstow on little lanes beside apple orchards and right along the edge of the coast. At Upchurch we thought it appropriately named because of the unusual double roof to the steeple. Friendly locals, but with nowhere for coffee meant we wouldn’t linger.

 

At Lower Rainham we took the Saxon Shore cycleway. The entrance was covered in gossamer seeds, maybe dandelion or old mans beard, looking like frosting over the foliage. The path had very narrow vehicle restrictions that wore out the spanner from turning the handlebars, to get through, so often. Here we heard the first cuckoo and it was a pretty ride via Horrid Hill( it wasn’t that horrid) with plenty of wildlife in the estuary and wrecks of old boats.

 

We rode through a marina and at the leisure Park we had our coffee break at a picnic table. The official cycleway took us across many junctions in the road with traffic lights wasting a lot of time and if we had gone the other way round we would have only crossed once. No-one else was cycling. We wonder why????!

 

We weren’t allowed in the historic dockyard. Building works caused confusion about the direction of the path but we soon picked it up again in the Old Town streets. This is an interesting part of Rochester with old book shops, tea shops and the Cathedral and Castle area was lovely with good views. Beside the Cathedral must have been an ancient tree with masses of cherry blossom making a pretty spot amongst the buildings.

 

We rode over the old bridge across the Medway and were soon in Strood. We turned off the road just at the Strood sign and passed a Russian submarine( hammer and sickle on its side) languishing in the river. It was apparently bought from a Folkstone owner who had exhibited it there, but now it sits with a list and rusting away without any sign of anything being done to it for the last 5 years.

 

We had a steep climb up by more white cliffs and we were in a Ministry of Defence area again riding alongside wire fences guarding a dog training area and poisonous dangerous substances. A gate had a sign saying” Welcome to the Naval base” on the left side and on the right “No admittance M.O.D.”

 

There was more pretty cycleway(1) to the pub at Lower Upnor, “Kings Arms” where there was nice pint of Adnams. Heard a cuckoo again. Glimpsed old sea defence at estuary edge- Castle Upnor from Tudor times but to visit was really expensive and it didn’t look much.

 

Next came a desolate section on quiet roads. We could see power Stations but avoided Grain with its oil depot and where a new road was being built. A new bit of road took us past clay pigeon shooting and yet another cuckoo was heard. We could see Canvey Island and Southend across the water.

 

Needing another break we stopped at another pub with a tiny caravan park beside it. There was an Easter Egghunt going on for the children. They had to find plastic ones to exchange for quite generous large chocolate eggs.left out and had to succumb to some chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Mmm. It looked unlikely that we would make the 4.45 train but we pushed hard( thank goodness for the intake of sugar)in case. It had been hilly in places but at least we had freewheeled a bit. A cycleway would take us into Gravesend but the narrow gap between tubular bars meant we had to keep getting off and turning the handlebars again and we had already lost about 1 hour and a half today from doing this. What with this and the lumpy chalky surface catching the train seemed less likely.  The cycleway ended in a derelict industrial area with broken glass and no clear clue which way to go. Fly tipping is rife in this part of the world! Out in the street there was still no sign of a station but after asking several people we eventually rolled up as the train was arriving. With no time to get a ticket we threw the bike on and bought a ticket when we changed at Rochester. The nearest station was at Newington where there was no easy access for bikes or disabled- up over bridge over railway line- and we cycled back to the Premier Inn, where we were just 5 minutes late for a 6.30 dinner. 50 miles and a hard day!
 

Day 67 – Isle of Sheppy

 

 Date: Saturday 23^rd April 2011   Distance: 42.31 Miles

 

After a long sleep and an early breakfast we set off at 9 to go round the Isle of Sheppy.it was up through Bobbin, past Iwade, aptly named as Bob said this was all reclaimed marshland. Here firemen plus engine were at the village hall selling bunting and souvenirs.

 

The biggest thing to happen to Swale in the last 100 years was the bridge. It sweeps across the Swale water, from some angle looking like an elaborate ski jump. It’s high! The cycle way is at the side of the main road and we took the swing bridge- King’s Ferry Bridge. Unfortunately at the the roundabout the cycleway petered out and the traffic was horrendous. Further down was a giant car-boot sale, which would have accounted for some of the traffic.

