Kent

Kent

For many people, their first experience of Kent may well be one of racing through the county at many times the average walking pace. Holidaymakers rushing by road for the crossing to the continent from Dover and Folkestone have been speeding along Kent’s two major motorways and dual carriageways for more than half a century now.

For those entering the county at the Dartford Crossing over the River Thames or quitting London through Beckenham, Bromley and Sidcup, their first view of the Kent countryside often comes where the M20 funnels its traffic up through the long cutting over the North Downs and swiftly down towards Maidstone or on the M2 and A2 between the downs and the coast, sweeping without pause past Rochester, Chatham, Sittingbourne, Faversham and Canterbury, with the briefest of glimpses over the flatlands of the Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Sheppey to the glimmerings of the Thames Estuary beyond. For those orbiting south of London through Surrey on the M25, Clacket Lane Services signal the approach of the county border, where Biggin Hill and the escarpment of the North Downs above Chevening beckon on the left, while to the right there stretches out the enticing northern edge of the High Weald beyond Westerham and Sevenoaks. Nearing Maidstone, the North Downs briefly recede as the River Medway invites you to join its meandering way through to the coast before the chalk once more rises on the left.

Now motorway and high-speed railway duel for space as they criss-cross each other at the foot of the downs past signs for Lenham and Charing to Ashford. In a final swing left to avoid Romney Marsh, the chalk hills crowd in again by Sellindge and Folkestone where the Channel Tunnel delves under the sea, and on over the white cliffs and down into Dover the ferries ply their way across the sea-lanes to France.

Yet as those who have ever turned off the motorways or lived in the county’s towns and villages well know, Kent has much more to offer than just a high-speed link to the continent. Within the distance covered by a long summer’s day walk or half a day’s bike ride, you can pass from capital city to coastal port, from tidal saltmarsh to high chalk downs, from riverside meadows to Wealden woodland. North of the main central travel corridor lies the North Kent coast and the tidal estuaries of the River Medway and The Swale. The towns and settlements of this part of the county have a long and important history, if diminished now from their heyday as ports and commercial centres, though there is plenty of industry still surviving. The area around the North Downs in the centre of the county, despite being enclosed by two parallel motorways, continues to maintain and preserve its local distinctiveness and is as good walking country as any other stretch of chalk downs in southern England.

To the south lies the mixed farming countryside of the Weald where, perhaps more than anywhere else in the county, the pressure of commuter-belt housing and the expansion of towns is most visible. Yet the Weald still offers some of the most picturesque walking routes to be found in the South East of England. Off the main travel routes in the northeast past Canterbury are the floodplains of the River Stour, beyond which the Isle of Thanet, until medieval times separated by the wide Wantsum Channel, gives access to the coastal cliffs and bays around North Foreland and the towns of Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate and Broadstairs. Stretching southeastwards from the former Cinque Port of Hythe to the county border with Sussex lies the open expanse of Romney Marsh and its fringe of sandy beaches on the sweep of coastline around to the shingle headland of Dungeness. All of this makes Kent one of the most varied counties in England for exploring on foot.

About this guide

This guide contains 40 routes ranging in length from an hour’s stroll to half a day’s walking, divided into five sections broadly based on the topography of the county. Most of the routes are intended as comfortable walks or strolls. On some routes the cumulative ascent or some steeper escarpments of the downs may require greater exertion than the strict route length suggests, but in general the walking is on well-worn paths, lanes and tracks, with plenty of waymarks, which should require minimal time and effort for route-finding. The route descriptions concentrate on the salient points of navigation, but may not cover every twist or turn. If in doubt, the obvious path is usually the line to take. In addition, the accompanying sketch maps serve an illustrative purpose and, for the longer or more complex routes, it would be a good idea to have access to the relevant OS Explorer mapping, details of which are given at the start of each walk.

