The day after the Virtual 100 I can confess to having a very pleasant 40 odd hours walking around Ashford, the 5 planned loops worked well. Fortunately there were no pathing problems since the loops were reconnoitred earlier this year. It was very impressive to see how the flora changes so quickly!. Thanks were offered at all the open local hostelleries that were passed for the lifting of some of the COVID restrictions - it only meant 5 pubs but at least they provided sustenance. What with all the too and froing from home the total distance was over 102 miles, but given the superb weather I have no reason to complain. The evidence has been submitted and I now await the verdict of the validation team - hopefully I managed to follow all the instructions!
Notable events were being ambushed by a family of 3 rampaging badgers just along from Hothfield Common, not watching the sunrise as it was overcast at 04:45, and being reminded that no matter how warm it is during the day it is always cold in the early hours.
I can now relax into anticipation for next years Trans Pennine 100 (hopefully).

The big day is nigh and the nerves are setting in
Don do you know if the steps from Folkstone Warren are still closed?
I now have my Tracking site details at https://track.trail.live/event/alan-stewart-ldwa
and Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alan-stewart29

Good luck to all Kent members participating in the 100 and no dought a few stories to tell at the next meeting.

Happy to help support anyone in Kent doing the virtual Hundred. Either by walking a section with them or organising a refreshment point

Also happy to loan anyone doing the walk my InReach device. This tracks progress using normal gps and transmits position every 10 minutes, which friends/ family can follow. It also has a large red SOS button, which provokes someone in Houston to text message back, call nominated emergency contact numbers or if all else fails the emergency services are called and given the location. It claims to have a 100 hour battery life, so should work for duration of walk. It runs on the Iridium satellite system so works anywhere on this planet.

Jim Briggs - office@jamesbriggs.com

It's already closed as they're building the stands. Continue north and use the Stour Valley Walk fp instead.

Thank you Peter that's very helpful, so half a wash and change at each then.

Do you happen to know the situation with the footpath across Royal St Georges for the 100 weekend.
Although The Open isn't until 16th - 19th July I wondered if they close the path early to get the course ready.

Alan - the public toilets in New Romney (in the car park behind the check point) or at Sandgate (on the left where you reach the beach) are better located than in Hythe but sooner or later the "breakfast". Have 20p ready for Sandgate.

Hi Alan,
I am glad you are having a good recovery.
Well done for doing 28 miles - this is also my max mileage so far this year but I am not doing the Hundred ;o)
As for your question about toilets, there is a Sainsbury near the canal and there are also public toilets (check googlemaps) but I don't know if they will be open.
So best pack those wipes but be discreet, we don't want you to be arrested for indecency ;-)
All the best, but don't over do it!!

Following on from previous posts, I am also contemplating the Cinque Ports 100 (the right way round) as my virtual 100, mainly for the reasons Peter Jull detailed “a route passing a high number of locations where replenishment food & liquid can be purchased, a high number of public toilets and good public transport links back to the start� It is also reasonably local and a lovely route.
As some of you may know, following an incident on the January 2020 Kent night walk I went to A&E, and following tests was diagnosed with Severe Aortic Stenosis and Coronary Artery Disease. I had open heart surgery in August last year to have a new Aortic Valve and a Coronary Artery Bypass. My target after the Op was to get fit enough to complete this year's night walk, but as you know due to Covid that didn't take place. However I have been gradually building up the mileage doing past Kent social walks and last Sunday completed the 28 mile Tunbridge Wells Circular with more walks planned.
My aim in attempting the Cinque Ports 100 is to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, which like many other Charities has seen a large drop in donations due to the Pandemic.
Apart from the wonderful skill and care from the Cardiac team at Kings College Hospital in the midst of a Pandemic, I have also benefited in my recovery and from the research carried out over many years by the British Heart Foundation.
At this stage I am concentrating on putting miles on my feet and building fitness. I need to start sorting out the logistics. So far I have booked the Premier Inn by the Royal Military School at Dover, cab Saturday morning to Dover Priory and train to Hasting via Ashford, arriving at Hasting around 9am and then setting off for Dover and resupplying along the way.
I would appreciate any advice or help you may have, especially, does anyone know of a public toilet or like where I would be able to have a quick wash and change in Hythe being roughly half way. Otherwise it's a quick rubdown with wet wipes and change in a nearby wood.

As of now the climb up from Folkestone to the white cafe on top of the cliff is closed, someone doing maintenance at the cafe told me it is due to a landslip. Assuming this remains closed my suggestion would be

11.3 Up tarmac tk (20°) and where it bends R (by Martello Tower on R), SO on concrete fp uphill. Immed before start of wall on R, BR down steps. At bottom, SO on tarmac access rd. Immed before entrance to caravan park (at wmk on wooden railing on R), TR down steps. Cont on narrow fp with green fence (and sea) on R. SO on this well worn path, gently descending, to reach steps. GR TR 243 376
11.4 You are now in the area of Folkestone's Warren. You will follow the main path ahd for approx one mile, ignoring all side turnings to reach a self clipper. The bearing will vary but, on average, it is a bit north of east.
Ahd (ignoring LF) down steps, descending steeply, and at bottom, SO on worn path. CARE – there are occasional up or down steps in this section. Keep ahd with chalk cliffs to your L and the more distant sea (if visible) to your R. At fork, FR and at X paths, TR towards the sea to join wire fence and railway on your R. SO to soon swing L up steps, leaving railway. SO on main worn path winding thru bushes/trees. Swing L down into clearing with rope swing. Swing R up and out the far side, then thru and beyond 2nd clearing with rope swings, still climbing. At T jcn, TL to find
SELF-CLIP POINT C GR TR 255 384
11.5 Ahd on path (290°) which soon leads to start of zig-zag path. Fllw zig-zags right the way to the top to pass Cliff Top Café.