 

When , 5 miles down the road we saw a sign for a RSPB viewing centre and Harty Ferry, down a lane and towards the sea, we took it, just to get away from the traffic. It was soon beautifully quiet and then a goose insisted on running down the road in front of us, honking all the way. Maybe its wings were clipped as it just couldn’t seem to get off the ground no matter how hard it flapped its wings. It eventually escaped into a field.

 

Rape was pungent and tall, while sedge lined the water channels. We saw 2 Marsh Harriers, verified by the display by the RSPB (just some notice boards and a hummock of grass on which to stand) and apparently Sheppy has 36 pairs. We feel very privileged to see these magnificent birds. When they hunt they keep their wings steady in a v shape, which makes them distinctive.

 

We turned right at the top of the road with very few cars( mostly the postman going back and forth) to the Ferry Inn for coffee. Here we met some people who recommended we visit Harty Church, a short ride or walk from the inn. It was a lovely site for the tiny church looking over the water and surrounded by fields. Inside were interesting artefacts, including a C14th monument chest, carved in wood. We met the people from the pub feeding the graveyard residents- peacocks. The younger of the two liked to nip the hand that fed it. Only Bob was brave enough and I got a great shot on camera.

 

We set off on the bridleway to Shellness but something went wrong when it became a footpath and the tandem wouldn’t fit through the kissing gates. It would have been pretty but we couldn’t risk having to lift over more and the ground was very rough even for pushing the bike. Back to the track we thought perhaps the next route went round the edge of a field and so blindly followed the path until we realised it was doubling back. Although not the right way and lost some time, exposed in the midday sun, we were pleased to notice corn cobs at even intervals around the perimeter of the field, well out in the open. We are sure this is to feed the small mammals in turn that will feed the marsh harriers.

 

Take three and we see the actual bridleway further down the track but it is far too overgrown with nettles ( we are in shorts) to even try. The track we ride takes us to a farm and then an old airport road made of concrete and good for riding. A caravan site at Muswell Manor would have provided drinks but no food. At the gate was information on this site” famous “ for the first flight of the Wright brothers. The first aviation factory was sited here.

 

We didn’t stop long and followed the concrete that became a cycle path all the way to the coast near to Shellness. A high grassy bank hid the North Sea and a sandy-mixed with mud beach. We stopped by a refreshment place with picnic tables and demolished some sandwiches and mugs of tea from the busy kiosk. We began to feel like we were in an episode of” Eastenders” watching the interaction of various family groups. Quite entertaining!

 

With the sea on our right we carried on through Leysdown , full of people, greasy food and nick nack shops. At Warden a quite typical urban housing estate built on a hill had the sea at the end of every road with lovely sea views. Then it was up, up, up past more caravan sites on a track full of the biggest pot holes ever! Traffic was sparse except for an empty bus for Sheerness.

 

We went to Minster to see the royal Saxon Abbey, which was full of people getting the church ready for Easter day. I lit 4 candles in memory of our parents and was saved from catching on fire by one of the flower ladies. They were very friendly and interested in our ride.

 

Next door , in the gatehouse, is a museum and tower  from which, on a clear day there are spectacular views. It was a bit murky today. We spoke to a man who gave us the lowdown on Richard Montgommery, an American ship from World War 2 that sank in bad weather with explosives- bombs to help us over here.  The ship’s flag can be seen at low tide but even though some explosives were removed enough are left to produce a tsunami if it ever went up.

 

At Sheerness we had a coffee at Greggs the bakers and experienced the worst toilets in the country. Queensborough had character and clean toilets in a little park by the Historical Jetty comprised of really old lampposts and nautical buildings. We liked it here.

 

We left for the bridge, now up for a sailing boat surrounded by noisy jet skis then retraced our wheels back and arrived at 5.20 where we put the bike in the boiler room of the Premier Inn.

 

It had been a varied day when we saw the first swallow of the year, orange tip butterflies and pungent fields of rape for the most part. It had exceeded my expectations despite it being busy on the roads.

