Walks you can reach from Stratford 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 (3h30 in)

Knights Templar Church Ruins (3h45 in)

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

1 lunch spot: Camping Café (1h15 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 (30m in).

South Foreland Lighthouse (National Trust; 45m in)

The White Cliffs of Dover (National Trust; 1h in)

Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)

4 lunch spots: Saint Margarets Bay (2h15 in) — the Coastguard (excellent), the Pines Tea Room, or the bay kiosk; plus Walmer Castle and Gardens (4h30 in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the King's Head

Warnings: Relatively busy.

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: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

1 lunch spot: the Gatekeeper Inn (1h30 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

Chilham (15m in)

Canterbury Cathedral (2h45 in)

Canterbury (2h45 in)

Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: Chilham (30m in) — the Chilham Square, or the Star Inn

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Monument, the Unicorn Inn, the West Gate Inn, the Carpenters Arms, or the Old Buttermarket

Warnings: A fifth urban.

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

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: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: Capel-le-Ferne (2h45 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.

Recommended: Really beautiful woodland segments and occasional idyllic countryside vistas. The first segment, closest to Faversham, isn't great due to a busy road, but very quiet beyond that. Quiet and isolated.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Faversham: Very picturesque medieval market town with many interesting shops and historic sites.

Canterbury Cathedral (5h in)

Canterbury (5h in)

Time: 7h (5h walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)

Lunch: No lunch venues en route. There's a playground with picnic tables at Chartham Hatch that makes a good stop for a packed lunch.

7 end-of-walk rewards: the Black Griffin, the Lady Luck, the Old Weaver Restaurant, Marlowe's, the Drapers Arms, the Old Buttermarket, or the Shakespeare

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: Slow Ways.

Flat Kent countryside, arable fields, woods, ancient villages, oast houses, polytunnel farms and riverside.

Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

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

Flat river floodplain, gravel-pit lakes, water meadows, country park sculptures, farmland and a market town.

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Flat river floodplain, towpaths, water meadows, lakeside paths, woodland strips, farmland fields and open parkland.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Urban green spaces, canal towpath, river Thames towpath, parks, gardens and suburban streets.

Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Hilly Essex countryside, ancient and modern woods, flower-rich meadows, farmland, panoramic Thames Estuary views and conservation village.

Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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