Avenue Verte - Day 2 (Mad Dogs and Englishmen)

Day 2 - East Grinstead to Newhaven (May 3rd, 2015)
52 miles +/-, 2728' of Elev. Gain (Click for map info)

The morning of Day 2 seemed to arrive very quickly, and a quick peak through the curtains revealed a misty, damp scene with intermittent downpours - there was the England I remembered. Since the route for today was a little longer, with hills in the mix, off-road sections, and potentially some bike n' hiking, we had no option but to head out into the rain.

Before tackling the weather on bicycle though, we needed some fuel, a breakfast of champions was in order, well a breakfast for 3 thrifty cyclists anyway. The Golden Arches glowed like a beacon through the mist, and breakfast muffins and hot coffee hit the spot.

Light drizzle was still in the air when we got back to the B&B, the forecast was for gradual clearing as the day went on though, there was a glimmer of hope we'd see the sun. We were all thankful at this point that we decided to pack heavier duty rain jackets, and helmet covers!. So panniers all loaded up again, rain covers installed, and off we set into the rain towards Forest Way. Forest way was the first of 2 rail trails we would travel along on Day 2; we were thankful for the tree lined trail providing some shelter from the rain, and for the only traffic being trail runners.

Forest Way ended after 10 miles at Groombridge. The route between here and the Cuckoo trail would take us over Dale and Vale on quiet country roads, and the odd interesting "Bridleway"  - which barely were suitable for horses let alone bikes, in fact with the rain a boat may of been more suitable along one section.

Steam railway at Eridge station

NCN route 21 - hmmm

Misty and damp on top of the hills

The further south we headed the drier the weather got, the storm had passed over!. The Cuckoo trail began in the town of Heathfield, and was at about 24 miles into our Day 2 ride. The Cuckoo trail is a beautiful rail trail, and one of the most popular trails in Southeast England. For us, it was a much welcomed break from all the rolling hills.

Artwork along the old rail bridges of the Cuckoo Trail

Beautiful lush woodland scenery along the Cuckoo Trail

The Avenue Verte route stays on the Cuckoo trail for about 10 miles, we longed for more of that trail when we reached the split between NCN 21 and NCN 2, especially as we feared more hills were between us and the coast. There was a nice surprise though at mile 38, the Arlington Tea Rooms greeted us like a big warm cozy duvet. We sipped on a much needed pot of tea and a devoured a cream tea (Scone with jam and cream). The sun even began to peak out, we all of a sudden had a surge of new energy.

Arlington Tea Gardens

The portion of the route from Arlington to the coast was glorious, the route stayed on quiet roads following NCN 2. The views of the South Downs were a little intimidating from a distance, but much to our pleasure NCN 2 followed the river valley through the Downs, and saved us from anymore big climbs.

Wonderful old Pack Horse bridge

Reaching the coast was our first major milestone of this adventure, the glimpse of the English Channel appeared at around mile 45 by the Seven Sisters Country Park. We crossed over the Cuckmere river, then the official route proceeded to take another off-road excursion, this time through a grass sheep field. By this point we were starting to wonder, if the route had been conceived one late night in a pub, under the influence of many adult beverages. After climbing slowly up the grassy field, we were once again back on a road, the official route took a right turn towards Seaford and Newhaven, but in front of us lay a big steep hill (only a mile detour). With new found enthusiasm again, we decided to tackle the hill on the off chance the view from the top would be worth it. Well the view from the top was more than worth it, and possibly THE standout moment of the whole trip. The view to the Seven Sisters Cliffs was unbelievable, and the sun appeared right then and there as if it was waiting for "us" to reach the coastline.

Seven Sisters

We made it to the coast

After the fun and fast descent down the hill we had taken a detour up, we were back on the official route and hugging the coast on a great separated bike lane through Seaford and then onto Newhaven, our departure point from England.

We arrived in Newhaven with a few hours to spare, so familiarized ourselves with the ferry terminal, then went on the hunt for dinner. Finding dinner in Newhaven is no easy task, about the only choices are one Italian restaurant, a Kebab shop, Pub or a Sainsbury's Petrol station. John aka The Kebab kid, opted for you guessed it, a Kebab, and soon became the envy of all the other cyclists awaiting departure. 

The Kebab Kid

Pete and myself opted for the safe bet, a Sainsbury's sandwich, after all kebabs and sharing a VERY small cabin do not always work out well. 

Checking in for the Ferry was super easy, and boarding was equally painless; you ride on, strap your bike up, and C'est Tout. Awaiting the crossing with us were a group of friendly cyclists riding for an MS charity, and a solo cyclist "Mike" riding from the UK to Croatia, check out his own Blog.

We had booked a cabin on the Ferry, thinking we'd get at least 4 hours sleep between Newhaven and Dieppe, that calculation was off by a country mile. We slogged down a Cider waiting for the ferry to depart port, then turned in for the night. My guess is we got 1.5-2 hrs sleep, before being unsuspectingly awoken by techno dance music being piped through the speakers - abruptly followed by a banging on the cabin door by a member of the crew, who we had named "Hong Kong Phooey".

