Follows toll road (free to cyclists) through the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club to the town of Sandwich.

Shortly after leaving Sandwich the route passes Richborough Castle, then follows quiet country roads between some of Kent's orchards.

Following Faversham the route passes between more orchards then through the village of Conyer and beside Swale Marina towards the town of Sittingbourne.

National Cycle Route 174 (A spur of NCN 1) then heads North through the village of Iwade and on to Minster and Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey.

At Lower Rainham the route heads into Riverside Country Park and follows traffic-free paths beside the River Medway.

Following The Strand the route once again joins a cycle path beside the main road, heading towards Chatham Historic Dockyard.

At the turning on to the A228 and just arriving in the village of Higham there are links to the Regional route 18 (The Heron Trail) on the Hoo Peninsula.

It then passes through the town of Gravesend, close to the Thames and following the Saxon Shore footpath route as well.

The route follows the A2 Dual Carriageway for a short section (off-road) before taking the A296 towards Bluewater (shopping centre).

Millwall | Canary Wharf | Limehouse | Mile End | Victoria Park | Old Ford | Hackney Wick | Tottenham Hale | Enfield | Cheshunt | Harlow | Chelmsford | Witham | Maldon The route runs past Island Gardens DLR station and around Mudchute Park to Mudchute DLR station, turning before Crossharbour DLR station to Millwall Dock which it crosses via Pepper Street.

The route passes through the housing estates of Millwall near South Quay to head to Limehouse Reach.

It heads up Newell Street to Commercial Road, passing over the Limehouse Cut and the Lea Valley Walk.

The route passes Waterworks Nature Reserve, under Lea Bridge Road, and through Leyton Marshes.

It then passes under the Stratford and Tottenham line again and past Walthamstow Marshes to follow the River Lea again.

It heads past the William Girling Reservoir and National Athletics Stadium at Picketts Lock.

Continuing north, route 1 climbs away from the Lee Valley to a view point near Nazing before descending back to the river at Dobbs Weir.

After which it rises up on to the Lincolnshire Wolds before descending in to Barton-upon-Humber where it crosses the Humber Bridge to Hessle in Yorkshire.

Out of Townhill the route uses country lanes and some B-roads, climbing into the Cleish Hills and passing through Blairadam Forest, then back under the M90 on its way to Kinross.

In the summer of 2020, Sustrans de-designated all of National Cycle Route 1 north of Tain in the Highlands, on safety grounds.