London to Dover - friday p.m. - what to do ??

[indy]

You disembark your train at Kings Cross London 3pm on a Friday in October headed for France do you -

1) Spend the night in London for an early Saturday morning cycle to Dover?

2) Push on towards Dover with a night stopover about half way?

3) Hammer it to Dover with a kip on the ferry and an early first night in France?

All 3 have there plus and minus points so was wondering what most people do.
Thanks

[pq]

I head over to St Pancras and take the Eurostar. Battling from Kings X to Dover when I could be riding in France doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.

[heist182]

I'm with pq, the ride to Dover is uninspiring and you may well consider it a complete waste of your valuable time off. But if your budget won't stretch to Eurostar then I'd really recommend that you get a train out beyond the M25 before getting on the bike - to Royal Tunbridge Wells or somewhere. The ride from KingsX to CharingX will take you past many of the sights if you're interested in seeing them.

I rode from London to Dover last year because I was on a budget and it was crap, I spent the whole time wanting to be in France.

My ramblings from last summer are here - http://www.cycling-east.com/blog/traini ... th-france/ - the Ardennes and central Brittany were highlights for me.

[garybaldy]

You might have problems getting on South Eastern trains heading into Kent late afternoon as they will be crammed with commuters and there may be restrictions for boarding with a full size bike.

[heist182]

Should be ok before 4pm.

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/yo ... le-policy/

[MartinBrice]

Ride to london bridge station, about 20 mins and needs attention but roads are quiet, buy a ticket to dover, get on a train before 4pm and you will be fine, no problem, go to dover arrive 5.20pm and ride to the port, about 10 minutes and easy to follow albeit on busy roads but there is a cycle route by the side of the road. Get on the boat about 7pm and go to france. By now it is about 9.30 french time and you are in calais, ride to the excellent campsite at guines, allow an hour at most, you need to know the route, which follows the canal for a bit. A glance at google maps will show what i mean. In summer it is still light,just. You can put up your tent on the grass by the reception aea, use the excellent loos, etc, and pay in the morning. The notice at reception says so. Now you are in france, on a good campsite. Not riding across southeast england.

[nirakaro]

Alternatively, hammer it to Newhaven, which is a shorter and pleasanter ride, with a nice campsite at the end. Get an excellent fried breakfast at the ferry terminal before the 10am sailing, and be in an arguably nicer (at risk of upsetting the Ch'tis) part of France by mid-afternoon.

[robgul]

... St Pancras on HS Train to Folkestone - stay overnight - take the early (about 0830?) Eurotunnel Bike Service through the tunnel.

Rob