St Mary Cray (possible Petts Wood Variation)

32 miles, one bastard hill (and 2 vaguely illegitimate hills) and some of the finest scenery north west Kent has to offer (with the exception of St Mary Cray itself).

Train from Victoria at 19.12 arr St Mary Cray 19.41
Or Blackfriars at 19.05 arriving 19.34

Return trains at 22.22, 22.52, 23.09, 23.15, 23.45, 23.50, last at 23.57
*to Blackfriars

Or...

The Petts Wood variation, featuring a 'spoons by the station (other pubs are also available)...

Trains at 22.27vc, 22.44cs, 22.53cx, 22.57vc, 23.06bf, 23.23cx, 23.27vc, 23.53cx, last 23.57vc
vc-Victoria, cs-Cannon St, cx-Charing Cross, bf-Blackfriars

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4350449

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2)
Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2)

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3)

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3) seager

In. Is there a forum accepted route for the ride out?

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3) seager
4) cagimaha
5)

I'm TBC this week but if I don't make it have a good one!

Not that I know of but you can link up the following quite nicely to get to St Mary Cray from central:
Q1
Ravensbourne River
Waterlink Way
Beckenham Place Park
Slightly shit time around Bromley
Jubilee Country Park

Not the quickest way there, but pretty chill and away from busy roads on the whole.

Are you going to the dodgy as fuck descent into Knatts Valley variation, that we did last year?

Possibly.

Really want to come. I'm a solid maybe. Knatts Valley was my favorite bit of last year; Exedown possibly my least. Only ascent I had to employ the gradient reducing uphill tacking approach.

This was the valley.

Nice, will tag along at the end of Q1 where it crosses Deptford Creek.

@scrabble. The route is easy to bisect, skipping Exedown. If you can stand the ribbing.

Turn left into Pilgrim's way. Then climb Old Terry's Lodge Road. It's a nice steady climb.

Then sit on the roadside and wait for the group to come round.

Or, do the whole route but bail into Pilgrim's and do Old Terry's Lodge instead of Exedown. This might be a bit slower though...

Exedown is nearly the best bit!

Meh, Exedown is a relatively short walk.

Joking aside I've always liked the climb. It is a proper test but still doable. Has the nice hairpin into the big ramp and another turn as it eases. Like Leith from the steep side, it's as tuff a test as is reasonable fixed.

Yeah, I was only joshing. Worst bit as in hardest bit of the whole season of rides. Hills are always a love hate relationship right?.
My attendance is looking more likely. I'll be on the train tho so will have zero excuses for walking up.

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2) Scrabble (hopefully)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3) seager
4) cagimaha
5)

I'm in!

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2) Scrabble (hopefully)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3) seager
4) cagimaha
5) YAL

Love that pic ^
And these rides, closest to solstice

Train out:

1) middleofnowhere
2) Scrabble (hopefully)

Ride out:

1) rod_munch
2) jaeyukdapbap
3) seager
4) cagimaha
5) YAL
6) ruserius

Does the Knatts Valleys variation go Knock Mill Lane > St Clere Hill > Tinkerpot Lane* then Knatts Valley?

*truly great name for a lane

Last time we did it, we didn't turn left onto Tinkerpot Lane but took the right and then immediate left onto Knatts lane.

The dodginess is the descent of Knatts Lane which is hella steep and pot holed. It was also dark when we did it.

In the light, tonight, it should be better.

Yes, this is the revised route...

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27774746

If Knatts lane is bad, we could try Tinker pot instead, it would add maybe .5 of a mile? Also more Knatts Valley!

Any idea of a rough estimate for when you'll get to the bridge over Deptford Creek on Q1 on the rideout?

I'm not sure Tinkerpot Lane would be much of an improvement. Any of the roads into Knatt's Valley will be steep and dark. It was the tree cover that made the descent dark last time, as you can see from the photo it was still pretty light once out in the open.

Yeah, think we just need to spread out and take it easy down there. It wasn't​ that bad. Just don't want to be two abreast with someone else on your wheel.