Spokes rides
Sunday 1 July, Canterbury West station to Chartham Meet 10.30am Canterbury West Station This is a very short, safe, off-road suitable for new and returning cyclists - in face, you don't even need a bike as some can be borrowed from Wheel Potential at Toddlers Cove! The ride will leave Canterbury West station and head to Toddlers Cove where Wheel Potential will be showing off the equipment and bikes they have available to try or borrow for the ride - see www.wheelpotential.com for details. We'll leave Toddlers Cove at 11.00 and cycle just over three miles along the Great Stour Way beside the river Chartham for lunch and drink at the Artichoke - a 14th century pub with a well in the dining room and a lovely garden at the back. Then we will return the same way - all flat. Anyone wanting a hill to climb can go up Rattington Street to Chartham's other pub, The Local, or go further on Route 18 to Chilham, to the Woolpack or White Horse, on their own. The Spokes ride is for novices and other interested cyclists and goes to the Artichoke and back. Leaders: Beatrice Shire (Canterbury West) 01227 7667782 and Frank Guthrie (Toddlers Cove) 01227 374993. Sunday 5 August, An Ashford meander Meet Ashford domestic station 10.30 am. A meander around the villages to the west of Ashford. Suitable for all bikes with no major hills and a lunch stop en route. Ride leader: Chris Beswick 
Sunday 24 June, Divas on wheels
This women's only bike ride in support of the Pilgrims Hospice offers two routes - 25 miles and 50 miles - starting from The Independent Pedaler in Bridge near Canterbury. The routes are along quiet roads and the organisers promise a "great atmosphere, support along the route and plenty of pampering afterwards as you take part in the county’s only ladies bike ride for charity". More information from https://www.pilgrimshospices.org/event/divas-on-wheels/. Summer's here and the time is right... for cycling in the streets - as Martha Reeves and the Stones didn't sing. But why waste a useful lyric? Better weather and cycling are made for each other and in addition to the usual Spokes rides there are many other events coming up in the next month or so. The Women's Festival of Cycling will be running throughout July and celebrating women who love cycling and encouraging many more to take up or continue cycling. The festival will include cycle rides and events all round the country, ranging from just a few miles with a coffee and cake stop to longer endurance rides, both on and off-road. Details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/ride/womens-festival-cycling. The Big Bike Revival is running to 28 July. The Big Bike Revival has been running for four years and aims to inspire the 42% of people who own bikes, but who don’t cycle, to start riding. With events across England and Scotland, people attending benefit from free cycle checks, servicing, cycle maintenance workshops, cycle training and accompanied rides - details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival. Closer to home and just a short rail journey away, Medway Council is organising a series of events for Bike Week, 9 - 17 June. More information from http://bikeweek.org.uk/organiser/medway-council/. You can find out more about Bike Week at http://bikeweek.org.uk/. If you like track racing, old bikes and dressing up then The World Cycling Revival is made for you. The organisers' bill this as "a spectacular vintage cycling festival" at the historic Herne Hill velodrome, Dulwich, London. The event runs from 14 - 16 June and you can find out more from http://www.cyclingrevival.com. |
Spokes monthly rides There is a Spokes ride on the first Sunday of every month at 10.30. Our rides are a celebration of slow riding and a leisurely exploration of the beautiful Kent countryside. We ride on cycle paths, quiet roads and country lanes - you will often be surprised how few cars you see. We plan to cater for cyclists of varying experience and ability; we are certainly not all lycra. As we ride at “chatting” speed, it’s an opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. We stop for a relaxed lunch at a cafe or pub and our rides always start and finish at a railway station. So in short, a Spokes ride is an unashamed escape from day to day living and an opportunity to enjoy Kent and enjoy your bike. The small print...
Could you lead a Spokes ride? We're always looking for people to lead our monthly rides. A ride can be any distance to any location and suitable for any type of bike - and cyclist! The only requirements for a ride are it follows a circular route starting from a railway station and there's a lunch stop. If you're interested, please contact our Rides organiser, Andrew Wyvers, to find out more about what's involved Catha's seat
Catha’s Seat is a remote spot on National Cycle Route 18 and the Stour Valley Walk, with two handcrafted solid oak benches and cycle parking. It is named after Catharine 'Catha' Keegan, a dedicated cycling campaigner who helped plan National Cycle Route 18 from Ashford to Canterbury. Catherine's mission was to create safer cycling routes and encourage their use, so Catha's Seat and the annual picnic provide opportunities for everyone to discover or re-discover this route as well as the joys of cycling and walking in the glorious Kentish countryside. To find out more about Catha's seat and the annual ride and picnic, please visit http://cathas-seat.org/. 
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Spokes rides 2018
June: Faversham to Bowl Inn, Charing
Around 22 miles in total from Faversham to the Bowl Inn at Charing with , hopefully, lunch there and then back to Faversham.
May: Minster to Deal circular ride
A ride to Deal via St Augustine's landing site then to Sandwich, reaching Deal via the golf club. Return journey via Fowlmead Park. Around 25 miles, suitable for all bikes.
April: A marsh meander
A 25 mile ride on flattish terrain around some of the lesser known parts of Romney and Walland marshes.
March: Chequers Inn, Doddington
A 25 mile (40km) ride through the quiet lanes and beautiful countryside between Teynham and the Chequers Inn at Doddington.
February: Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary, Stelling Minnis
A 20 mile (32km) very quiet ride up and down the valleys of the North Kent Downs to the Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary provides a lifeline to animals who become homeless or who have been injured or abused, vital veterinary care to those on low incomes and cattery/kennel facilities for pets.
January: Going nowhere...
...or cul-de-sacs in the Ham and Luddenham marshes.
An easy ride of 15 miles suitable for all bikes exploring cul-de-sacs in the Ham and Luddenham marches. Discover and enjoy the beauty of the flat, bleak marshes around Faversham. - to paraphrase a remark made about the Fens, "Any fool can appreciate mountains, it takes a person of real discernment to appreciate North Kent's marshes"!
June: Faversham to Bowl Inn, Charing
Around 22 miles in total from Faversham to the Bowl Inn at Charing with , hopefully, lunch there and then back to Faversham.
May: Minster to Deal circular ride
A ride to Deal via St Augustine's landing site then to Sandwich, reaching Deal via the golf club. Return journey via Fowlmead Park. Around 25 miles, suitable for all bikes.
April: A marsh meander
A 25 mile ride on flattish terrain around some of the lesser known parts of Romney and Walland marshes.
March: Chequers Inn, Doddington
A 25 mile (40km) ride through the quiet lanes and beautiful countryside between Teynham and the Chequers Inn at Doddington.
February: Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary, Stelling Minnis
A 20 mile (32km) very quiet ride up and down the valleys of the North Kent Downs to the Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary provides a lifeline to animals who become homeless or who have been injured or abused, vital veterinary care to those on low incomes and cattery/kennel facilities for pets.
January: Going nowhere...
...or cul-de-sacs in the Ham and Luddenham marshes.
An easy ride of 15 miles suitable for all bikes exploring cul-de-sacs in the Ham and Luddenham marches. Discover and enjoy the beauty of the flat, bleak marshes around Faversham. - to paraphrase a remark made about the Fens, "Any fool can appreciate mountains, it takes a person of real discernment to appreciate North Kent's marshes"!