DAYSOUT
TAKE A WALK ON THE NORTH SIDE
THE CHARMING VILLAGE OF CHESTFIELD IS SITUATED ONLY A MILE AWAY FROM THE NORTH KENT COAST AND OFFERS STUNNING VIEWS OVER THE VILLAGE TO THE SEA. THE WALK TAKES IN SOME FASCINATING HISTORY AND HERITAGE, INCLUDING A GORY LEGEND THAT ST THOMAS MORE’ S HEAD IS BURIED IN THE GROUNDS OF THE OLD MANOR HOUSE NEAR THE DROVE. THERE ARE SOME FABULOUS ANCIENT HOUSES ON THIS ROUTE, MANY OF THEM BUILT USING RECLAIMED LOCAL MATERIALS. WALK ACROSS STUNNING OPEN FIELDS PASSING ALONGSIDE SWALE BROOK AND SKIRT THE WONDERFUL MANICURED GROUNDS OF CHESTFIELD GOLF CLUB PASSING BY PLENTY OF MANAGED WOODLAND AND SEMI NATURAL PLANTING.
Leaving Radfall recreation ground, you’ ll walk towards Chestfield Road following an ancient right of way marked by a blasted oak; a stone white, 15-foot-high tree stump destroyed by lightning over 30 years ago.
Continue under the Thanet Way Bridge taking care along this busy stretch of road before picking up a track that runs alongside the Thanet Way. You will enter Chestfield Golf Club, with its undulating fairways, greens and magnificent views, taking the field side path passing a belt of trees.
You’ ll climb up a fairly steep hill at this point but the great views of the village at the top makes the climb worthwhile. You’ ll be able to see right out to sea on a clear day so be sure to bring your camera.
Following the woodland path, you will walk over the Thanet Way Tunnel, the landscaped roof providing a perfect example of shallow earth planting. Continue straight on, following The Drove until you come to a wonderful white finger posted crossroads.
Looking to your left you will see an ancient manor house. The daughter of St Thomas More, who was councillor to Henry VIII and Lord High Chancellor of England until 16th May 1532 lived here. His daughter, Margaret, was the daughter of Alice Middleton, his second wife. Margaret was the only member of More’ s family who witnessed his execution in July 1532. Margaret recovered his head following the execution, reputedly burying it in the manor gardens. It has never been discovered.
As you leave the crossroads, look at the ancient houses including an old Tythe Barn embellished with church materials and with a magnificent stone rose window.
You’ ll shortly join a long straight road; the environment here has been carefully managed to enable landscape walking in an urban environment. It includes hedging, wide grass verges and narrow paths with semi natural planting. You will also pass a large number of young trees that were planted in a special collaboration between the Parish Council and local residents. The council paid for trees if the residents provided the space in their gardens and planted the trees themselves with guidance from City Council horticulturalists.
Continue along a traffic-free bollarded road passing the rugby club and playing fields, follow the ridgeway past Sainsbury’ s and cross a footbridge over Swale brook to Grasmere Pastures. Continue through the pastures, over two more footbridges, and you’ ll enter a road which contains properties typical of the early development of Chestfield as a village. The road is unadopted and has individually constructed houses of very varied sizes built and rebuilt since the 1920s.
Continuing to Blackberry Way, you will see in complete contrast a modern unified development, landscaped with very different kinds of planting and leading down to open fields. Continue onwards past the cricket ground and Swale Brook, back to the recreation ground where you will reach the end of your walk.
This is a wonderful walk that takes in the history and heritage of Chestfield right up to the present day. It’ s a great walk if you want to keep active and with an outdoor gym on the village green you can finish your walk with a mini workout too!
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