The recommended time for each walk is an estimate based on an average walking speed of 4kmph, with a small allowance added in on some hillier or clifftop routes. However, timings will vary significantly, not only for individuals but also given the seasonal effects on paths, especially those crossing fields, or tracks on the downs, sections of which can become muddier and more slippery at certain times of year. A few routes also pass along cliff edges, tidal estuaries or coastline subject to tides, which can become unavailable depending on the state of the tide. Most paths covered in the routes are well-used and well-maintained by local agencies, but, in spring and summer especially, hedges and undergrowth grow vigorously and nettles, brambles and thorn can infiltrate narrower paths, stile crossings and gates. It is hoped that there is plenty of interest along the routes themselves and it would be possible to spread a short walk over half a day if time is taken to explore along the way. Conversely, some of the routes are short enough to attempt two in a day.

Getting around and access

Many of the main towns in Kent can serve as useful bases for walking. In the west of the county, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells lie closest to London and neighbouring Surrey. Along the north coast are Rochester, Sittingbourne and Faversham, which give easy access to the Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Sheppey. The county town of Maidstone and nearby Ashford are well-placed for exploring some of the Low and High Weald, while the small towns of Hythe and Tenterden are convenient for southeastern parts. Finally, the ancient cathedral city of Canterbury provides an historic setting for exploring the east of the county, while the towns of Margate, Deal, Dover and Folkestone have long been popular coastal resorts.

Almost all these towns have railway stations and regular bus routes branching out from them. An effort has been made to start walks from places which are served by public transport and it would usually be possible to plan the completion of a walk from a town to coincide with train times. It is worth noting that it is increasingly the case that many of the villages in Kent are only intermittently served by public bus on both a weekly or seasonal basis. Access by car is still the preferred option for many and, while towns cater adequately for parking, this can be a sensitive issue in smaller villages and hamlets. Pubs and inns can be very accommodating if the intention is to visit before or after a walk, but where parking is outside designated car parks, consideration should be shown for the needs and access of local residents and the farming community.

Kent is still substantially a rural county and has traditionally been associated with mixed farming, including fruit and hops, and, in some areas, sheep, arable and dairy farming can all be encountered in the space of a single walk. At lambing time, signs on gates may well request that dogs are kept on a lead and the presence of dogs for cows can be problematic – it is not unheard of for cows with calves to behave in a very protective way. Even without a dog, cattle just released from winter shelters or cows which have recently calved should be left well alone. If in doubt, it is usually advisable and possible to find a short detour to avoid such livestock.

Places of Interest

Alkham Valley
Angley Wood
Bigbury Camp
Bishopsbourne
Blean
Bourne
Bridge
Broadstairs
Capstone Farm Country Park
Chartham Hatch
Chartwell
Chennell Park
Chevening Park
Chiddingstone
Chilham
Clowes Wood
Coldrum Long Barrow
Cranbrook
Doddington
Dungeness
Edenbridge
Eden Valley Walk
Egerton
Elham Valley Way
England Coast Path
Faversham
Folkestone
Goudhurst
Greensand Way
Ham Marshes
Hamstreet
Hever
High Weald Landscape Trail
Hoo St Werburgh
Hythe
Ide Hill
Ightham Mote
Isle of Harty
Isle of Sheppey
Knockholt Pound
Knole Park
Leysdown-on-Sea
Lullingstone Country Park
Lyminge
Margate
Medway Valley Walk
Newnham
North Downs Way
Penshurst Park
Perry Wood
Pluckley
Reculver
Rolvenden
Royal Military Canal
Ruckinge
St Margaret’s Bay
St Nicholas at Wade
Sandwich
Saxon Shore Way
Selling
Sevenoaks
Shipbourne
South Foreland
Stour Valley Walk
Stone in Oxney
Stourmouth
Sutton Valence
Tenterden
Teston
Tolsford Hill
Toy’s Hill
Trosley
Ulcombe
Upnor
Vigo Village
Viking Coastal Trail
Warren, The
Wateringbury
Westerham
Wye Downs