AIA UK 2015 Bicycle Tour
“Romney Marsh:
Varied Landscapes and Architecture”
Meeting point: Rye Train Station, Sussex
4.0 CES Credits (to be confirmed)
Contact:
This year’s bicycle tour will take us from Rye in Sussex via Brooklands, Lydd, Dungeness, New Romney and St Mary’s Bay to Folkestone in Kent along easy – essentially flat – terrain. The architectural content, however, will be anything but flat as we will take in the various village charms of Rye and Lydd, the fabulous Marsh churches and several examples of experimental contemporary architecture in Dungeness - Britain’s only official desert.
Along the way, we will also see lashings of English vernacular domestic architecture, evidence of military structures from several wars as well as modern environmental coastal defences.
The tour will be led by Architect and Architecture Historian Benedict O’Looney who will encourage us to take the time to sketch. His own simple crayon sketch from 2011 should give us an inspirational boost. Also, perhaps this year – after many dashed hopes – we really WILL be able to swim.
Travel Advice:
- To Rye: 9:45am from London Charing Cross (slowest, cheapest)
- 9:59am from London Charing Cross (faster, most expensive)
- 10:37am from London St Pancras International (fastest, mid-range)
- Return: From Folkestone Central or Westenhanger Railway Stations circa 7 or 8:00pm
Please advise us of your mobile phone numbers and travel arrangements in advance as we will need to
coordinate on the day. Further details and a contact mobile will be issued to Eventbrite registered participants closer to the day.
Essential Notes
Please bring your own lunch, snacks and water, although there will be a few places to eat towards the end of the tour. We suggest you bring cameras or sketch pads. Helmets and weather gear are essential. If we are lucky with the weather, we will be able to swim at several locations. Make sure your bike is in order and you are fit and ready to ride. Although we will try to avoid traffic, etc., along the way, all participation is at your own risk. Spaces will be limited for safety reason.
UPDATE
- Please confirm all train times and possibility of bring bikes in advance.
- It will be possible to buy a pub lunch in Lydd, circa 2:00 or 3:00, but we advise that you also bring refreshments of your own.
- Although a predominately flat ride, the distances are long and we will not expect to get back to Folkestone until late in the evening.
- We are going to try to do some sketching, so please consider bring sketching materials.
- Please make sure you register via Eventbrite so we can keep track of who is coming.
The tour will be led by Architect and Architecture Historian Benedict O’Looney who will encourage us to take the time to sketch. His own simple crayon sketch from 2011 should give us an inspirational boost. Also, perhaps this year – after many dashed hopes – we really WILL be able to swim.