Dover to London for family

[TOP Team]

Can anyone recommend a pleasant route for a family of five (kids 11 and 9 going by their own "motor" and one kid at 7 going tandem) from Dover to London on bicycles late June this year. Should we head shortest route or is it to recommend going in the direction of Gatwick airport (where we are flying back from), leaving the bicycles there? We will spend 2 or three days/nights, staying in hotels, pensions, B&Bs en route.Any nice places to recommend?

Any suggestions?

[freeflow]

Unless you have a definite destination or reason for going to London I'd recommend heading for Gatwick directly. You could consider the National cycleway route No 2 which follows the coast to Brighton. You can then cycle north on route 20 or get the train from Brighton. London is only 40 minutes on the train from Gatwick so its easy to get upto London for the day should you wish. Please note that I've only had a quick look at the map as I'm currently planning a route going in the opposite direction (to near Dover). Others will no doubt be along shortly to shoot my suggestion down.

[freeflow]

And in case you haven't found it yet this site has the cycle routes marked and is a rather useful tool for planning cycling journeys.

http://cycle.travel/map

[TOP Team]

Thx Freeflow for the link. It looks superb And your advice has some merit to it. Going along the coast is probably not a bad idea. Hopefully the weather will call for some bathing en route.

And about London: It's a reason in its own right, isn't it? We are spending 4 nights there, doing all the tourist "musts": musical, London eye, Madame Tussaud's, London Bridge, Camden lock. We are on a 3 "years" journey from Oslo to Paris, via Amsterdam and London. This year's leg is Amsterdam-London. The kids enjoy the bicycling, but having an iconic goal as London certainly helps on the motivation

[Vorpal]

I don't know those routes myself, but I have found that Sustrans routes can be difficult to navigate with a loaded tandem. Some places have access barriers that can be difficult to get a tandem through. If you are carrying luggage, it's even worse. I've had to lift the tandem over barriers sometimes because it didn't fit through.

Maybe someone who knows the routes can comment on the type and frequency of barriers.

[MartinBrice]

The route over the White Cliffs of Dover heading westward is terrible. It is hard to negotiate, tricky to follow, steep gravel at one point. You are best to get the train from Dover to Folkestone, which goes through a tunnel. The roads of Dover are busy with traffic, huge lorries, scary. There is a cycle route but it is very hard to follow. Spend a lot of time checking it out. When are you travelling?

[freeflow]

I'm considering following the coastal route for a longer ride I'm planning. I wanted to follow the cycle path past Folkstone before heading north from Capel-le-ferne to Alkham where I used to live. Any comments you have, particularly from Deal to Folkestone, would be most welcome.

[TOP Team]

@MartinBrice. Sorry to hear that. We are using mountain bikes and are going quite slowly with plenty of stops for the kids. Does that change your opinion about the preferability of train instead of road?

[sbesley]

TT,

Off topic - but save your money and avoid Madame Tassaude's. It is basically a horrible tourist trap. The kids and I failed to recognize most of the 'celebrities'. Whether this was due to our avoidance of trash TV and the tabloid press or the poor quality of the wax works I don't know

[Vorpal]

My favourites things to see in London are:
-Tower of London (the official Beefeater tour)
-British Museum (it's big, so I usually go for a particular section or exhibit)

Some of the led walks are fun, too. http://www.walks.com/ (there are other walking tour companies).

My favourite place to eat is the Cafe in the Crypt

Have fun

[JamieMM]

It's kind of the opposite direction, but I would recommend going North from Dover and taking the Viking Coastal Route. I've ridden it a few times. The majority of it is on the sea front on traffic free paths and you''ll go past the nice towns of Sandwich, Broadstairs and Whitstable, among others as you swing round the East Kent coast. It's a quiet route for the most part and there's very few hills, which is ideal for children. I believe the Viking Route officially finishes in Faversham but I think you can pick up the Route 1 to London from there. There's a couple of towns such as Sittingbourne, Gillingham and Chatham that certainly aren't worth stopping in but they're pretty close together and the surrounding area is pretty nice countryside.

As you'll find anywhere around London, it'll be pretty built up and in my opinion, quite unpleasant to ride through, especially with children. I'd recommend catching the train in from somewhere like Dartford or that area. You can take bikes that aren't fold-up at off peak times and most touristy places like Madame Tussauds and the Tower of London do Buy One Get One Free when you go by train, regardless of the journey length. Always worth a thought.

[freeflow]

It's a good suggestion from Jamiemm. I'd reinforce his comments about cycling quality as you approach London hence my previous recommendation to go to Gatwick and then visit London by train. Once you get to Faversham you can cut across country to Gatwick via Leeds Castle and Royal Tonbridge Wells.

[MartinBrice]

@MartinBrice. Sorry to hear that. We are using mountain bikes and are going quite slowly with plenty of stops for the kids. Does that change your opinion about the preferability of train instead of road?

Use train from dover to folkestone, really. Just for that bit

[tyreon]

Dover to London. It can be HEAVEN...or hell. With good weather and a not too focused and hurried time plan...with back roads...you have cycled into paradise. The lanes hereabouts can be as little as 10' across,dipping and winding amongst woodlands and small fields. So quiet. And in the middle of these lanes,maybe grass growing. Going S - N you're cutting across the hills,tho. So lottsa climbs,and steep descents(with some little gravel in the middle...so don't hammer down those roads). On some sections,high banks and hedges. West or East of Dover you've got a climb.
I am never sure about these designated cycle routes...well,the ones given over specifically for bicycles. As some have said,their surfaces leave a lot to be desired,and sometimes to go 5 miles you're cycling 10...and not on the most attractive routes. I'd just take a look at a map,do your own thing. I still have a laminated map of Kent designating a set number of cycle rides. By linking them together,I think you'd get a good ride( I cycled them all when I lived down there). There's a lot of historical and interesting towns down there and from afar...they're visually attractive. Up close(and personal!),some have turned to seed,centres destroyed by planners and out of town shopping malls.
If its wind and rain and grey...and,naturally,you want to get to your destination...I can withstand the curses you will throw at me! Fingers crossed for sun!

[tyreon]

The one map that would give you good route options...and a good view of the territory is Kent: Cycling Map. Published by Goldeneye. It's laminated. I don't know if you still get it(Amazon? E-Bay?) Decent suggestive routes and easy planning,clear definition.