Becomes simply

11.3 Up tarmac tk (20°) and where it bends R (by Martello Tower on R), SO on concrete fp uphill as it becomes a track, continue uphill to top to TR (marked North Downs Way) Follow NDW markers to reach Cliff Top Café

The NDW pretty much follows the clifftop parallel to the original route along the cliff bottom so the distance and ascent should be the same.

There are 4 large trees down across the CP100 route through The Lynch after St. Margaret's. Local walkers have trampled diversions but they maybe hard to spot and trippy if here at night, The easier option is in para 13.2 to replace "At fence/fld-cnr, TR with fp. In 250yds, SO to pass wmk-post and in a further 400yds reach wmk-stones." with "At fence/fld-cnr BL then BR inside LH edge of wood. In cnr TR with fp inside bottom edge of wood." Rejoins route at wmk-stones with minimal diversion.

I intend to walk loops of 30 and 20 miles from my home at Sandwich and to self support and take my dog with me on some of the loops

I am not taking on the challenge of the virtual 100 but have decided to offer my support to Steve Russell and Paul McAuliffe, who plan together, at this stage, to walk the 2018 Cinque Port 100 route
I have discussed this with Steve and have offered to run a breakfast stop for them at Hythe, probably at some point between the hours of 4.00am and 9.00am, dependant on progress of course. I have also offered to be available early on the Monday morning at around the same times if they are still walking at that stage
Steve and Paul are both experienced walkers, but I have also offered to make myself available to both of them, in the unlikely event that they get into any severe difficulty, especially during the night, when there is no public transport available
The logic behind this support is that they will get it perhaps when they most need it, after a night section and will also give them the peace of mind knowing that critical help, outside that on offer from local emergency services, is available should they need it
From my point, it means I can offer this support, which can be condensed into a smaller time frame and which therefore avoids encroaching too much on my Bank Holiday weekend
Of course, if anyone else happens to be walking with Steve and Paul on Sunday morning and can support them too

?

We're a team of three, comprising Barbara Hutton, Dawn Jones and Andy Gordon, intending to support each other to complete a 2021 Virtual 100.

Our intended course is four loops of 25 miles. We're working on a modified version of the Canterbury Outer Ring going up to Highland Court Farm near Bridge to take in the Independent Pedlar and with a diversion to Ickham and Wickhambreaux. These modifications should hopefully increase our toilet stop opportunities, shops and feeding outlets depending on the time of day we walk through them.

We intend to be self supporting with Dawn's husband, Steve, providing our primary support during the event in terms of feeding/watering us and providing rescue/recovery should any of us need to retire during the event. We're starting the process of thinking how to coordinate the offers of support from fiends both in terms of moral walking support and logistics.

Our aim is to recce the route and then, when Government lockdown regulations allow, pre walk the loop as a group to build familiarity. We will aim to walk a mixture of complete loops and sections with a night time loop prior to the event.

I plan to walk a series of loops around Ashford, my hometown, using home as a base and supply point. The loops go as follows

1 – Ashford, Hamstreet, Brookland, Appledore, Shadoxhurst, Ashford.
2 – Ashford, Charing, Wye, Brook, Ashford.
3 – Ashford, Shadoxhurst, Woodchurch, Bethersden, Ashford.
4 – Ashford, Mersham, East Brabourne, Brook, Ashford.

I'm hoping that pubs will have reopened to assist with supplies and breaks, but if this is not the case the distances of each loop are not such that supplies cannot be carried. Obviously walking from home will make things easier.

I had not planned on there being any support, other than that of my wife and taxis if required.

I look forward to seeing / hearing other walkers reports of their exploits!

A number of Kent members are minded to offer informal help to other members doing a virtual 100 in Kent this May. In order to help they need to know where routes participants have selected will be.

I'll start by saying I'll be doing the Cinque Ports 100 route but in reverse, for variety, and with some tweaks to avoid some less attractive detours needed to fit in check points which we'll have to do without. The determinant factor was that the theme resulted in a route passing a high number of locations where replenishment food & liquid can be purchased, a high number of public toilets and good public transport links back to the start even if an early drop out becomes necessary. Other previous and prospective 100 routes considered had a dearth of such facilities without the event CPs, as they were designed to stay as rural as possible. And then there was the fornicating frogs factor...

If others post their Kent planned routes here it can facilitate putting helpers in tough with participants.