 

Day 66 – Margate to Sittingbourne

 

 Date: Friday 22^nd April 2011   Distance: Miles 37.65

 

We got up at 5.15 to leave by 6 am. Arrived at Faversham at 10.30 to catch the train to Herne bay then possibly catch bus or ride to Margate because of rail works. When train came in there wasn’t space for anymore people let alone bikes so we went back to the car and drove to Margate, avoiding 5 miles of jam to the coast by following cars down a series of lanes. There were no spaces in the station car park but managed to persuade a campervan driver to readjust his vehicle so we could squeeze in at the back with our bonnet under his bike carrier. It was only £1 to park all day. We began our ride in temperatures of 22 degrees, riding alongside the sea on the promenade. The beach is sandy with plenty of room when the tides out-lots of people were swimming-amazing for April!

 

There was a little beach hut type cafe at Westgate on Sea, that produced good fish and chips but we were only ready for a sandwich. Queues stretched round the space inside and out and on the prom but everyone seemed to be affable locals and the wait wasn’t too long.

 

There were low chalk cliffs, their geology appearing as if bricked. Much of the path is old military access roads and a good riding surface, some newly tarmaced.

The cycleway took us through Reculver and picturesque ruins of St. Mary’s church. There were many people walking here. Marshland provided good hunting ground for kestrels and other hunting birds (not yet identified)
 

 

                                                                            On to Herne Bay, where it was a lot more             razzmatazz than Margate, we noticed the pier had no middle. There was a domed end out in the sea and a bit at the beach. There were all the usual seaside tourist bits.

Swalescliff led to Whitstable which has oodles of character. However the narrow streets are full of one-way systems and no cycle path. There were more people here than Whitstable could cope with but though Good Friday, shops and cafes were open. We would have lingered as it looked an interesting place but we found it too bustling.

 

We followed a cycle-way from a point in the middle of nowhere- Graveny Marshes. Sailing ships  moved in the narrow strip of water adjacent to the path on the water’s bank. Unfortunately the serenity was spoilt by the sewerage works to our side but generally it was a very pretty ride taking us through a higgly- piggly boat yard via a very narrow bridge. We found that we had missed a sign for the cycle way and it had become a footpath then river towpath which came out in Faversham past the station and cottage hospital.

 

At the other side of Faversham we took a little lane that led past gunpowder works (open to the public!) and woods full of native bluebells- gorgeous. We followed the railway line through Teynham all the way to the station at Sittingbourne. Kind staff here locked the tandem in a railing courtyard   for security and we caught the 6.05 train back to Margate( via the bus at Herne Bay because of railworks) which took well over an hour. After eating dinner at premier Inn next to the Station we made a 45 minute drive back to Sittingbourne station where we reclaimed the bike and put it in the boot arriving at Sittingboune Premier Inn( where we stayed 3 nights) at 9.30. What a long day!

Day 65 – Dover to Margate

 

 Date: Sunday 3^rd April 2011   Distance: Miles 37.46

 

We preferred Dover this morning in the sunshine and further into the town there was a precinct with smart shops. Some old buildings needed a face lift but it looked like some effort had been made already with the paved cobbled ways and a huge TV screen maybe there for the royal wedding. There was an unusual underpass for cyclists and pedestrians with walls covered in beautiful ship murals. After this the character changed again, as there were quite grand buildings, maybe Georgian, leading to the seafront.

 

We cycled along the deserted front on a green tarmac path to the ferry and white cliffs. The only other cyclist was from New Zealand and after working here for some years he was beginning the long cycle home!

At the ferry terminal we had nowhere to go except up and up stairs( marked as a cycle route) and when we thought that there were no stairs left we had yet more to carry the bike up. Occasionally there was a very narrow strip at the side of the steps that the wheel just about fitted in for pushing. The castle previously high on the hill now was behind and below us. There were kissing gates large enough for the tandem and then we were at White Cliffs Park with the cycle Path running through. It came out on a quietish road which took us to St.Margaret’s at Cliff- reputedly the first place in Britain to get sunrise.

The bumpy path took us through some woods to a steep descent ending in the sea. This began Kingsdown, where rather nice houses lined one side of the road and the beach was on the other.

At Walmer Castle we noticed mother’s day flowers attached to quite a lot of the benches along the promenade. There were Victorian white houses at Deal and the pier was made of concrete and utilitarian in design with a covered area for fishermen on the end. All the beaches seem to be shingle. At the first golf club, of which there were several on the way to Sandwich, we went wrong. Not wanting to take the private road which turned out to be the right one we rode the rough stuff with flying golf balls. It was only when we noticed helmets over the hedge that we scrambled through and got back to a decent riding surface.

