Old Dogs do the Cantii Way, a circular bikepacking or touring route around East Kent, created by @CyclingUK. We split three days or riding over four; riding in September 2023 during an unseasonable heatwave, with daily temperatures nudging 30 degrees. The route is fairly flat so suitable for riders of all abilities, though bad weather on the coast and battling a prevailing headwind could make a slog. We took the longer option after Reculver, taking in Margate and Ramsgate; well worth doing. Assuming you do the route clockwise from Wye, the route across the first golf course is fine, the route across the second is definitely one to avoid, it’s mostly unrideable sand.
Thoroughly recommend the Cantii Way, well done @CyclingUK and my trusty @LaufCycles Seigla
0:00 Intro
0:30 Day 1 pm, Wye to Whitstable
1:00 Day 2, Whitstable to St Margaret’s at Cliffe
5:54 Day 3, St Margaret’s at Cliffe to Rye Harbour
11:08 Day 4 am, Rye Harbour to Wye
The Cantii way is a cycling loop around East Kent, put together by Cycling UK There are a couple of options, our route was 240 kilometres,  about 150 miles, with fourteen hundred metres of climbing; so fairly flat We split three days of riding over four, beginning in Wye, Â
Heading north though woodland then via Canterbury to Whitstable along the Crab and Winkle way Whitstable was glorious in the evening sunshine, with fish and chips on the beach. Day two dawned sunny and still;  a quick breakfast and we set off round the North Kent coast for a 75k’s of fun.
Herne Bay was as flat as a millpond and the riding and conversation were easy We took the longer route option and followed the coast to the northwest, needing to dismount  for a few short sections, taking in the sights and colours of beach-hut life. Arriving in Margate, the location for Empire of Light, Â
No time to stop at the Turner Contemporary today Then around the corner, and starting our journey south;  blessed with no real headwind, and lots of sun block required. Lunch in Broadstairs, somewhere worth visiting again Then to Sandwich via Ramsgate, taking advantage of an airconditioned Starbucks along the way
Getting though Deal was simple, then to our second-night stop at St Margaret’s at Cliffe. A super Airbnb with outside shower, and good food at the Coast Guard,  down in the bay. Watch out for the near-vertical climb back up afterwards.
Day three was another scorcher, and with 90km to achieve in the heat we set off early Dover was calm; the castle looking magnificent. Quickly through the town, sustenance at Greggs,  followed by one of the few real climbs back up on to the headland
Terrific views, and cycling past W2 relics, skirting around Folkestone and the channel  tunnel infrastructure, then back onto the seafront from Seabrook to Hythe Now heading inland along the Royal Military Canal, we could see some of the wildlife ay Port Lyphne Following the Martello towers from Dymchurch, along the front past St Â
Mary’s Bay and Lydd on Sea; Mile after mile of sand and beachgoers having a fine time. Lunch at The Pilot at Lydd, then onto Dungeness, apparently Britain’s only desert,  and location of Prospect Cottage which was home to artist and film maker, Derek Jarman Past the nuclear park and around the nature reserve,
Then the trail down to Jury’s Gap and Camber Sands, at which point  we dropped the bikes and ran into the cool sea, cycling kit and all. One last push to the outskirts of Rye,  and finished the day next to the nature reserve at Rye Harbour
We elected for the short 47k route on the final morning, Back into Rye, then following the flat military road to Appledore  and breakfast on the village hall steps Small roads, then back into the woods at Shadoxhurst And a whiz around the cycle route around Ashford Finally the Wye Memoral Crown Â
Appeared on the hillside And we headed back in Wye, where the ride began. Four days of intense sunshine, four days of great riding though Kent, and four old  friends with another adventure complete. would we do it all again? You bet.