I've said it before and I'll say it again, Trailblazer guides take some beating.
— Adventure Travel
North Downs Way: Farnham to Dover
Excerpt:
Introduction
Contents list | Introduction | About the North Downs Way | Planning your walk | Using this guide | Sample route guide
The 131-mile (209.6km) North Downs Way, from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent via Canterbury, winds its way through the protected landscape of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs. It coincides in places with the so-called Pilgrims’ Way and the built environment is as interesting as the superb landscape. En route you can visit six castles, three cathedrals (modern and ancient), the ruins of four archbishops’ palaces, three Neolithic burial sites, two vineyards, various WWII defences and one folly, while walking in the footsteps of pilgrims, drovers and traders. There are numerous medieval churches, Georgian towns, and an ancient port all waiting to distract the walker. The literary minded will appreciate the associations with Jonathan Swift, William Cobbett, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.
Right from the start the North Downs Way gives walkers a taste of what the trail offers as it follows farm tracks, sandy bridleways and woodland paths to cross the first of five rivers, the Wey, south of Guildford, Surrey's county town with its modern cathedral and many significant historic buildings. The first climb is to the Pilgrims’ Church on St Martha's Hill with wonderful views across the Downs on a clear day from where the route strikes out along the chalk ridge to Dorking. it's this ridge, topped with short shorn grass and dense woodland, which forms the backbone of the walk.
Crossing the River Mole and climbing to the chalk grassland habitat of Box Hill with its box, yew, beech and oak trees, the trail takes you through dense woodland to Reigate Hill affording skyline views high above a densely populated commuter area. Then it's on to Kent whose title the ‘Garden of England’ is soon evident in the arable fields glimpsed from the wooded ridgeline as the route passes near the Neolithic burial site, Coldrum Stones.
Though the industrial Medway towns lie at the foot of the escarpment the route feels wonderfully isolated as the trail makes its way to the busy Medway Bridge and the outskirts of Rochester from where it climbs through Shoulder of Mutton Wood to pass Thurnham Castle and on to Hollingbourne.
Following the path of the Pilgrims’ Way, the trail divides at Boughton Lees, this guide taking the longer, northern loop to Canterbury and its cultural riches. From Soakham Downs there are excellent views over the Great Stour valley before you emerge from King's Wood and on to the well-preserved medieval square at Chilham. From here it's pleasant walking through Kent's apple orchards to Canterbury which deserves at least a day of your time. The final leg is across huge arable fields at Barham Downs, through sleepy Womenswold, on to Shepherdswell and finally to Dover.
Taking about a fortnight to complete at a leisurely pace, with over 500,000 day-visitors a year and more than 5000 completing it in stages, this is one of Britain's most popular national trails – and rightly so.
North Downs Way: Farnham to Dover
Excerpts:
- Contents list
- Introduction
- About the North Downs Way
- Planning your walk
- Using this guide
- Sample route guide
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