We had elevenses at Sandwich at a little teashop. Here reminded me of Norfolk with sedge along a narrow river with sailing boats.

At Ebbsfleet power station, that is falling down but still a decent landmark, there is an industrial area served by good cycle paths through almost orange soil. The run into Ramsgate had a few stops by the Viking replica ship, sculpture of metal hands with real children sitting inside and the open air art gallery along the prom. Local artists had paintings on hoarding that hid a building site. This stretched for some way and caused a lot of congestion for cyclists as people stopped to scrutinise the work s of art.

 

At Kingsgate and Joss Bay there were lovely chalk and sea views and an unusual arch formation in the sea. There was flint decoration in some of the walls. Margate was a bit more “kiss me quick” and the weather started to cloud over. The train was cancelled so we had to ride an extra 5 miles quickly to catch the connecting train back to Dover.

Day 64 – Rye to Dover

 

 Date: Saturday 2^nd April 2011   Distance: Miles 45.02

 

It was a nice ride down to Dover Priory Station, just 3 miles from the Premier Inn. Although we couldn’t see the sea it would have been a short walk over the opposite green hill via footpaths. The approach to Dover is dominated by the castle. The town seems relatively small for the international repute and we were disappointed in the lack lustre buildings and certainly the station had seen better days!

 

After carrying the tandem up and down stairs, the lift being too small, we hadn’t long to wait for the train. It was £15 each, with a change at Ashford International ( fast train to St. Pancras that was painfully slow while we were on it!) for the Brighton train that would take us to our starting point at Rye.

 

We took in some of Rye’s heritage by visiting Mermaid Street oozing with character with uncomfortable cobbles and ancient houses. Then we were straight on to fairly rough cycle paths by fields with new born lambs and calves and off road mostly till Lydd. It was windy and against the wind at first. At Camber there was a high sea wall so we could only hear the crashing of the waves.  It was evident that farmers had sold off bits of their land for the use of the cycle way but barbed wire surrounded the fields and also on the sea side there was a ministry of defence area for rifle practice. It felt a little like we were enclosed in barbed wire. The flat land made for high wind exposure and we were especially glad for the cycleway when we heard of a motorbike accident further along - several had sped past us that day.

 

At Lydd we had just got off the bike to cross the road when I heard a terrific gush of air and the front Teflon tyre went flat as a pancake. Bob soon replaced the inner-tube which seemed to have just burst from fatigue- no sign of a hole in the tyre. Must have been all those stairs and cobbles and stones but it was the first puncture of the ride since we started in 2008.

 

It was a shingle cycleway in Sussex but soon as we crossed the Kent border it was wider and tarmac, making a more comfortable ride. Against the wind we rode into Dungeness past little huts and wooden chalets of varying sizes and weatherworn, giving a unique character to the place. The upturned boats and garden decor of reclaimed jetsum and flotsam intermingled with sea kale and hardy plants and house signs declared here lived an artist or mystic. Not much protection from the elements here and Dungeness’s 2 Power stations and 2 lighthouses dominate the surrounding area. The Old Lighthouse built 1901 was the 4^th to be built here and was used until the building of the first Power Station which obscured the light from the sea.  From 1960 a new lighthouse was situated closer to the water’s edge where it still operates today. The old Lighthouse is a tourist attraction and museum often also used for weddings. The Romney –Dymchurch little railway runs here and the coal fire smoke hung in the air nostalgically.

 

We had a meal at the Britannia Inn, where the ceiling was totally covered in key fobs, thousands! We had very nice jacket potatoes and being a bread and butter connoisseur I had to try it, it being made with a generous helping of Baileys. Delicious!

We rode by Lydd- on -Sea, then Greatstone- on -Sea beside sea on bike track. At Littlestone- on- Sea we rode up a private road then went through a gap in the flood defence to the promenade and rode 5 miles alongside the beach before coming off at Dymchurch where they were mending the sea defences ( quite high walls). Previously at St Mary’s Bay there had been a spectacle of groins sticking out of the sand like an ancient petrified forest. The coastline so far today hadn’t revealed a lot of sand but here there were people making sandcastles. The sea was a long way out and later there were sand dunes at Littlestone and a girl was being tutored in the art of windsurfing on the sands.