Day 3 arrived VERY quickly. Link to DAY 3

Avenue Verte - Day 1 (May Day Mayhem)

Day 1: London to East Grinstead (May 2nd, 2015)
40 miles +/-, 2000' of Elev. Gain (Click for map info)

Our journey began in earnest on the morning of May 2nd in rural Oxfordshire, under grey skies, with the ever increasing threat of rain approaching. Our panniers packed to the brim the night before, saddle and pedals in a carrier bag, and excitement in no short supply. At this stage of the journey we were just 2 strong, a native Brit from Oxfordshire (myself), and a native Floridian (Pete) - both now residents of Colorado, USA. 

We arrived at Haddenham & Thame Parkway station in plenty of time to board the 8.30am to London. To our surprise we were not the only cyclists setting off from here that morning, a large group were gathering in preparation for a charity ride to Ireland over the Bank Holiday weekend, which quickly made our trip sound easy. The train arrived on time, and to our surprise there were free seats, we were quickly London bound - the "Inseine Chain Gang" adventure was finally officially underway.

Haddenham & Thame Pkwy

Our destination in London was "On Your Bike" at London Bridge, next to Borough Market. Pete and myself had opted to rent 2 Hybrid bikes for the tour (£60/week), the 3rd member of our party (John aka the "Kebab Kid") was meeting us at the bike store on his own bike. We had a little wait until the bike store opened, so wandered around Borough market, the smell of the street food really lures you in, and it was hard to even make it further than the market on Day 1. 

On Your Bike bike shop

On Your Bike is a great little bike shop, tucked right under the arches by Southwark Cathedral. The guys promptly set us up with hybrid bikes, brand new ones no less, loaded the panniers, saddle and pedals, and spare tubes were purchased (which amazingly were never needed!).

Our first stop was not far from the bike store, but the fact it was the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, and a very popular area, meant our journey started off by pushing the bikes. The Thameside Inn was our "unofficial" starting point; what better way to toast the start of the adventure than with a pint of London Bitter and some Fish n' Chips. We had locked all our bikes to the railings of the Thames side walkway, but upon exiting the pub came our first (and really the only) slight scare. The Kebab Kid had mis-placed his keys for his lock, after much searching they miraculously appeared in his pocket; we all secretly suspected the person dressed as a Pirate next to the Golden Hind boat, had cursed the keys or something.

View over the City of London from the Thameside Inn

So 2 pints later, and full of food, we officially got under way. I had loaded maps for each days route onto an older GPS etrex, which I quickly realized would only navigate properly if the routes had a maximum of 50 waypoints (not the 250 I had used to create them - a word of warning there!). After what appeared an eternity waiting for a satellite lock, and some swearing at the non-navigational maps, we were on route to the London Eye. Our first taste of London cycling was not as bad as we had suspected by long shot (well except for Pete having to very quickly adjust to riding on the left).

At the London Eye

We arrived at the London Eye in no time, and the "official" start of the Avenue Verte trail, a quick souvenir snap courtesy of a tourist and we were off again. The route starts off by crossing the Thames twice, and includes a peculiar cycle lane in the middle of a roundabout, where a young lady was getting very frustrated by us not paying attention to the hard to see cycle crossing lights. Note: The signage through this first section is a little lacking, well frankly actually almost non-existent (look for Sustrans National Cycle network (route 20) signs, NOT Avenue Verte signage). We were heading into South London pretty quickly though, and soon onto the Wandle trail. The Wandle trail provides a nice off-road route though Greater London, and often you could mistake it for being in rural England. The May Day Bank Holiday weekend meant half of the UK was on this trail, or at least so it seemed, and a 10 mph average would of been a dream pace, but this kind of average speed we would not gain until well clear of the M25 corridor.

Along the Wandle Trail

Cycling through the London burbs had plenty of unexpected surprises: streams, open spaces, parks, cafes, historic churches and even hills steep enough to make you want to cuss. It was nice though to finally reach the English countryside, and south of the M25 we had decided to deviate from the official AV route, following NCN route 21 east then rural roads south through the villages of Bletchingley and Outwood (Great windmill here).

On top of Farthing Downs - quite a climb

Outwood Windmill

We rejoined the official route again just west of East Grinstead on the Worth Way. Our overnight stop on day 1 was at Cranston House B&B in East Grinstead, easy to find if you know your way around East Grisntead, not so easy if you forget to print out directions or load it onto the GPS - thank goodness for smart phones and Google maps!!. The B&B is in a great location, walking distance to town, and even has a lockable bike shed.

Curry was on the menu for night one, washed down with lashings of Tiger beer - we were pretty happy to have made it though our first day without incident, and to have had a dry day, albeit a cloudy one.

