The Swale and the Saxon Shore Way

For my first new ride of 2019 I added another stretch of the waterfront down the Thames Estuary. Two years ago, with a friend, I explored The Isle of Sheppey. This time, we visited the other side of the Swale (the tidal channel of the Thames Estuary separating Sheppey form the mainland). In particular, we wished to explore the 'cycle-ability' of the Saxon Shore Way running along the Swale embankment. Here is a map of our ride.

We parked at the village of Conyer near the Ship Inn. First we cycled a loop following the Saxon Shore Way Eastwards to the village of Oare, where we had an excellent lunch in the Three Mariners before returning on NCN1. Then we did a second loop Westwards along the Saxon Shore Way intending to reach Sittingbourne. However as we rounded the 'headland' where Milton Creek running down to Sittingbourne joins the Swale, we found ourselves downwind of a fire somewhere on the outskirts of the town pumping out acrid smoke from burning plastic; hence we cut short our ride and returned slightly sooner than we had planned on NCN1. We had a cuppa in the Ship Inn to sustain us for the drive home.

That smoke apart, it was a very enjoyable and interesting ride. The Saxon Shore Way hereabouts proved to be a good track along the embankment - mainly grass, but some gravel and a bit of rubble; and NCN1 follows quiet lanes passing commercial orchards (in blossom as it was Springtime). The mud, marshes and fields beside the Swale are a natural haven: we heard nightingales, turtle doves, Cettis warblers and a cuckoo in the woods at Conyer, and along the waterfront we saw numerous waders, a wheatear, common terns and a seal. The weather was reasonable too.