Topic: Kent and East Sussex Coast Roads

South Kent and East Sussex provides some of the most spot on riding roads, ok the lanes will be full of leaves and branches in Autumn but the rest of the year they provide some of the most lovely, twisting, turning and undulating sections of road in the country.

To get to the chosen ground you can either take the A21 south from the M25 or the A20 /M20 to Maidstone and follow signs to Hastings or carry on down the M20 exiting at the junction for Leeds Castle and Harrietsham.  Follow the A20 south and you will be heading towards the towards the Camber area, there are quite a few permutations to this trip either via 7 mile lane and Paddock wood etc.

A few years ago a group of fast road riders, nearly all ex or present road racers used to meet up in South London at approx 7am on a Sunday to blast ( race) to Hastings and then off into the countryside proper and this was the simple but hairy route.

M25 - A21 south to Hastings, from Hastings head towards Rye, Just as you leave Hastings you drop down a hill into a pair of awsome rolling corners, just right to get the blood up ease up and pass the village, as you pass the school Gas on into warp drive and give it a right handfull, off you go, the warning signs ahead should be minded lovely tight twisty bits ahead but take care and enjoy them.  Just watch for oncoming cars and have a blast, after a few twisties you pass another village with an awsome L/H get it right and it feels sssssooooo goood! on leaving the village you have some slight twists and a flat out gun it section, beware the boot fair about a mile away on L/H about a quater of a mile past the boot fair you could if you were irresponsible enough be doing about 160+ and the bumps along here will give you F@&k off big headshakes if your headsets are anything but perfect. You now drop down and can see a r/h rising tothe r/h of a hotel, beware exiting / entering hotel traffic ( black spot) hold back if there is traffic even stop cos you have gotta experience the mountain in all i'ts glory without w*nkers in cars slowing it down, be careful very careful cos the mountain bites, it's better to go ride it at a gentle pace and get it right rather than cane it and kill yerself it can only be half a mile but it is brilliant, so I repeat, approach hotel with clear road ahead, gas on up hill brake before you tip in L/H then F@&k wheres the road gone you have an awsome L/H hairpin that takes you back where youv'e come from, nail along the top beware cars from r/h side and lift front end over megga bump, hard on brakes, settle bike with a touch of throttle and head steady down hill and set yourself up for the mother of all r/h ers tight, tight reducing radius corner then on the gas towards the hump back bridge, DO NOT BE A HERO, touch of brakes and off gas as you go over the bridge, wheelies are big and clever but not going airborne into oncomers, (it has happened a lot in the last few years) nail up road usually up the outside of dozens of cars all waving fists at two wheeled rapscalions like wot we iz!!! L/H another straight R/H and you are at Rye at the roundabout take the 2nd exit and park up with all the other bikes and get a breakfast in the bikers cafe.  

NOw that was just a warm up, the local plod do patrol camber so at your own peril!!
Leave Rye in the direction you were following, at roundabout 2nd exit over bridge then about 2 miles down the road take a r/h, YOU ARE NOW ON ENGLANDS OWN PERSONAL I.O.M, your life is in your own hands it takes a long long time to learn this road and I rode it constantly for at least two years and was never beaten on it, a couple of years later and I can't remember half the corners, just enjoy at your own pace and watch fer coppers.

you will come to the end of the road take the tight L/H and
you come to T junction take a r/h about 2 miles on at the next T junction take a L/H and again abou a couple of miles on you come to a Total ( I think) garage go across the roundabout and straight across the next mini roundabout, you now have another series of twisty country roads, watch out for tractors emerging, recent tractor marks and mud etc on the first section, beware the levell crossing, it'll make yer teeth crack, you come to traffic lights and turn R/H onto a bridge across the canal, turn immediate L/H heading back to Rye, "This is the military Canal Road" straights with chiquane corners you can straightline them allegedly at approx 150+ start off about 80 - 90 mph and build up beware quite a sharp L/H cos a few years ago they cut the bushes down and the canal itself followed the first section of the corner then ran away from the road as if itself was an extension of the road, several of the lads were  barrelling up to the corner, hard on the Brakes then young Les RIP ( killed at this years Manx GP) see's the canal, brain says road, and wot they backing off for I'll go straight passed them tossas, the lads tip in and round corner they go Les thinks were they tossas goin as he does ???mph off road and into canal, one very wet Fireblade and near drowned Les??  back to the route carry on down road until you come to the outskirts of Camber town, at the T junction you can go right towards Boxhill or take the next r/h off this road and head for maidstone or a left hander at the T junction will take you back into Rye.

If you ever want a guided tour give us a shout and Hoppy if you get bike that'll keep up   '>  you can come as well, PS I now have some decent tyres on the Blade so wouldn't mind another go, will be able to open it up this time!!.

