TOUR SUMMARY:
This year’s bicycle tour will take us from Headcorn in Kent though to Appledore and further onwards to Folkestone for the more adventurous. We are looking forward to taking in the quintessential English countryside with timber-framed houses, medieval churches, and distinctive rural villages. The tour will be led by Architect and Architectural Historian Benedict O’Looney who will encourage us to take the time to sketch. In addition to sketchbooks, he recommends bringing watercolours, brushes, and ink wash. Watercolour post card pads are a great option when travelling by bike.
The plan is to meet at Charing Cross Station by 10:30 am. We will DEPART on the 10:40am train. this train can also be joined at London Bridge Station a few minutes later. (Head for the front coach to meet the group). Return from Appledore approximately 5-6pm. Later return from Folkestone.
Further details will be sent to participants in advance. Each participant needs to bring their own bicycle and helmet.
No bike? No problem!
For bicycle rental for the day from a company with reasonable rates we recommend a company like GoPedal. Our path is reasonably flat so a 3-speed should be fine. Other bike hire companies are available.
FULL DETAILS:
A relaxing and informative day-long bicycle tour looking at exceptional rural timber framed architecture in the low Weald of Kent. The plan is to meet at Charing Cross Station by 10:30 am. We will DEPART on the 10:40am train. this train can also be joined at London Bridge Station a few minutes later. (Head for the front coach to meet the group).
We begin in Headcorn where we will see the famous 'Headcorn Manor' beside the church. We will then head to the pretty village of Smarden for lunch. The afternoon leg of the journey heads south to Woodchurch and Appledore on the north edge of the Romney Marsh for about 5pm. People can take the train home from there via Ashford.
Keen cyclists might enjoy an additional cycle run, following this, across the Romney Marsh to the sea at Hythe Bay and the car-free bike route on the sea wall east to Folkestone Station.
Bring warm clothes just in case, sketchbooks pens and brushes for ink wash studies of the old houses we will encounter.
For train tickets ask for a return to Appledore or Folkestone, which are probably about the same price. SouthEastern offers a helpful 'group save' 1/3rd off discount, for groups of three or more, so consider asking for this at the ticket office at Charing Cross.
6.0 CES Credits (to be confirmed)
Free but spaces limited