 

At Hythe there were more areas of ministry of Defence land where soldiers were actually firing at targets only yards away from the houses and road- a bit close for comfort!

 

We stopped for a cup of tea at the little railway cafe in Hythe, more for the use of the loos. The food looked good but we didn’t succumb. From here we took the Royal Military Canal path where an information plaque told us that we had missed the advanced listening mirror that was the precursor of radar. I would have liked to have seen that.

 

It had been flat all day with no free- wheeling. There were posters of local marine celebrity, Dave the dolphin but we didn’t see any signs of him. The promenade ended in a long steep flight of steps to the road and we carried the tandem up! Then it was a long steady climb into and out of Folkstone. We at last had a view of white cliffs and for the first time we walked- tired legs!!

 

After a tiny lane ascending to a mobile phone mast we were at the top and freewheeled down. On the journey up there was a group of sculptures called “sandlines” , alien looking and with premium phone numbers to ring to find out about them. We had passed several Martello towers by the sea.

We still managed to keep off the busy roads by taking the old Dover Rd. where we had the best view of the trip of the cliffs and sea. When we rejoined the main road there was a memorial to the Battle of Britain with war planes in the grounds but unfortunately it was past 4.30, when it closed. Bob sneaked in to take a picture of the aircraft.

 

Down the hill we gratefully approached the Premier Inn under greying sky and spots of rain. Unfortunately the restaurant was busy and there was no chance of a meal before 7.45 so we drove to Morrison’s, our side of town and had 2 nice meals and a drink for a mere £8 compared to £50 of the night before at the hotel and despite being near their closing time.

 

 

 

Day 63 – Eastbourne to Rye

 

 Date: Saturday 5th February 2011   Distance: Miles 33.95

 

 

Set off about 9am and cycled along the promenade, freewheeling with the wind again until we reached the Water Treatment works. We took the cycle path around the marina, then it was a busy road (although marked as route for bikes,) past Pevensey Castle. This seems to have diminished in size since I was a child, though the visibility was poor. The roundabout was hairy as the wind blowing from the hills caught us sideways throwing us towards the traffic and we were back leaning into the wind and away from where we wanted to go! We missed our turning and went round again to the furthest exit for Norman’s Bay and a much quieter, flat, pleasant route. We marvelled at the work that had gone into making a field boundary wall of round flints set in mortar, each one the same size and directly above each other.

 

Along the side of the sea it was wild with plenty of shingle. Part of the beach was for sale. We rode down the wide promenade to the Deleware Pavilion, where we went back on the road past many old peoples flats. We stopped for scones and drinks in the busiest little café in Bexhill. Everyone seemed to know each other and newspapers were provided. This was Cavells Café where the prices were reasonable with a good choice and we liked the buzz of the place.

 

After elevenses it was back to the cycle route on the road, then alongside the prom again. When it came out at the main road we crossed over and took a bit of footpath , then through a housing estate to lessen the danger of being knocked off as it was busy. It was a little bit of main road till we found an alley to the seafront again- Lyne Gap.

We weren’t impressed with the detection device for crossing the road via the traffic lights and even the pedestrian crossing didn’t seem to work.

We took the quietest road to Hastings seafront where we rode by the sea past another burnt out pier. Three surfers were dicing with death at a solid wall sea- break making great surf.

 

It was a longish ride down to the Old Town and the famous net houses. The East cliff Railway was closed. We walked up a one way street the wrong way because it was full of buildings with character- All Saint’s Road and it led directly to the Sustrans Route 2 again, just past beautiful old church of All Saints at the top of the hill.

Then it was up, up and up through a country park with a very rough track to start with. We walked quite a bit and the wind blew gustily through the trees but luckily no bits fell on us. A radio transmitter marked the highest point then we came down winding roads for 2 and a half miles. It was through Fairlight and then we stopped at Pett Level at a very nice pub with a roaring fire called Smuggler’s Inn. They specially built up the fire to warm us up and we had a very decent Harvey’s pint ( Bob had been hankering after one since reaching Sussex) and the meal we had was reasonably priced and tasty. The bar tender told us there was a path we could cycle alongside the sea all the way to Rye.

