insideKENT Magazine Issue 62 - May 2017 | Page 91

Dinner & rest in Lenham: The Dog and Bear overlooks the pretty village square in Lenham and combines the friendly atmosphere of a pub with the comforts of a modern hotel and restaurant. From Lenham, if you want to continue in the pilgrims’ footsteps, you need to leave the track after Boughton Lees before continuing to Chilham and follow the Canterbury loop for 14.8 miles. It is worth stopping off in Charing if you go for the extended loop, for tea and cake at Mulberry’s tearoom or a pub lunch at the Bowl Inn. Dinner & rest in Eastwell: You’ll be past the halfway point of the walk when you reach Eastwell so why not treat yourself to afternoon tea or a luxurious stay in the tastefully decorated rooms or Mews Cottages at Eastwell Manor? The stretch between Wye and Etchinghill is quite possibly the most important of the North Downs Way. Your first ascent will take you to the Wye Crown where the official opening of the North Downs Way took place in 1978. Along the way towards Etchinghill you’ll pass the iconic Devils Kneading Trough – this great natural crevice assures views out to sea on a sunny day. Dinner & rest in Wye: The New Flying Horse offers history, character and distinctive food and drink along with well-appointed rooms for a well-deserved rest. Heading away from Etchinghill you’ll skirt around Dover crossing the top of the great Shakespeare Cliff said to be inspiration for a passage in King Lear. Soak up the spectacular channel views which include the Dover harbour and Castle. If you’re doing the 5.9-mile Canterbury loop from Boughton Lees to Chilham, you’ll be heading mainly through Kings Wood. As you emerge from the woodland, you’ll get the first glimpse of Canterbury Cathedral. This stretch of Pilgrims Way was frequented by pilgrims commemorating the death of Thomas Becket and featured in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. 91