insideKENT Magazine Issue 62 - May 2017 | Page 92

DAYSOUT
THE NORTH DOWNS WAY cont .
Dinner & rest in Chilham : The Woolpack Inn welcomes walkers with home-cooked , locally sourced food and lovely rooms in the chocolate box village of Chilham .
A further 7.2-mile stretch from Chilham to Canterbury sees you continuing to follow those pilgrim ’ s footsteps through a Kentish orchard before revealing another view of Canterbury Cathedral . You ’ ll pass St Dunstan ’ s church , a final stopping place where pilgrims would pray before reaching Canterbury .
Dinner & rest in Canterbury : Canterbury Cathedral Lodge is an appropriate and lovely place to eat and stay as it is within the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral , which has been welcoming pilgrims for thousands of years .
Leaving behind the magnificent city of Canterbury , you ’ ll continue onwards to Shepherdswell , following the Elham Valley Way . This route is dotted with small villages and peaceful farming landscape . The once grand St Augustine ’ s Abbey is nearby , the past burial place for Kings of Kent .
The final stretch takes you from Shepherdswell to Dover through undulating countryside with glimpses of the sea . You ’ ll join the White Cliffs Country Trail taking you across the famous
White Cliffs of Dover and a final descent to the end point .
Dinner and stay : Dover Marina Hotel is the place to stay if you want a room with a view to celebrate the end of your walk . With a small spa and rooms with spectacular views of the English Channel it ’ s time to treat yourself at this lovely seaside hotel .
So go on , really Explore Kent and take on the epic North Downs Way National Trail . Enjoyed by royalty , saints and pilgrims and inspiring the world ’ s greatest authors and playwrights you ’ d be mad to miss out !
LOCATION : FARNHAM , GU9 8AD DISTANCE : 153 MILES ( 246.23 KM ) LINEAR
TIME : 12 DAYS ALLOWS A COMFORTABLE 13 MILES PER DAY WALKING
OS EXPLORER MAPS : 137 , 138 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 , 150
TERRAIN : RELATIVELY LEVEL TERRAIN . THE SECTION FROM GUILDFORD TO REIGATE WITH ST MARTHA ’ S , ALBURY DOWN , WHITE DOWN , BOX HILL AND COLLEY HILL IS MORE CHALLENGING .
PUBLIC TRANSPORT : FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT DIRECTIONS TO FARNHAM FROM YOUR HOME ADDRESS , PLEASE VISIT KENTCONNECTED . ORG . THERE ARE ALSO
RAILWAY STATIONS AT SEVERAL TOWNS AND VILLAGES ON THE ROUTE .
PARKING : THERE IS A PAY AND DISPLAY CAR PARK AT FARNHAM RAILWAY STATION
REFRESHMENTS & FACILITIES : MOST TOWNS AND LARGER VILLAGES HAVE A PUB
EXPLORE MORE
To find out about taking on the North Downs Way check out their website www . nationaltrail . co . uk / north-downs-way .
For other walks in Kent please visit the Explore Kent website www . explorekent . org . Follow @ explorekent on Twitter and Facebook and share your experiences with us !
For more inspiration on places to walk , visit , eat and stay in Kent visit www . visitkent . co . uk .
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