Loop out from Longfield

Loop out from Longfield 11:30 on Saturday, 26 April 2014

19 Miles, approx 1400ft 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.

Approx a mile along the lane take the left on Scudders Hill, this is a cheeky
hill that creeps up the side of the valley and can catch you out early on in
the ride. Stick with it.

Over the apex and just down the other side on the left is the entrance to the
first byway, this is a muddy but well maintained and follows the line of the
ridge southwards. Leading out onto School Lane, turn right here and head downhill
towards Horton Kirby, turning left on Lombard Street towards the A20.

A quick dash down the A20 on the right, and then a left onto Eynsford Road, and
ride into the village, keep riding along this road, until you see Priory Lane
on the left, take this and it becomes a byway, at the time of writing it was
closed to vehicle traffic, but it is a good open ride over the hill to
Beesfield Lane.

Beesfield Lane is back to a single track road, and a pleasant ride, follow this
lane and it becomes Maplescombe Lane, on the right at the junction to Botsom Lane
is the start of the bridleway, this heads up the hill and into the woods, the first
section is full of stones and overgrown, at the gate halfway up it turns sharp left
and up a small slope, be ready for it! Once on this it's back to a single footpath
type trail up into the High Castle woods and out onto Cherry Tree Grove. The track
through the woods is ok, but very muddy in places with diversions into the trees at
the side. Stick with it, it ends, out of the woods over a low (horse) gate, and onto
a tarmac road.

We're then back onto tarmac and following East Hill Road, past the farm on the left
is the entrance to the next bridleway, well signposted, it starts as a farm track and
reduces down to a single trail (well used by horses).
This kinks to the right and starts downhill, be carefull here, the downhill section at
the top is a set of steps (best attacked on the left hand side), once you've takled
these it's aquick run down the hill and through the barrier at the bottom onto
Knatts Valley Road.

Opposite the exit take Knatts Lane, and then the left had entrance to the next
bridleway, this is a strange one, a steep concrete path through overgrown hawthorn,
(I ended up pushing the bike) leads out to a good trail through the woods to over
Kingsingfield Road and into Stacklands wood, finally meeting School Lane at
"the Grove".

Turn right here and follow School Lane. The entrance to the next restricted byway
is on the left and is a bit odd, starts out at a trail along a fence and between
gardens, and then loses it's way a bit over gates and a field, not really a good
route.

It ends when it meets St Clere Hill Road, and we turn left here, and head south.
Knock Mill lane runs across the top of the downs, with great views and we follow
this and take the junction to Exedown Road, this drops down the hill towards the
road to Wrotham, as the lane heads left there is a sharp right hand turn, the entrance
to the bridleway is here and runs back up the hill, its steep and full of large stones.
This makes for a bit of a slog up the hill, but takes you over a bridge across the M20,
then over the field to the A20. (it would be better coming the other way!).

To wrap up the loop, I headed back along the A20 to the Fawkham road and then straight
back to the start.

A good ride out with some surprises, and again more great trails.