North Downs Way Riders' Route

The North Downs Way Riders' Route is a linear route of around 270 km (about 169 miles) for mountain bikes and gravel bikes, running from Farnham in Surrey through the Surrey Hills and Kent Downs to Dover on the Kent coast. It was created so cyclists can ride the North Downs Way National Trail end to end, linking bridleways, byways and quiet roads to bypass the footpath-only sections that a bike cannot legally use. The official route is published in three sections, with the Surrey half leaning towards mountain bike terrain and the Kent half towards gravel, and the official rating is moderate to challenging. The route is followed from a GPX file and online map, so download the official GPX and use GPS navigation before you set off.

The Route

The route starts in Farnham and runs east through the Surrey Hills past Box Hill and Oxted, crosses Kent to Wye, then loops out through Canterbury to Dover and back. Cycling UK worked with the British Horse Society and the North Downs Way trail manager to propose the route in 2018, and the Kent Downs team, which looks after the North Downs Way, has since carried out enhancement works on some sections and worked with landowners to refine the line. The route is also open to horse riders.

Published lengths differ from source to source, from 153 miles (246 km) to 171 miles (276 km). The 153 mile figure is the length of the walking North Downs Way National Trail, which some pages quote for the Riders' Route as well. The three Riders' Route sections add up to about 271 km (168 miles) and the Kent Downs page gives 169 miles (272 km), so plan on roughly 270 km if you ride all three sections as published.

The official route is presented as a GPX file and an online map. The North Downs Way acorn signs mark the walking route, and the Riders' Route leaves that route wherever it would follow footpaths that cannot be ridden. Sources differ on how well the Riders' Route is signed, so do not rely on waymarks: make sure you have a GPS route before you set off. Download the official full GPX, or the GPX for each section, before you leave, and follow it on a GPS device or phone with the map saved for offline use. The official Riders' Route page has the GPX downloads and the online map showing accommodation, food and drink, points of interest and cycling facilities along the way. Cycling UK also hosts the route as a map and GPX download.

Terrain by Section

• Farnham to Oxted (about 78.6 km): The Surrey section, through the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Expect steep climbs and descents, holloways and narrow wooded tracks, with panoramic views from the top of Box Hill. The official page says it has a couple of steep climbs and challenging sections, and it can be taken at a leisurely pace by less experienced riders. From Merstham the route picks up the ancient Pilgrims Way to Oxted, then climbs gently onto high farmland past Whitehall Tower towards the Kent and Surrey border. Oxted has a railway station.
• Oxted to Wye (about 103 km): The route swaps the tarmac at Oxted for dirt tracks through West Kent woodland, passes Chartwell, and then merges with the Pilgrims' Way. After it crosses the River Medway, the terrain becomes much easier, with quiet going in the Garden of England. It finishes in Wye, which has a railway station, with an optional last climb to the Devil's Kneading Trough for the view.
• East Kent loop, Wye, Canterbury and Dover (about 89.5 km): A loop that starts and finishes at Wye. It climbs to Kings Wood, passes Godmersham and Chilham, and follows the traffic-free Pilgrim's Cycle Trail beside the Great Stour into Canterbury. From Canterbury it heads south-east along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route through farmland and orchards, then follows a Roman road into Dover. Leaving Dover it passes Samphire Hoe and follows the cliff tops past Chapel-le-Ferne, then turns inland along quiet roads, bridleways and byways back to the Wye Downs and down into Wye.
• Alternative Wye to Canterbury (about 16.8 km): An easier start to the East Kent loop that follows the valley floor of the River Stour on National Cycle Network route 18, on gentler slopes and a better surfaced trail, rejoining the main route near Chartham.
• Optional Rochester loop (about 14.7 km): A short excursion off the main route into Rochester, with an extension to Upnor Castle, using quiet back roads and National Cycle Network routes and rejoining the route before Blue Bell Hill.

The official page lists the surface as a mix of tarmac, dirt tracks, quiet roads, bridleways and byways and traffic-free cycle paths. Winter conditions can be muddy, according to the Kent Downs page.

Planning Your Days

The official page suggests two to three days for the route, while the Kent Downs page gives one to two days for strong riders, three to four days at a steady pace, and several weekends for an easy pace. The three official sections make natural stages:

• Farnham to Oxted: 78.6 km, with a railway station at each end.
• Oxted to Wye: 103 km, the longest section, with stations at Oxted and Wye.
• East Kent loop from Wye via Canterbury and Dover: 89.5 km. Riders who want to finish at Dover can take trains from Dover Priory to London, and those who complete the loop end back in Wye.

Each official section has its own GPX file, so you can load one day at a time. Cycling UK notes that the route can be ridden in one go as a bikepacking trip or as separate day rides, and the stations along the way make shorter rides straightforward.

Bike Choice and Gravel Riding

Cycling UK and the Kent Downs team both describe the route as suited to hardtail mountain bikes and gravel bikes. The Surrey half, with its steep climbs and descents, holloways and narrow wooded tracks, is best suited to a mountain bike. The gentler landscape of Kent, with quiet lanes and gravel tracks, suits a gravel bike well. Because the route mixes the two, a mountain bike is the safer all-round choice.

Resupply and Accommodation

The official page says country pubs are plentiful along the way, and it mentions places for refreshment in towns and villages including Oxted, Chilham, Canterbury and Wye. Accommodation is available along the route, and the official online map lets you filter for it. Cycling UK's accredited Cycle Friendly Places in Kent are a good source of cyclist-friendly stops. Rochester, on the optional loop, is another place to rest and restock.

In England there is normally no right to wild camp along a National Trail, so seek the landowner's permission if you plan to camp away from a campsite. Mobile reception is fairly good near the main towns, but the official page warns of black spots in more rural areas, so carry what you need to fix a puncture and do not count on finding a bike shop in the countryside stretches.

Hire, Luggage Transfer and Bike Services

The official page notes that there are lots of cycle hire options for people visiting for the day. The National Trail site's trail holidays page lists cycling breaks and bookable itineraries along the trail, so check that any company you book handles cyclists and their bikes.

Riding Responsibly and Route Status

The route uses public bridleways, byways and quiet roads, so give way to walkers and horse riders, close gates behind you, keep to the route so you stay on paths open to cyclists, and follow the Countryside Code. Parts of the route are shared with horse riders.

Sections of the route are subject to periodic closures and diversions due to maintenance and other works. Always check the official Riders' Route page for the current GPX and route information before travelling, and download the latest files rather than using an older copy. The route is still being refined, so the line can change.

Getting Here

The route runs point to point, so plan how you will get back to your start. Farnham has direct train services from London Waterloo, and the National Trail site says most people start at Farnham. At the far end, Dover Priory has regular trains to London, and Wye and Oxted also have stations. Southeastern publishes its rules for taking bikes on trains, and it is worth checking the cycle policy of each train operator before you travel.

• Start, Farnham, Surrey: Farnham railway station has direct trains from London Waterloo.
• Finish, Dover, Kent: Dover Priory railway station has trains to London. The official East Kent loop returns to Wye, which also has a railway station.

The route passes through the Surrey Hills, where Surrey Hills Mountain Biking covers the waymarked and informal riding around Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill and Pitch Hill. If you are planning a longer trip, the South Downs route is another National Trail that can be cycled end to end, and King Alfred's Way is another Cycling UK GPX route.

Share

• If you have ridden the North Downs Way Riders' Route, please share your reviews, photos, and videos to this listing.