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STAGE 1

Tower of London to Rochester

Start	Tower of London (18m)
Finish	Rochester bridge (4m)
Distance	50km (31 miles)
Ascent	207m
Waymarking	CS4 Southwark–Woolwich (under construction), LCN18 Woolwich–Barnes Cray, NCN1 Barnes Cray–Ebbsfleet, NCN177 Ebbsfleet–Strood

This stage starts with a level ride through suburban south-east London, mostly on cycle lanes beside minor roads but with some busier sections. After Dartford, it follows cycle tracks beside the old Roman Watling Street (now a busy motorway), climbing over two small outliers of the North Downs before descending to cross the Medway into Rochester. If you want to avoid cycling in London, Southeastern trains have frequent services from Charing Cross and London Bridge stations to Dartford.

The classic route starts from the Tower of London

THE TOWER OF LONDON

When it was built in 1078, the Tower of London was seen by the Anglo-Saxon English as a hated symbol of Norman oppression following William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. However, over the centuries it became a cherished symbol at the heart of London, Britain and the British Empire. It is said that if the ravens that live there should ever leave, the kingdom will fall. The tower has been used as a fortress, royal palace, armoury, treasury, the home of the royal mint and is nowadays a museum holding important national collections including the British crown jewels. For over eight centuries (1100–1952) it also housed a prison, mostly for prisoners who had fallen foul of the monarch including the uncrowned king Edward V (imprisoned by his uncle Richard III who took the crown for himself), Anne Boleyn (second wife of Henry VIII) and Sir Walter Raleigh. The heart of the complex is the White Tower, the oldest and best-preserved Norman stone keep in Britain. This is surrounded by other buildings, two sets of encircling walls and a moat, which is nowadays dry. A poignant use of the moat in 2016 saw it filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies in commemoration of British and empire combatants killed during the First World War.

From Tower Hill on N side of Tower of London follow Tower Bridge Approach S and cross Thames on Tower bridge. Turn L (Queen Elizabeth St) and R at end (The Shad) to reach T-junction. Cycle Superhighway CS4 will be joined here. Turn L (Jamaica Rd, A200), using bus lane, to Rotherhithe roundabout. Turn R (third exit, Lower Rd, sp Greenwich) past Surrey Quays shopping centre L (3.5km, 3m) and continue on Evelyn St to Deptford. Go ahead (Creek Rd) over Deptford Creek to reach T-junction in Greenwich (7km, 6m) (accommodation, refreshments, tourist office, cycle shop, station).

Greenwich (pronounced Gren-itch), which has a long maritime history, is synonymous with the zero meridian which passes close to the Royal observatory in Greenwich park. The former naval hospital designed by Christopher Wren, which became the Royal Naval college from 1873–1998, now houses the university of Greenwich; while the old naval asylum has been the National Maritime museum since 1934. The tea clipper Cutty Sark, preserved in a dry dock beside the Thames, was built in 1869 for the tea trade from China. This three-masted sailing ship held the record for the journey to Australia for 10 years before steam ships took over the route.

Turn L following one-way system and bear R (College Approach). To visit the Cutty Sark, continue ahead on Church Street. Turn R again (King William Walk) in front of entrance to old Royal Naval College then L at crossroads (Romney Rd, A206). Continue between old Royal Naval College L and National Maritime museum R (with Royal Observatory in Greenwich park rising behind) into Trafalgar Rd. Continue into Woolwich Rd then go ahead over roundabout beneath motorway and pass through Charlton (10km, 4m) (refreshments, cycle shop, station).

Go ahead over two roundabouts and at third, turn R (third exit, Woolwich High St, sp Woolwich ferry) to reach roundabout by ramp leading to Woolwich ferry L (12.5km, 6m) (accommodation, refreshments, cycle shop, station).

Go ahead past Waterfront leisure centre L and bear R at next roundabout (second exit, Beresford St). Pass modern development on site of former Woolwich Royal Arsenal L and continue on Plumstead Rd beside bus lane. Where road turns L, bear R across road and fork R on bus and cycle only lane past Plumstead bus garage L. Rejoin road and pass Plumstead station R (14km, 6m) (refreshments, station).

The Royal Artillery’s Firepower museum is in the former Woolwich Royal Arsenal

Turn first L (Heverham Rd) and at end turn R (Reidhaven Rd). Follow this bearing R and turn L at crossroads (Hartville Rd). Continue over crossroads to T-junction and turn L (Barth Rd) then follow this bearing R into Marmadon Rd. Road becomes Bracondale Rd and passes under road bridge, eventually becoming Abbey Grove. Where road ends, continue ahead on cycle track between houses 8–9. Turn L (Wilton Rd) and follow this bearing R past Abbey Wood station L (16.5km, 2m) (refreshments, station) and under road bridge.