 

This path took us past Winchelsea Beach and by a Nature Reserve in the shingle. It was bleak and lonely today but some people nearer to Rye were out for a wind swept walk. The path was flat and we found ourselves travelling at 17 miles an hour without pedalling! Mid point we came across a huge boat shed ,much the worse for wear.

Two fresh memorial wreaths were fixed to the door and inside, though it was locked today, sits a1926 lifeboat wreck. It had been called out to a ship in trouble in a night storm. Unbeknown to the lifeboat-men all hands had arrived on shore safely, but they, still looking for the floundering ship, capsized themselves and all perished.

 

At Rye Harbour there was a private Martello Tower and an information point about the Nature Reserve. Here the noise of jangling boat trappings joined the wind and we struggled passed surprisingly many industries on the way to the town centre.( Rye Spice company among others)

 

It would have been nice to visit Rye's cobbled street but the train left in 10 minutes for Eastbourne. The weather had got worse with heavier drizzle and blacker skies. There were 6 bikers and us on the platform but luckily only 3 got on the two- carriage train. We did have to split the bike, to the amusement of the other passengers, because a push -chair had been parked in the bike space. It was a £9 single fare each.

 

We discovered we had averaged a little short of !0 mile an hour with a cycling time of 3 hours 30 minutes. Sometimes we could hardly breathe against the wind, other times we had leaned far over to the left to prevent us from being blown over, but mostly the wind was our friend giving us a push in the right direction. A good weekend’s ride.

 

 

Day 62 – Brighton to Eastbourne

 

 Date: Friday 4th February 2011   Distance: Miles 31.18

 

 

 

Thursday night we arrived at a multi-storey car park near to Premier Inn at about 10pm. It would cost us £16 to leave the car here till the next evening. The Inn was comfortable but without sea views or any views except the backs of close together buildings.

 

In the morning we had a cafeteria style breakfast before half seven and it was fresh with good service-We could have eaten at 6.30.

 

We went through the famous Lanes and soon reached the sea front and the cycle path.

The sea was tempestuous and grey. The wind pushed us in gusts, even up hill sometimes. People cycling the other way looked worn out. The Esplanade is long and grand at the Eastern end and trunks of trees grow up the walls forming a backdrop for the architecture. Opposite is Volk’s Electric Railway, sadly closed today, but presumably in the better weather, later in the year it runs 2 miles along side the beach. Waves crashed against the sea walls.

 

Cycling along here a man made the nicest remark to me over our journey so far.

 “ 4 legs are better than 2 aren’t they?”- such a change from the usual “ she’s not pedalling!”

 

We passed Roedean, a posh girls school majestically looking out to sea, then left the main road cycleway for a quieter track through a housing estate, which afforded us protection from the wind. This led us through parts of Peacehaven, out at the main road at Seahaven, East Sussex and then down and up a dirt track full of potholes. We surprisingly passed several houses and a telephone mast on the top and the track ended in a woody walk but we had to turn off for Newhaven Marina. It didn’t seem wild here at all and was very sheltered from the winds. Along the quay there were lobster pots and a huge ferry was manoeuvring in the narrow harbour.

 

As soon as we left the harbour area we found the wind and the path led us to an out of town Sainsbury’s where we had a hot drink and Bob attended a loosening cycle mirror from a mishap with a staggered  bar on the path.

 

The path from Newhaven passed alongside marshland and on a good day this would have had plenty of wildlife. We passed Van’s Bacon Crematorium, a mobile roadside café. Cycling along the seafront the huge waves couldn’t reach us because of the artificially high shingle walls. From the seafront there was a left turn through cricket fields and an impressive building (surely not a cricket club?) flanked our left, up hill to the road again.

 

Now along quiet residential roads of bungalows and compact houses with some charm and with gardens until we reached the Down’s side, complete with golf course dotted with notices warning that monitors were checking to see if one had permission to use the facilities. This was odd as footpaths certainly ran across it. This officially marked route (Cycle route 2) came out on the main road and past an open air swimming pool- Lido. There was some traffic but not much all the way to Cuckmere Haven where the road down gives an excellent view of the elegant river twisting out to sea (for the one on the back of the tandem!) Fighting the wind made taking photos difficult and poor visibility was a disappointment for most of the trip.

