Longfield, Pilgrims way loop

Longfield, Pilgrims way loop

11:25 on Friday, 2 May 2014

17miles - approx 1200 ft climbing.

This loop begins from the car park at the St Mary the virgin Church on the
Longfield to Fawkham road, (Free parking).
Turning left out of the car park you head towards Fawkham on the very nasty
lane, be careful of cars passing as it's a bit narrow, and not quite enough
room for passing traffic.

Follow the road towards Fawkham and take the left on Micheals Lane up the hill
towards New Ash Green, these are small lanes, single track, and quiet.

I followed the Ash Lane along side the village and out towards Stansted, there is
a byway on the left this is a good trail, (I've covered this in a previous
blog) singletrack, through the hedge borders in the field and at the split I took the 
bridleway out to Hatham Green Lane, the route is grass, and a slow ride.

Then its a left onto the lane and a right at the junction onto Parsons Lane, and
another right onto Plaxdale Green Road. This is a long slog along the lane towards the
A20. At the junction turn left on the great named, Labour-In-Vain Road and follow it
to the end, it slips into a bridleway. Broken tarmac, large flints and fallen trees
were the order of the day when I rode it. The trail ends at the A20, which you need
to ride down to the bridge on the right.

Cross the bridge and head left downhill towards Wrotham, take the second right onto
the Pilgrims Way, this section is gravel and solid, a good ride leading onto the road.
I took the second right hander onto Cotmans Ash Lane, and should've paid attention to
the contour lines, it's a bit of a sod of a climb up the hillside, at the top on the
left hand bend you get a brief spin along a byway, (surface is a bit poor, but an
interesting ride).

You end on Tinker Pot Lane, (another great name), follow this to the right, and onto
School lane heading back towards the A20 and onto Fawkham, and then back to the start.