Cycle Ride #1

Chatham to Sheppey loop

An aerial satellite map view showing a cycling route marked with colored lines blue, red, and purple sections that traces a path through the Medway estuary area near Chatham, passing through various locations including Upchurch, Lower Halstow, and extending toward the Isle of Sheppey, with the route clearly marked against the green landscape, waterways, and urban areas.
Chatham to Sheppey

Riding a bicycle is one of my favourite things to do. Ever since I was a young boy there has not been many occasions when I’ve not owned a bike. Just recently I’ve bought a new second hand bike.

A black touring bicycle leaning against a wooden fence gate with a warning sign about keeping to footpaths and nesting birds, set in a rural countryside location with rolling hills in the background.
monaxle : tricross sport

It’s fantastic. The best bike I’ve ever had. I’ve been out on it as much as I can get away with. Seemed worthwhile to post about some of the rides so here’s the first in the series to come. From home in Chatham to the Sheppey Crossing following the Saxon Shore Way on the outward leg as far as it is possible to do so.

In all about 34 miles. For most of the way it’s possible to stay close to the Medway Estuary and the River Swale. I set off quite late in the afternoon and by the time I was closing in on Sheppey dusk was setting in. The light was beautiful. As I made my way across farmland to the Swale rabbits were running about all over stretching their legs after a days slumber. The water was mirror calm which was in stark contrast to when I paddled up and down it in a canoe during in the summer.

Here’s a few pictures I got along the way.

A wide estuarine landscape showing tidal flats and saltmarsh areas with patches of golden-brown vegetation in the foreground, expanses of water, and what appears to be an industrial facility with a tall chimney or tower visible in the distance across the water under a cloudy sky.
A harbor scene at dusk with numerous small boats and yachts moored in calm water, featuring a cloudy sky with warm evening light and grassy salt marshes in the foreground.
A serene waterscape showing a blue and red boat moored near a long wooden pier or bridge, with perfect mirror reflections of both the vessel and cloudy sky in the still water.
A dramatic sunset landscape showing a winding waterway reflecting cloudy skies, with an electrical transmission tower silhouetted against the golden and blue evening sky.
A modern concrete bridge with multiple cylindrical support pillars crossing over calm water, creating perfect reflections of the structure and overcast sky in the still water below. The bridge appears to curve slightly and has a person visible on a small platform or dock near the water's edge.

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