Walks you can reach from Stratford International by train

Highly recommended: Coastal cliffs, chalk downland, sea defences, wild landslip area, wartime installations, ridge between valley and sea and town crossing.

Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Coastal: four fifths along the coast.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Western Heights

Knights Templar Church Ruins

Time: 4h–8h30

1 lunch spot: Camping Café (1h–2h30 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Malvern, or the Priory Hotel

Warnings: Cracked sea defences.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Reverse direction: Railwalks (inc. GPX).

Highly recommended: Clifftop chalk paths, two significant climbs, level pebble beach coastpath, open sea views and historic town.

Coastal: almost all along the coast.

Dover Castle: A vast medieval fortress overlooking the port and the Channel to France.

Time: 5h30–11h

3 lunch spots: Saint Margarets Bay (3h–6h in) — the Pines Tea Room, or the bay kiosk; plus Walmer Castle and Gardens (3h–6h in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Port Arms, the Sir Norman Wisdom, or the Queen Street Tap

Warnings: Mobile may switch networks.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Walking Post (inc. GPX) and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Reverse direction: Railwalks (inc. GPX).

Highly recommended: Chalky escarpment ridge, steep climbs, open downland with Channel views, cliff top promenade, shingle beach and historic harbour.

Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Time: 5h30–10h30

1 lunch spot: the Gatekeeper Inn (1h30–3h in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: Valiant Sailor, the Lord Morris, or the Park Inn

Warnings: Steep climbs near start.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Verdant coastal cliffs, rolling hills and suburban streets.

Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Coastal: three fifths along the coast.

Time: 5h–9h30

2 lunch spots: Capel-le-Ferne (3h–5h30 in) — Cliff Top Café, or the Royal Oak

7 end-of-walk rewards: the Royal George, the Harbour Inn, the Kipps' Alehouse, the Samuel Peto, the Pullman, the East Kent Arms, or the Lord Morris

Warnings: Begins, necessarily, with a lengthy suburban segment, but then becomes very beautiful and surprisingly quiet. Particularly lovely on the walk along the cliffs east of Folkestone, where there are also a number of lunch spot choices. The narrow overgrown paths are best. But note that there is a LOT of steep ascents and descents on this walk.

Source: Trains2Green.

Flat marshland, creek embankments, farm fields, quiet country lanes, woodland and tidal waterways.

Time: 4h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Dickensian Kent and the Medway: Rochester's cathedral and castle, then Ranscombe Farm and Cobham Park to Sole Street.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

The Rochester Cathedral: England's second-oldest cathedral, founded in 604, in the heart of Rochester.

The Rochester Castle: A Norman castle beside the Medway with one of the tallest surviving keeps in England.

The Ranscombe Farm Reserve: A nature reserve near Rochester protecting rare arable wildflowers on the Kent downs.

The Cobham Park: A landscaped Repton parkland surrounding Cobham Hall, with the Darnley Mausoleum.

Time: 3h30–7h

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Easy coastal walk, flat terrain, seaside villages and open shoreline.

Coastal: three quarters along the coast.

Time: 3h30–7h30

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Similar walks: Railwalks (inc. GPX) and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Flat estuary landscape, gravel tracks, grassy paths, marshes, open water, mud flats, RSPB reserve, industrial heritage and big skies.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Pastures, orchards, woods, commons, bogs, parkland estate and riverside parks into a town centre.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Apple orchards, a chalk stream and a cathedral, along the River Stour and the North Downs Way past No Man's Orchard into Canterbury.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

No Man's Orchard: A community orchard of mature fruit trees alongside the North Downs Way.

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury

Time: 3h–6h

Warnings: Orchard paths can be muddy; busy road section on the A28.

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Flat orchards and fruit farms, tidal river seawall, coastal creeks, mudflats, salt marshes, drainage ditches, dykes, windswept grazing marshes and historic market town streets.

Time: 5h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Recommended: A route of two halves: a quiet way through Gravesend on residential streets, small parks and a green lane, then around 70% off-road through wide open fields and woodland and small lanes towards Sole Street. Easy-going paths; a steep lane in places. Around 70% off-road overall. Almost follows the Weald Way long-distance route between the petrol station and Sole Street. Passes alongside the Cyclopark, a linear country park. Bluebells in the small woodlands in season.

Time: 2h30–5h

Lunch: A Morrisons with a cafe and toilets at the edge of Gravesend, plus a small petrol station; a pub and a tiny shop at Sole Street.

Warnings: White Post Lane requires a 20m stretch of road walking; take care.

Walk details: Slow Ways.