SOUTH EAST
Folkstone – AlkhamValley – Dover – Sandwich – Canterbury ry – Folkstone
As if we’d neglect the south-east, eh? Of course there are several roads down these parts, but we’ve chosen one with a little bit of everything, including some seaside, those famous White Cliffs, and a mixture of fast and slow which should suit all – a little bit of everything.
We’ve started things off from the Battle of Britain memorial, something brilliant to visit, but then one heads east on the B2011. Almost immediately turn left up Cauldham Lane, cross the A20 and then bear left on Hockey Sole Lane before turning right on Alkham Valley Road. Enjoy this stretch thoroughly, then head through Temple Ewell picking up the A256, a short zip turning right on the A2 and then left on the A258.
Stick on this until you come to the seaside at Kingsdown, then keep following the 258 as it turns left at Deal Castle. It’s all a bit built up around here, but you’ll soon be back in the green and onwards towards Sandwich, where one will turn left on the A257 (after having a sandwich in Sandwich, because, you know, sandwich…).
Bear left at Wingham and head south on the B2046, enjoying fast roads but with quite a few blind corners (due to hedges), so keep wits about you. When you reach the A2, cross it and on to the A260. Stay on the A260 past Hawkinge and it’ll bring you right back to the BOB Memorial where you started.
Reader Jon Heppell had this to say about the route: “It’s been a while but riding the A20 between Folkestone and Dover is pretty shite, be warned, better to turn left and take the Alkam Valley Road (that used to be a fave biker route), then through to Dover then up to the A2 to Whitfield then back down the A2 for a short bit onto the Deal road!”
Jon Starkings meanwhile had this to add: “I live in Kent and one of my favourite roads is theA264 from Tunbridge Wells to East Grinstead. But for this route useAlkham Valley Road instead of the A20.”
Marcin Kolasa also adds weight to skipping the temptation of heading right to Dover via the A20, too: “Personally I would skip the A20 from Folkstone to Dover as it is full of freight traffic – use Alkham Valley road instead!’ A lot of love for the Alkham Valley Road here!
Lewis Tisdall also chucks his oar in on the area: “The B2046, locally known as the Wingham Bends, is an excellent road for a sunny day. For faster riding each corner flows from left to right with good visibility for overtakes. If you want to sit back and take in the scenery, there’s open fields either side of you. This road reminds me of riding in the Yorkshire Dales.” Cheers Lewis!
As usual, keep an eye out for rozzers, and speed cameras in built up places (plus where you’d least expect them), camera vans and, of course, tourists. Like so many of these routes, they’re near the coast and therefore expect them to be busy at busy times.
A LOT OF LOVE GOING ON FOR THE ALKHAM VALLEY ROAD HERE!