This is obviously a very imotive piece of roadway for me, I have ridden it for years and have seen a fair few tragic instances on these roads please be aware of other users such as the farmers and the old bird in the Morris with her dogs and cats travelling about 15mph when 3 of us came barrelling down onto her at about 160mph at about 8am one morning, scared the shit out of us, I am still convinced that she did not see us due to listening to re runs of the Archers on her gramaphone.  So ride at your own pace and enjoy.

Disclaimer - you pays yer money you takes yer chances, No responsibility fer accuracy and don't hold me responsible cos responsible I aint.

Story Motto - "Who Larges Bins"  Elo Binnus f*cktofo rectus bikus und annus.

God I did go on a bit didn't I ,  ooooppps sorry

Rog   '>

God I did go on a bit didn't I ,  ooooppps sorry

Rog   '>

and I opologise fer repeating myself repeating myself repeating myself repeating myself

 

so do I as well

Rog's evil twin ( No I am not a TL1000s)

         '>

[Hoppy]

Quote (Firestarter @ Oct. 21 2002,14:36)

If you ever want a guided tour give us a shout and Hoppy if you get bike that'll keep up   '>  you can come as well, PS I now have some decent tyres on the Blade so wouldn't mind another go, will be able to open it up this time!!.

You think I'm doing the military road with you........on GOOD tyres.    

Hoppy, my tyres were that bad the last time, and I road on them every day for about another month to six weeks, it has taken me a month to learn to ride on good tyres, kept on wanting to turn in and stuff, now it's brilliant!!  next dry Saturday / Sunday I am down there!!  '>    '>

[Hoppy]

Give me a shout................& see if you can get Matt out an all

Hoppy you aint gonna belive this but Matt has his track bike up for sale, hopefully actually sold it allready and his roadbike has no tax or insurance and he is selling that to .... beats the shit out of me???

Rog

[Hoppy]

Quote (Firestarter @ Oct. 24 2002,15:22)

Hoppy you aint gonna belive this but Matt has his track bike up for sale, hopefully actually sold it allready and his roadbike has no tax or insurance and he is selling that to .... beats the shit out of me??? Rog

what the f*ck has she done to him?  

Nah I think it is a financial rethink after the race season.

you can keep that road ALL to yourselves, l for one loathe it!!!!!

 '>

[Grandma]

Quote (Tracey636 @ Oct. 27 2003,07:42)

you can keep that road ALL to yourselves, l for one loathe it!!!!!  '>

Why?

Quote (Grandma @ Oct. 27 2003,07:45)

Quote (Tracey636 @ Oct. 27 2003,07:42) you can keep that road ALL to yourselves, l for one loathe it!!!!!  '> Why?

scary!!!!

   

[The Yeti]

Quote (Tracey636 @ Oct. 27 2003,08:16)

Quote (Grandma @ Oct. 27 2003,07:45) Quote (Tracey636 @ Oct. 27 2003,07:42) you can keep that road ALL to yourselves, l for one loathe it!!!!!  '> Why? scary!!!!

Says the girl who wants to be a sidecar passenger

 

[trouty]

y do i feel like i missed a whole chunk of converation???!!

ok yeti, point made!!!

 

[pieman]

What, the canal road? Thats one of my faves - ask Ange!!!!!

[Mikey]

Who is this guest? This has to be the best write up of any route that I have ever!!!! read.

Mr. Guest - If you are free sometime soon and fancy showing me this route at 2/3s your normal pace, just say the word!

Cheers

[Dodge]

The Guest...... that was Firestarter..

You should read his writings after his first ever trip to the "Ring" now that was passionate ramblings.... but that may have been on Smart Groups... and got Bolted..

actually anyone seen Firestarter lately....

Dodge  

[Dodge]

Quote (Mikey @ Nov. 19 2003,18:01)

Who is this guest? This has to be the best write up of any route that I have ever!!!! read. Mr. Guest - If you are free sometime soon and fancy showing me this route at 2/3s your normal pace, just say the word! Cheers

I don't think Firestarter ever did 2/3rds on the Canal Road... ask Hoppy... '>

[The Yeti]

You're gonna have to take me down there mate, I've not been yet

Quote (Dodge @ Nov. 19 2003,19:51)

actually anyone seen Firestarter lately.... Dodge

Mmmm, see him quite often  '>  '>

[Dodge]

Quote (The Yeti @ Nov. 19 2003,20:02)

You're gonna have to take me down there mate, I've not been yet

ooooohhhhhh nnnoooooooo! I'd better get the racing leathers and body armour out again then....  probably not the road to be giving it on in leafy Autumn / Winter weather.....

and better get a louder can on the blade to scare the fishermen...   '>

Dodge

[Mikey]

A day like yesterday would have been perfect surely?