Southwark cathedral to Canterbury cathedral by bike – beta testing phase 2025
The CPR is delighted to offer cyclists the opportunity to ride along its chosen route joining together these two important cathedrals. The route itself is still at the testing phase, and as such we would welcome early adopter feedback, so as to make improvements from next year.
Part of the thinking behind creating a companion cycle route to the Britannica walking path is so that cyclists, could if they chose, ride from London to Rome, along a single prescribed route. This is especially important this year being the Vatican Jubilee.
Much of the cycle route overlaps with its walking sibling, but it has, due to regulations or topography, to take a separate path in certain stretches, for example, from central London, it cannot follow the Thames Path, as it is simply not allowed; likewise some stretches of the Britannica where it follows the North Downs Way, it is too steep and/or too rocky for anything other than an unladen MTB.
The Britannica cycle route is around 130kms, comfortable enough to be completed in two days, though three days provides for more stops, so that riders are better able to enjoy the landscape, heritage, and biodiversity.
I tested the Britannica cycle route using my Dawes Karakum tourer plus panniers, with 32mm deep tread Schwalbe tyres, it was more than stable enough to cope with the muddier sections of the route, even during a damp January.
It’s a good time to get that old bike of yours out of the shed and test out for yourselves the CPR route this season!
Carlo Laurenzi (President, Pilgrims to Rome)