 

At Friston Forest we turned left leaving the main road. We didn’t have time to go to the visitors centre at Exceat. I was sure this road had a white horse cut into the downs to the left of the road but there was only a vague white splodge, where I remembered it. The forest was planted in the early 20^th century over an underground reservoir, which is why on this journey we noticed a water tower. At the East Dean sign we entered the Forest on a narrow road which then became a bridleway and footpath only. We followed various routes marked by colours on posts but the map didn’t quite tally with what was on the ground so we were glad of Bob’s skills with a compass. We climbed quite a bit and the wind roared through the trees but the route was wide  so not too close to tree debris falling. At crucial crossroads there were no signposts so well done Bob for navigation. West Dean and then Friston, we trekked up a few steep hills. It was down the hill to East Dean, holding up cars back on the road, till a right turn to the village green for the Tiger Inn. Disappointed that the food wasn’t suitable t ( Bob and his allergies!) though I am sure it would have been nice, we went to the Hiker’s Café. Mistake as this was expensive for poor quality, though the cakes looked  very edible and there were plenty of elderly diners. Good job we had a couple of bananas in the bike bag.

 

Against the wind we rode all the way to Birling Gap and then changed direction for the climb up to Beachy Head 2,000 feet up. Every time we flagged, a gust of wind shoved us in the back and sent us a bit further up the hill. We passed BelleTout lighthouse, now a bed and breakfast and reputedly rather grand.

 

The wind certainly was a boon climbing this hill and at the top we greeted the Beachy Head curate, waiting in her car to deter would be suicides from jumping over the cliff.

She gave us a cheery thumbs- up and we didn’t envy her lonely vigil on such a day as this. It was so exposed up there we had to lean into the wind to save us from riding into the traffic, though luckily there wasn’t much. It was then hairpin bends all the way down to the sea front at St Bedes school. This has to be the best approach to Eastbourne and on a fair day the views would have been superb. We rode past the Grand, Wish tower and the pier arriving at my sister’s just after 2pm.

 

 

Day 61 – Angmering to Brighton

 

 Date: Saturday 1^st January 2011   Distance: Miles 24.88

 

Not an early start at 10.30 but we arrived at Brighton, having spent New years Eve with my family in Eastbourne, parking the car in time for a train to Angmering. We arrived at 11.30 in the damp and cold but it wasn't raining. The little station had a small café with a sign advertising hot soup etc but foolishly we decided to wait. It was rather early for lunch.

 

Bob found us little roads near the beach but within a housing estate. We could see the sea through the gaps in the houses. We went round the estate, not the usual all the same but characterful houses with style and some quirky, but couldn’t find the road Bob was looking for. We must have wasted an hour retracing our steps. We followed 2 purposeful joggers who were also thwarted by a high fence. We tried to get the tandem through a kissing gate at a passage with the sea at the end. We were told by a lady who lived nearby, the number of the lock combination on the farm estate gate and at last were on the beach for a few hundred yards before coming to a café. This was at Ferring and this cut through had saved us a few miles down a busy road. The café( only a very basic one at that) was heaving with people having lunch and queuing for lunch. The air was full of crunchy bacon smells but it was still too early and I wasn’t queuing for the loo let alone lunch. The “gents” was free and clean so I used that. No-one seemed to notice.

 

We rode along the prom to Worthing where we were dodging pedestrians. On the shared path. We passed a1930s style pier here. At South Lancing we were still along the sea front. At Shoreham- by- sea the sea was either side of us.



We stopped here for lunch at a pub needing to cross back over to Shoreham town via a footbridge after discovering the pub side didn’t lead to anywhere except sea. It was back over locks to the sea side again but it was all heavy industry here. We helped a couple with bikes who had broken their pump and had just mended a puncture. The sun was setting and we had hoped to get to Newhaven but they confirmed our thoughts that we wouldn’t make it in time to get back for the car before the ticket ran out and also it would be riding unknown roads etc in the dark.

 

It was a long ride along the prom into Brighton, people dodging. We passed the burnt out West Pier and watched the lights of the big wheel on the other.

 

The Brighton Pavilion would have been nice to visit but we had to content ourselves with taking pictures of the outside as time was running out. It would have been over £9 each anyway!  The station was hard to find and right at the end of the whole trip we had our first real hill. Just as hard was the car drive out of Brighton. The one way streets make it a nightmare.