Cycling UK Forum

Just a quick question, but it will help with planning my holiday. Is there still a ferry over the Thames from Gravesend? If there is does anyone know if I can take a bike and trailer on it? If not does anyone know of an alternative route between Kent and Essex which avoids central London? (I don't think I can cycle over the Darford crossing can I?)

Thanks

John

Yes you can and according to their website http://www.dartfordrivercrossing.co.uk/drc/tollf.htm it's free for pedal cycles.

Give them a bell on http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/travel/trans ... y_services

Thanks for info, I'll phone the ferry company next week. I'm amazed that you can cycle over the Dartford Crossing, I've only crossed in a car and I've never noticed any provision for cyclists. Does anyone have any expirience of / advice for cycling through the tunnel? Or even a safe route to/from the crossing? I have only ever used the M25!

JohnChell wrote: I'm amazed that you can cycle over the Dartford Crossing, I've only crossed in a car and I've never noticed any provision for cyclists. Does anyone have any expirience of / advice for cycling through the tunnel? Or even a safe route to/from the crossing? I have only ever used the M25!

That would be exciting wouldn't it, not sure I'd give it a go though. But you don't have the option, you get taken over (or through) in either a minibus or Land Rover with trailer, details here;
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4075.aspx

It's a few years since I've used it, the ride to and from weren't bad, tarmac cycle path if I recall.

I've also used the Gravesend ferry which is good, or the Woolwich ferry which is also good but with busy roads on the north side.

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Thank you Ph and Gaz

I expect to be heading North with a friend of mine from the Chatham area. The plan is to start from Chatham and and head into East Anglia, apart from the general idea of a couple of weeks cycling into Essex, Cambridgeshire, or suffolk we've not made detailed plans, the first obsticle was the Thames!. I'm lucky enough to get a longer holiday, so whilst he returns to Chatham by train I will be joined by my girlfriend (who will arrive by train at Stansted) and we will make our way back to the midlands over the next week or so. A very vague plan at the moment intended for the summer. but since my friend has to book time off work I've begun looking at the route and going through the camping club book.

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Some time ago the CTC used to give out a handbook with membership and annual updates. One of the most fascinating parts was a list of ferry crossings on our rivers. Getting some geezer out the pub to transfer you from one side to the other was a hoot.

I still have a CTC Cyclists Welcome Handbook 2003 and a mine of information. I can't understand why CTC stopped the handbook, I thought this was part of the annual fee. Cost-cutting I suppose.

A friend drives to his parent's house a few miles from the southern side of the ferry and takes his bike across and cycles the last few miles to his work. Then reverses it in the evenings. he does this every day and has done so for a while. So obviously yes, you can get across on the ferry. As for the Dartford crossing, I have heard that you don't have to wait too long for the lift to the other side. It seems reasonably quick.

Ah, the demise of the Handbook. A sad moment but what has replaced it is intended to be better - albeit not so for those without the internet. Taking the accommodation list as an example, with Cyclists Welcome, we can add new B&Bs etc to this at any time of the year instead of having to wait until the next near to do this. IMHO that's an improvement!

As far as river crossings are concerned, have a look at information sheet INF42.

M