Kent, ‘the Garden of England’, offers some of the most beautiful scenery and rewarding cycle routes anywhere in England. It also can involve some very challenging hills, both short sharp shocks to the system, and some long drawn out climbs and subsequent very fast descents.
The Biggin Hill Loop is a relatively quick blast out of South London, around the top of the first ridge of the Downs by Biggin Hill.
Starting point: Gails Bakery, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested café stop: Sheree’s Store and Tearoom, Tatsfield (30 km).
This route heads over the north ridge of the Downs and, once through Westerham and up Hosey Hill, the route follows a forested loop around Chartwell and Toys Hill. Brasted Hill adds some further spice on the return leg back to London.
Starting point: Gails Bakery, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested café: Landmare Café, Chartwell (36km).
The Knatt’s Valley ride goes a bit further east along the Pilgrim’s Way between the ridges of the Downs before turning left for a fairly steep climb up through Rowdow Wood. The route then descends into the picturesque Knatt’s Valley.
Starting point: Gails Bakery, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested café stop: Castle Farm Shop (59 km)
The Chiddingstone & Bough Beech Loop crosses two ridges of the Downs, first over Biggin Hill via the Beddlestead and then over Ide Hill which offers one of the longer but steadier climbs and exhilarating descents.
The route meanders towards the pretty village of Chiddingstone before looping round to cross the Bough Beech reservoir and bird sanctuary.
Starting point: Gails Bakery, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested Café: Tulip Café, Chiddingstone (49 km).
The Chiddingstone & Hever Loop is a bit more challenging than the loop via Bough Beech. Instead of turning around to go back up Ide Hill, the route takes a bucolic loop to the south. It then turns north up past Hever Castle before a climb up the south side of the infamous Toys Hill. An exciting descent down the north side (Brasted Chart) almost makes that climb worth it.
Starting point: Gail’s Bakery, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested Café: Tullip Café, Chiddingstone (49km).
The Deepest Kent route extends the Chiddingstone-based routes with a longer loop deeper into Kent (indeed to the edge of East Sussex).
The southern part of the loop explores the quiet, rolling, heavily wooded, roads south of Tunbridge Wells.
Although this route racks up a lot of elevation it generally avoids any really steep ramps.
Starting point: Gail’s Café, Clapham Old Town.
Suggested café: The Deer Park Café, Danegate (66km).