Turn R (Florence Rd) then L at crossroads (Abbey Rd, B213) using cycle lane L. Pass Lesnes Abbey ruins R. Lesnes abbey (built 1178) was closed by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525 and was one of the first abbeys pulled down during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1534. Continue ahead into Gilbert Rd, becoming Picardy St and finally Lower Rd. Pass B&Q/Asda superstore L and fork L on cycle track dropping down to pass under roundabout in Belvedere (station). Rejoin main road, then pass over railway and road bridges and go ahead over two mini-roundabouts. Follow road bearing R into West St and go ahead over mini-roundabout into Erith (21.5km, 10m) (refreshments, station).

At next roundabout bear L (first exit, Erith High St) to reach T-junction. Go ahead on dual use pedestrian/cycle track passing under bridge linking two parts of shopping centre and continue to reach roundabout. Turn R (James Watt Way, fourth exit) then L at traffic lights onto dual carriageway Queens Rd (A206). Queens Road is a busy main road. Follow this over small roundabout then pass under railway to reach second (larger) roundabout. Turn L (first exit) and immediately after roundabout use staggered crossing to reach other side of main road. Turn L on cycle track R of road then fork R past third roundabout and continue ahead over small fourth roundabout to reach Barnes Cray roundabout (25km, 8m).

Follow cycle track anticlockwise around roundabout and continue beside Thames Rd (A206) under railway bridge. Bear R past next roundabout then follow cycle track crossing to L of road and turn R (Burnham Rd, A2026). Turn L (Lawson Rd) and bear R at end (Priory Rd). Emerge on main road (Victoria Rd) and turn L. Go ahead over mini-roundabout past gasholder L then use cycle track L to pass next roundabout, continuing into Mill Pond Rd past back of Dartford station R (27km, 4m) (accommodation, refreshments, cycle shop, station).

Cross bridge over river Darent and turn R at traffic lights (Overy St), passing under railway bridge. Bear L at end and go ahead L over traffic lights into road reserved for buses, using cycle track L. Follow this uphill then bear L on cycle track continuing uphill onto parallel road (Darenth Rd). Fork L beside Ivy Leaf pub (Brent Lane) continuing uphill. Where road bears R, continue ahead (still Brent Lane) and turn immediately L (Downs Ave). Turn R at T-junction (Park Rd, A296) on cycle track R. Pass Hesketh Park L and cross to other side at central reservation. Continue to roundabout and bear L. Pass under footbridge and continue beside main road (Princes Rd, A296). Follow cycle track bearing R under next roundabout, then turn L on bridge over M25 motorway and R to pass under opposite side of roundabout. Turn sharply L, then L again through barriers and pass car park of Dartford Bridge pub L. Emerge onto Hesketh Ave and continue ahead on Fleet Rd. Turn L between houses 73–75 then R at T-junction (Princes Rd), parallel with main road. Where this ends, turn sharply L through bollards and cross service road beside bus stop. Turn R and after 70 metres, turn L across main road using staggered crossing. Turn R alongside main road (Watling St, A296), then continue past next roundabout. Dogleg R and L across slip road and cycle past huge Bluewater shopping mall in quarry below L (32km, 45m).

Bluewater, the sixth largest shopping mall in Europe, is built to a triangular floor plan inside a former cement quarry. It opened in 1999 with 330 stores and 40 restaurants employing 7000 staff. Accessible only by road, it has parking for 13,000 vehicles.

Follow cycle track beside main road then fork L through gate. Pass under road bridge then bear L to cross slip road beside roundabout. Turn R to continue beside main road, ascending to pass junction with A2 dual carriageway then descending into Ebbsfleet valley. Bear L then zigzag down R to cross slip road for Ebbsfleet at staggered light controlled crossing (35.5km, 19m).

Turn L and follow road curving R past roundabout then cross second slip road at more traffic lights and continue on other side of road. Pass second roundabout R and follow slip road beside A2 as it ascends towards next junction. At top of hill turn immediately R across four staggered crossings over dual carriageway B262. Continue parallel with A2, soon bearing L through scrubland past Gravesend Cyclopark R (38.5km, 43m) (refreshments).

Gravesend Cyclopark has road and off-road cycle race tracks

Dogleg R and L across entry road to Cyclopark then continue ascending past petrol station L and fork L on cycle track winding through scrubland along route of old motorway. Cross slip road and emerge on main road with car park R. Turn R and immediately cross road at light controlled crossing then follow cycle track bearing L past roundabout to run parallel with motorway. Follow track away from motorway to cross side road and pass Inn on the Lake hotel L. At top of hill, bear L beside Brewers Rd and turn R (Park Pale) just before entrance to Shorne Woods country park L (43.5km, 111m).

Follow Park Pale descending to run beside motorway, then turn L (sp golf club) at first junction and follow road curving R over motorway bridge. Where road bears L under railway, fork R on cycle track and turn back under bridge. Continue beside slip road and follow this over motorway to reach roundabout. Continue beside Watling St on cycle track R, then after first turning R, cross road at reservation. Keep R at fork beside petrol station and continue downhill on tree-lined cycle track L, then pass under railway and follow High St through one-way system in centre of Strood (refreshments, station). Continue under second railway bridge and cross Rochester bridge over river Medway to reach Rochester (50km, 4m) (accommodation, refreshments, youth hostel (in Gillingham), tourist office, cycle shop, station).

ROCHESTER