When to ride National Cycle Route 2
NCN 2 runs from Dover toward mid Cornwall, about 380 miles. Most people ride a weekend of it. Wind is the story, not the hills.
National Cycle Route 2 runs along the English south coast from Dover toward mid Cornwall. It is about 380 miles (610 km) end to end, and most people ride a weekend of it. Pick a chunk, then let the wind choose the day.
What you need
- Any bike. Promenades and estuary paths are most of the route. 32 mm tyres are nicer on seafront slabs.
- A plan to ride it in pieces.
- The Route 2 GPX, from the National Cycle Route 2 guide.
If you have not loaded a GPX before, how to use a GPX file covers the basics.
Pick a weekend in Kent or Sussex
Kent or Sussex is a weekend. Choose a start and finish inside that stretch rather than chasing the full line. Hastings, Brighton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth are natural places to stop.
The whole line is a week of coast, not a day. Exeter is still a long way from Cornwall.
Plan around wind before hills
Wind matters more than hills. A south-west headwind out of Dover can make the first day feel twice as long, so do not judge day one by the mileage alone. If the wind is against you, shorten the section.
If you want the hour, not just the day, score the section on the map and leave in the window with the better wind along the line.
A loop off the coast, if you want one
The New Forest sits just inland of Bournemouth. That is a separate ride. This GPX stays on the south-coast line. The New Forest loop is the one to use if you turn inland.
Leave the Isle of Wight ferries out of this file
Ferries from Portsmouth are a side trip, not part of this GPX. Plan them separately if you want them.
If the plan feels too big, shorten it and keep Kent or Sussex as the anchor. You are riding a weekend chunk, not 380 miles.
National Cycle Route 2 GPX
Download the south-coast file and pick the section you will actually ride.
Free forever on 3 routes
Enjoyed that? Put it to work on your next ride.
- Every route scored for wind, rain and temperature
- The best hour to ride, up to 3 days out
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Free forever on 3 routes. No card.
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