Cantii Way Cycle Route

This year Cycling UK will be publishing a brand new new long-distance route in Kent. Called the Cantii Way, it is a 145-mile (235 km) route beginning and ending in the village of Wye, close to Ashford in Kent. It is designed to be ridden over three to four days in one go, but with regular train stations along its length could also be split up over several weekends.

Taking its name from the Celtic tribe which inhabited the area during the Iron Age, the route combines quirky coastal towns and dramatic chalk cliffs with the rolling hills of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Parts of the trail use the North Downs Way riders’ route, which Cycling UK first proposed in 2018 and is now working with the Kent Downs AONB to develop as an official alternative route for the North Downs Way National Trail through Kent.

The route uses traffic-free cycle paths and quiet roads, and will be suitable for touring and hybrid bikes. It’s perfect for a leisurely trip with lots to discover along the way – from remnants of military defences to vibrant art trails and eco-friendly farms.

The ‘garden of England’ is also a haven for food and drink connoisseurs, with a wealth of local produce to sample, vineyards galore and the pointed white tops of hop-drying oast houses peeking through the trees.

The Cantii Way has been created as part of the European Regional Development Fund EXPERIENCE project, which aims to develop sustainable year-round tourism activities in Kent, Norfolk and Cornwall.

The new route is part of Cycling UK’s wider goal to see the creation of a network of long-distance off-road routes across the length and breadth of Great Britain, taking in its amazing places and wild landscapes.