Link to DAY 2

Avenue Verte - The Buildup

This is a "classic" in the making, 2 Brits and a Yank cycle from London to Paris - what possibly can go wrong. 

The idea for this adventure came about in 2014, after seeing "Avenue Vert" (AV) advertised on the UK Sustrans website. The Avenue Vert is a route that was created to open in time for the London 2012 Olympics. The route is a joint Anglo-French creation, that follows the UK's cycle network, and rail trails through Normandy in France. The route is approximately 250 miles, with a few variations and additional detours here and there.

Planning (aka an excuse for a pint or 2)

Planning began in earnest in January 2015, and logistics was the main item to nail down. The route requires crossing the English Channel (La Manche) between Newhaven and Dieppe (via an overnight ferry), and requires travelling back to London on Eurostar. These 2 bookings are what primarily governed our itinerary. 

All 3 of us cycle most days of the week, so are pretty comfortable on roads in traffic, and capable of travelling at a good pace (race pace more often than not). For this adventure however, we decided we'd mainly follow the published AV route and take our time a little more. We built in a good buffer each day to visit the local sights - you know, pubs, cafes, kebab vans, ok perhaps the odd Chateaux too. 

Having nailed down the timing for the entire trip, we then worked on the route/mileage for each day, and the accommodation. Now when there are 3 guys travelling together, finding accommodation at B&B's is not as easy as it sounds - well unless you don't mind very close sleeping quarters, and you stay away from the Curry houses and Kebab vans. The best options we found were booking one single room + one twin room (2 single beds), then splitting the entire cost into 3. We found 2 great B&B's, L'Abbaye at Saint-Germer-de-Fly and La Ferme Rose at Boisemont.

The Route (aka le Plan)

We raise a glass of England's finest Bitter at the London Eye, and toast a glass of French wine at Notre Dame.

Day 1: London to East Grinstead 39 miles

Day 2: East Grinstead to Newhaven 52 miles

Day 3: Dieppe to Saint-Germer-de-Fly 58 miles

Day 4: Saint-Germer-de-Fly to Boisemont 54 miles

Day 5: Boisemont to Paris 35 miles

Chilling in the Chilterns

The weather in the UK is unpredictable at the best of times, so I did not have high hopes during my Christmas visit of getting in much quality cycling. But, the day I arrived the skies were blue, the Sun was out, and the roads were calling my name. Little did I know, that these "perfect" conditions were going to test my skills within hours of stepping foot in blighty. The clear skies and winter sun in the UK do not warm the roads as fast as in Colorado (my current home base), and I soon found myself doing a synchronized ice dance on the bike ascending a hill covered in black ice.

Fortunately, the ice dancing was a one off party trick. The crisp frosty winter air soon gave way to milder breezier weather, which in turn means the roads stay damp in the daytime, and trails become stickier and muddier. However, after Day 1's Ice dancing the next ride I decided to do was off-road (Phoenix trail aka National Route 57). Now, my last UK off-road riding was probably back in the 1990's, I had forgotten what a messy affair it can be, no piece of clothing came away unscathed!. Never before has my cycling clothing seen the inside of a washing machine this frequently :).

Fortunately the rest of my on road riding experience was a safer and much less messier affair, just a wipe down of the bike after each ride was all that was needed. The beautiful Oxfordshire scenery really stood tall and proud when the sun shone, and observing it at the pace of a bicycle really made you appreciate it even more. The view in this image is from Brill Windmill, built in the 1680's, and restored in the 2000's. The views from here extend to Oxford and beyond.

The Chiltern hills are a chalk escarpment that lie to the southeast of Thame, the town I grew up in, and where I base myself when in the UK. The hills are designated as "An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty", and are a cyclists dream. The Tour of Britain even passed through the "Chilterns" during 2014, and they throw plenty of challenges at the amateur and pro cyclists alike. One loop I like to ride takes in Kingston Hill, this averages 11% for a 0.5 mile stretch, and really warms you up on a cold winters day!. I typically follow tried and tested routes when I cycle in the Chilterns, these routes follow national cycle ways, quiet roads, and pass through quaint little villages.

Sustrans is the main UK charity responsible for promoting alternative travel, and the force behind the National Cycle Network. The National Cycle Network covers 14,200 miles through the UK, and follows safe on and off road routes via route numbers (The Phoenix trail is part of Route 57, as seen in this photo). Sustrans website has an extensive shop that sells mapping and books to guide you across the UK via their routing, I have found the routes well marked and well planned. Their website can be viewed by clicking HERE. 

Friends Life Tour of Britain 2014

The 2014 Friends life Tour of Britain took place between September 8th and September 14th. 2014 was the biggest year yet since the tour was re-instated in 2004, 20+ teams participated, including big names such as Cavendish, Wiggins and Kittel. The offical website can be viewed HERE.

The race images below are from the final day (Stage 8) in London Click any image to view Lightbox.