Cantii Way

[Nearholmer]

I came upon one in the middle of nowhere the other day where the vandals were woodlice. The post had rotted through and been eaten away at the base, and was lying on its back in a bramble bush, pointing to a bridleway and cycle path somewhere up in the sky.

Hats off to the volunteers who work hard to provide signage, but I still get lost without a map!

[Jdsk]

The route revealed:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/cantii-way

Jonathan

[voyager670]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?
it says hybrid and Touring ?

please forgive the ignorance but is a touring bike just sticking chunky tires and some bag brackets on a road bike ?

[Sweep]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?
it says hybrid and Touring ?

please forgive the ignorance but is a touring bike just sticking chunky tires and some bag brackets on a road bike ?

gears would often be different (ie more low gears) on a hybrid or tourer. Handy on wonky surfaces.

[Jdsk]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?
it says hybrid and Touring ?

please forgive the ignorance but is a touring bike just sticking chunky tires and some bag brackets on a road bike ?

gears would often be different (ie more low gears) on a hybrid or tourer. Handy on wonky surfaces.

Plus a frame designed for luggage and mudguards and generally more robust, bigger clearances, stronger wheels, a more relaxed position...

Jonathan

[Sweep]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?
it says hybrid and Touring ?

please forgive the ignorance but is a touring bike just sticking chunky tires and some bag brackets on a road bike ?

gears would often be different (ie more low gears) on a hybrid or tourer. Handy on wonky surfaces.

Plus a frame designed for luggage and mudguards and generally more robust, bigger clearances, stronger wheels, a more relaxed position...

Jonathan

+1

[PH]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?

Depends on the bike. Road bikes come in a variety of flavours, I'd guess that the lightest race ready road bike would be unsuitable, but that the majority would be fine with the most appropriate tyres you can fit. That's not to say that the recommended ideal of a hybrid or touring bike wouldn't be better, just that from looking at the route I doubt it's essential.

[Jdsk]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?

...
Road bikes come in a variety of flavours, I'd guess that the lightest race ready road bike would be unsuitable, but that the majority would be fine with the most appropriate tyres you can fit.
...

Me too.

Jonathan

[mjr]

"Not signposted" so not a real route, then. Just another sat nav download, secret from most people using bits of it. A missed opportunity to advertise cycle touring to residents and visitors who cross the route. Disappointing.

Also, has anyone the proper stats? How much paved? How much gravel? How much dirt? Grass? Climbing? Max and average gradients?

[Jdsk]

Max and average gradients?

The ascents and elevation profiles for each section are in the guide:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/cantii-way-map-and-gpx

Jonathan

[Bsteel]

Long write up here.
https://www.pannier.cc/journal/kent-dow ... antii-way/

"With the majority of the route sealed and tarmac roads, lanes and tracks – you could ride the Cantii Way on a road bike with decent-sized tyres (/a ‘hybrid’). That said, there are a couple of short chunky sections (King’s Wood springs to mind) which you’d likely be walking if you’re not too confident off-road, anyway (nothing wrong with that!) so it is advisable to stick to the fast-rolling sealed, rather than off-road mountain bike end of the spectrum when it comes to the right bike. Of course, you could ride the whole route on a mountain bike. But, the best bike would definitely be a hybrid or a gravel bike with 35-45c tyres."

[Norman H]

is this route suitable for a road bike ?
it says hybrid and Touring ?

please forgive the ignorance but is a touring bike just sticking chunky tires and some bag brackets on a road bike ?

I just had a quick look at the route and it's very similar to the route that I described in an earlier post and which I did on 28mm tyres. For the most part there are easy tarmac alternatives to any challenging off road sections. The major obstacle that I can see would be the section of the North Downs Way through King's Wood that's mentioned in Bsteel's post above. The obvious tarmac alternative is to use route 18* between Wye and Shalmsford Street, via Sole Street.

* There's also an off road option on Route18 that's mentioned in this thread. It uses a section of The Pilgrim's Way.

[PH]

Long write up here.
https://www.pannier.cc/journal/kent-dow ... antii-way/

Thanks for posting that, the route was already on my wish list but that has moved it up a place or two.

[Jdsk]

From another thread:

Re camping on The Cantii Way. Our 2019 tour of Kent broadly followed the route and we used the following camp sites:

Norwood Farm at Newchurch on Romney Marsh. A smallish site with good facilities at £7 per night (Backpackers rate)

Hawthorne Farm at Martin Mill. This site is a couple of miles inland from route 1, between Dover and Deal, and is more upmarket but with a separate field area for tents. Excellent facilities with on site shop and cafe but quite expensive from what I remember.

Sea View Caravan and Camping at Whitstable. Does exactly what it says on the tin as its just the other side of the sea wall cycle path. Very much a holiday camp atmosphere with large clubhouse, restaurant and outdoor heated swimming pool. Not the most rural location but excellent facilities and we were only charged £5 per person per night as both tents fitted on a single large pitch.

In the past I've also used Gate Lodge Campsite near St Michaels. This site is only about ½ kilometre from route 18 near St Michaels. Very pleasant camp site with OK facilities. Its always been quiet when I've visited but the showers could prove inadequate if it ever got busy.

Jonathan

[Madeleine]

Does anyone know how to download the Issu route booklet or get a PDF of it or something? It's not really viewable on our Android phones, (too small/difficult to move and zoom) but looks useful!