Faversham, Sandwich and Dover – illustrate the diverse nature of coastal scenery. The walk on Chislet Marshes from St Nicholas at Wade, and that which includes Appledore and Stone-in-Oxney, take footpaths where a few centuries ago it would have been necessary to travel by boat.
Rivers
In summer, river craft are a feature of any walk beside the Medway (Walk 19)
Of Kent’s rivers, the Medway is perhaps the best known. Dividing the county in two, it was once renowned for separating Kentish Men from the Men of Kent – the former were born west of the river, with Men of Kent to the east – but few bother with that distinction today. Rising among the hills of Sussex, the Medway draws from many sources, and by the time it reaches Tonbridge is substantial enough to be navigable by barge. Plans to extend the navigation as far as Penshurst failed, yet today there are no less than 10 navigational locks and flood control sluices between Leigh and Allington. A towpath accompanies the river from Tonbridge to Maidstone, giving a delightful 16-mile/25km walk. A continuation as far as Rochester (not towpath but on paths that are either on the riverbank or not far from it) adds another 12 miles/19km to what is known as the Medway Valley Walk. In this present collection of walks, that which starts from Teston Bridge enjoys one of the best sections along the Medway’s valley.
While the Medway divides the county into west and east, that other long river, the Stour, makes a writhing journey from its source near Lenham to the sea at Pegwell Bay, via Ashford, Canterbury and Sandwich. This too is a delightful river, but its character is quite different from that of the Medway’s. Meandering through downland, woodland, orchards and hop gardens, it almost loses its identity on entering Canterbury. But that identity is regained outside the city walls, and just beyond Fordwich (which lays claim to being Britain’s smallest town) it snakes among lakes, dykes, and a magical marshland nature reserve. One walk suggested from Stodmarsh unravels some of the mystery of this utterly charming district, while the Stour Valley Walk journeys for a little over 51 miles/82km from source to sea. The Stour and the Medway are both rivers of character, but the little Nail Bourne stream is sometimes dry for months – or even years – at a time. However, the valley it drains is a delight of small villages linked by the 22½ miles/36km of the Elham Valley Way, sampled here on walks from Bridge and Elham itself.
When to go
Walking is a year-round activity, and need not be confined to the dry summer months, for there is as much beauty to be found in the countryside in the leafless months of winter as in vibrant spring and the golden days of autumn. As long as you’re properly attired, the weather is rarely so extreme as to keep the true country lover indoors, and some of our most enjoyable days spent researching the walks for this book took place in frost, wind and rain.
In springtime Mariners Hill is a carpet of bluebells (Walk 4)
What to take
Choose clothing and footwear suitable for the season, bearing in mind the changeable nature of Britain’s weather. No specialised equipment will be required for tackling these walks, but comfortable footwear is important. While shorts may be suitable for summer walking on most of these routes, do bear in mind that brambles and nettles often stray across infrequently used paths. Carry a pair of overtrousers (preferably with a generous zipped ankle-gusset to enable you to pull them on and off without first removing boots) to protect your legs from the discomfort of walking through high or wet vegetation. Whether trekking in the Alps, high Himalaya or the Kent countryside, I recommend a lightweight, collapsible umbrella for those times when you’re caught out by the rain. Not only will it keep you dry, it can help protect the top of your rucksack from getting wet, and will be indispensable for walkers who wear glasses.
It’s worth carrying a few plasters in case of blisters, or the odd scratch or two, and whether or not you plan to buy refreshment should a pub or café be on the route, I’d advise taking a flask of drink and a few nibbles in case your energy wanes.
An Ordnance Survey map will be needed in the unlikely event of your becoming lost, and it will also give a broader picture of the countryside you’re walking through than will be gained from the OS extracts provided within these pages. Details of specific 1:25,000 sheets which show more detail are given at the head of each walk description. A note of refreshment facilities to be found en route is also given. Most of these will be at country pubs, although I’m at pains to stress that I have no personal experience of any of those mentioned, so no endorsement of services provided is intended. (Truth is, I’d rather lounge beneath a tree with a view and chew on an apple, than sit in a pub with a pint and a snack.) But should you plan to call at a wayside pub or café, please be considerate if your footwear is wet or muddy, and either remove your boots or cover them with plastic bags.
One would assume that anyone choosing to go for a walk would be a lover of the countryside and treat it with respect. Sadly, litter can still be found in places where only the walker is likely to go. It is not only unsightly, but can cause injury to wildlife and farm animals. So please be scrupulous and leave no litter, but instead help make the countryside even more attractive by removing any rubbish you find. A plastic bag is useful for packing it away. Maybe then walkers will put to shame those few farmers who discard fertiliser bags that become snagged in hedgerow and ditch, or who leave items of once-expensive machinery to rust in a field.
Chilham is one of Kent’s most attractive villages (Walk 34)
Footpaths
Please remember that most footpaths cross private land – be that farmland or historic estate. But a public right of way is just that; it forms part of the Queen’s highway and is subject to the same protection in law as other highways. However, footpaths may not always be clearly evident on the ground, in which case I trust directions in this guidebook will enable you to follow the correct route without difficulty. Where paths lead through growing crops, please walk in single file to avoid damaging that crop or trespassing. Treat fields of grass as you would those of ripening wheat, and always use stiles or gates where provided to cross hedges, walls and fences, and after use refasten any gates found closed.
Take extra care when crossing or walking along country lanes. Keep to the right-hand side to face oncoming traffic, and walk in single file. Use a grass verge wherever possible.
Crops and animals are a farmer’s livelihood and should be left undisturbed. Sheep and cattle will be found grazing on a number of these walks, so please keep dogs under control at all times. Farmers have a right to shoot any dogs found worrying livestock.
Using this guide
For the purposes of this book, Kent has been divided into two sections – West Kent and the Weald, and North and East Kent – with the M20 corridor effectively carrying the line of division (see the Overview Map).
Maps
Within the main body of this guide, sections of the Ordnance Survey map relevant to each walk described are taken from the 1:50,000 series (1in = 1 mile), which should be adequate to provide an overview of the route. However, greater detail and a wider perspective may be gained from consultation with the Explorer series of maps published at a scale of 1:25,000 (2½in = 1 mile). The recommended sheet for each walk is noted in the panel at the head of that walk’s description.
Every season has its beauty, but there’s nothing to match a Kentish beechwood in the autumn (Photo: Linda Reynolds)
