Gravesend Cyclopark

The Tollgate, Wrotham Rd, Gravesend, Kent DA11 7NP

Cyclopark

The Gravesend Cyclopark is reachable off the A2 (watch out for older Sat Navs as this bit of road is quite new) but from the London direction you're looking for this exit - Gravesend (C), Wrotham & Services A227

And from the Dover direction, it's the same sign.

And then you're looking for the Cyclopark signs like this...

And then turn in to the Cyclopark at this right hand turn, if you carry on another 100 yards past there is a BP garage and a dead end basically.

Parking

There are two car parks at Cyclopark the Main Car Park and the Overflow Parking area. For events where we're basing ourselves in the Overflow Parking area then please park there. Otherwise where we're using the actual Cyclopark Mountain Bike Trails then the Main Parking area is probably easier. Please note parking is Pay & Display no matter where you are parked. (Currently £3.60 for all day , and you can gain access from either end of the Overflow Parking area)

To access the Overflow Parking area simply turn left about 100 yards short of the start of the main parking area, if the gate is closed for some reason then please go ahead and park in the Main Parking area. The capacity for the car parks is 150 cars in each so there is plenty of space for parking.

Cyclopark - 3.28 Mile Loop

Mostly on wide tarmac bike paths and grassy paths and is fairly flat (well that's my flat, so about 800' climb for a marathon type distance, 100' per lap) and is mostly on wide tarmac bike paths and grassy paths.

View the route here on MapMyRun

The loop is 3.28 miles long, eight laps will make up the marathon distance. The events will be six hour challenge events. You only need to complete one lap to be a finisher. Four laps will be a Half Marathon, Five laps for a Heavy Half, Eight Laps for a Full Marathon, Nine Laps for an Ultra Marathon, there will be short loops for a 27.2 mile mini-Ultra and a 50k Ultra.

Cyclopark - 5.25 Mile Loop - "177 Route"

All on wide tarmac bike paths and is fairly flat, well that's my flat, so about 1000' climb for a marathon type distance. 200' per lap. The route is all on the Cycle Route 177 hence the name and the turn arounds at each end are handy cycle chicanes with a "turn around" sign on them. There are two small road crossings, at the Cyclopark entrance you need to cross over each direction and up towards the far west of the course there is a tiny road crossing. Just about impossible to go astray on!

The Half Marathon (slightly long) is 2.5 laps, on the last half lap simply come straight back to base camp rather than doing the Western out and back.

View the route here on MapMyRun

Cyclopark - 3.74 Mile Loop - "Trail Route"

Whilst this route we'll call the trail route it is still over 50% on tarmac and in summer the trail parts should be solid and dry. Starting out from Cyclopark up the 177 route there is a right hand turn not too far past the garage, you DON'T cross the bridge, but turn right again and go down the path that you go up on the 3.28 mile route. You then follow that around the back of cyclopark all the way around and come out on the 177 route just short of a quiet road crossing. It's then down the 177 route till the bike chicane/turn around and straight back up the cycle path, past cyclopark back to base camp. They'll be a short 4th lap for folks wishing to do the Half Marathon distance. (Which will be out as normal but turning right about where the "3" is on the map below)

View the route here on MapMyRun

Cyclopark - 3.28 Mile Loop - "Double Rabbit "

For this varation, which is similar to the standard 3.28 Lightning Bolt route but is more trail. Runers will cross over the first rabbit bridge and then along the sides of fields parallel to the railway line to join the usual path, a short out and back to the Cone of Doom, then back over the now second rabbit bridge, up to the end of the path, turn around at the gate and back down the long straight wide, 177 bike pather to base camp.

View the route on Map My Run here

Parkrun

On Saturday's at Cyclopark there is a parkrun very close to the base camp.The Cyclopark parkrun can be combined with an SVN event and we'll count you completing the park run (and getting back to base camp) as your first lap - the downside of this is that you will be long! So no complaints about a 26.6 mile marathon please!

If you want to include the parkrun then...(it's totally optional!)

1) Check in to base camp by 0845 latest to pick up your number / punch card.
2) Wander down to the parkrun start/finish in time to listen to their briefing.
3) Run the parkrun (we're going to try to sync the times of the SVN and parkrun so that both events start at a similar time.
4) Don't forget your barcode!! Get that read and then return to base camp by either the yellow or red route. Please DON'T RUN though the Cyclopark buildings/inside the park area. If you want to just keep on running then please use the red route.
5) At base camp get your punchcard punched and that's your first lap done.
6) Run the usual SVN lap as above. Knowing where you are going is going to be very beneficial as you'll have missed the SVN briefing, the course is marked and it's pretty straightforward but "where do I go now" questions will be met with a "look"! lol

Facilities

There are toilets, changing rooms, showers, free wifi and a cafe which is typically open from about 0900 to 1800.

Public Transport

The nearest train station is Gravesend and that's 2.0 miles away.

Local Hotels

Premier Inn - Gravesend Central (0.9 miles away) - Gravesend A2 (1.0 miles away)

Travelodge - Gravesend (100 yards!!) Dartford (4.8 miles away)

Best Western - Manor Hotel (1.1 miles away)

Other hotels in the Gravesend area can be found on Trip Advisor here.

Bed and Breakfasts in the Gravesend area can be found on Trip Advisor here.

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