I’m diligently researching a ride for an article that asked me to combine beer and cycling. Hmm. Clearly a mix to be approached with care, like ice skating while juggling machetes, or putting Brexiteers in the cabinet.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-A.jpg)
I came up with the idea of a circuit round Kent: Canterbury–Ashford–Tenterden–Faversham–Canterbury.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-Aa.jpg)
This should be an enjoyable one- or two-day ride in its own right, even for teetotallers, but also give those who enjoy a drink in moderation the chance to moderate quite a lot.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-Ab.jpg)
Because it goes through hop gardens, past oast houses and barley fields, enables tours round a hop farm and Britain’s oldest brewery, and ends in a historic city with some excellent pubs and microbreweries.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-B.jpg)
Chaucer’s band of storytelling pilgrims would surely have approved.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-C.jpg)
Anyway, I spent three pleasant days riding some of Kent’s back lanes to investigate all this. Day 1 was Faversham to Canterbury, including an outstanding tour of Shepherd Neame – that ‘oldest brewer’ – and the Crab and Winkle cycle path from Whitstable to Canterbury.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-1-D.jpg)
There was quite a sidewind, which may help explain the name.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-A.jpg)
Day 2 was Canterbury to the hop areas of Tenterden along the River Stour cycle path via Ashford, home of the much newer Curious Brewery, next to Ashford ‘International’.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-B.jpg)
If Shepherd Neame is all about Olde Englande to the strains of Elgar, Curious is a US-style factory-chic brewery-tap and Oasis.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-C.jpg)
Day 3 was a lovely jaunt from Tenterden back to Faversham. I went all along quiet singletrack back roads through picture-postcard villages that could serve as a backdrop to Darling Buds of May simply by getting rid of the parked cars.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-D.jpg)
Probably easier to build a period set from scratch, then. But I also went past countless former oast houses, all now converted to private dwellings (see also Post Offices).
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-E.jpg)
Eventually I’ll put up the route in detail. Meanwhile, here’s a few more images from the trip.
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-F.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-G.jpg)
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![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-2-J.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-A.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-B.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-C.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-D.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-Da.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-E.jpg)
![](https://e2e.bike/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OR-Kent-Beer-Hop-3-F.jpg)