Best walks in Kent by train

Beginner-friendly: Just keep the sea on your left and follow it to Broadstairs.

Coastal: almost all along the coast.

Margate

Broadstairs (2h45 in)

1 lunch spot: the Captain Digby (1h30 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Tartar Frigate, the Neptune's Hall, Siam Kitchen, the Magnet Micropub, or the Prince Albert

Warnings: Very popular and busy.

Adapted from: Railwalks.

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Highly recommended: Pleasantly rolling hills and dales, fields and vales, oast houses and hay bails. Beautiful expansive views to the South, which make you appreciate well preserved the wooded hills of the Kent Downs are. Wandering through Knole Park is idyllic, especially toward the evening when the humans are gone and the deer are in force. Mostly secluded.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself (National Trust; 45 mins in; 3h to visit).

Knole Park (National Trust; 45 mins in; 3h to visit)

One Tree Hill: A beautiful slice of Kent countryside (National Trust; 1h30 in).

Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (National Trust; 2h15 in; 2h30 to visit).

Deer in Kent Downs National Landscape (National Trust; 3h45 in; 3h to visit)

3 lunch spots: Knole House café (45 mins in), Ightham Mote café (2h15 in), or the Bucks Head (3h30 in)

Warnings: Some mud inevitable.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Quiet country lanes, meadows, rolling wooded hills, and two very attractive villages.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Shoreham (1h30 in)

Otford (3h30 in)

3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h15 in) — the Samuel Palmer (plenty of seating, including outdoors), the Kings Arms, or the Mount Vineyard

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Crown, the Bull, or the Woodman

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Escarpments.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

2 lunch spots: Frant (1h30 in) — the Abergavenny Arms, or the George

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Crown Inn, the High Rocks, or the Pantiles

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

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Secluded valleys, chalk downland ridges, ancient woodland, golf course, chalk grassland nature reserves, riverside paths and farmland.

Shoreham (45 mins in)

Otford

3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h30 in) — the Samuel Palmer (plenty of seating, including outdoors), the Honey Pot, or the Kings Arms

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Castle Hotel, the Five Bells, or the Malt Shovel

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Stately home.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Chiddingstone Village: One of the most beautiful and oldest villages in Kent (National Trust; 45 mins in; 30 mins to visit).

Penshurst Place (2h in)

Chiddingstone: One of the most beautiful and oldest villages in Kent (National Trust; 45 mins in; 30 mins to visit).

Penshurst (2h in)

4 lunch spots: Chiddingstone (45 mins in) — the Tulip Tree, or the Castle Inn; Penshurst (2h in) — the Leicester Arms Pub, or Penshurst Place café

1 end-of-walk reward: the Little Brown Jug

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

Highly recommended: Greensand hills, apple orchards, woodland paths, streams, deer park, open parkland and historic manor grounds. Mostly secluded.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (National Trust; 2h in; 2h30 to visit).

One Tree Hill: A beautiful slice of Kent countryside (National Trust; 2h45 in).

Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself (National Trust; 3h30 in; 3h to visit).

Knole Park (National Trust; 3h to visit)

3 lunch spots: the Plough (45 mins in), Ightham Mote café (2h in), or Knole House café (3h30 in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Chequers, the Restoration, or the Sennockian

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

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)

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 (30 mins in).

South Foreland Lighthouse: Striking and historical lighthouse high on The White Cliffs of Dover (National Trust; 45 mins in).

The White Cliffs of Dover: Magnificent coastal site overlooking the English Channel (National Trust; 1h in).

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

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Canterbury (4h15 in)

Chilham (4h15 in)

2 lunch spots: the Flying Horse (1h45 in), or Perry Court Tea Room (2h15 in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Chilham Square, the White Horse, Chilham, or the Woolpack Inn, Chilham

Warnings: Penultimate section of the Pilgrim's Way to Canterbury.

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

Highly recommended: Undulating Kent farmland, orchards, bluebell woods, greensand escarpment and deer park.

Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (National Trust; 3h30 in; 2h30 to visit).

One Tree Hill: A beautiful slice of Kent countryside (National Trust; 4h15 in).

Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself (National Trust; 5h in; 3h to visit).

4 lunch spots: the Swan on the Green (1h30 in), the Kentish Rifleman (2h30 in), Ightham Mote café (3h30 in), or Knole House café (5h in)

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

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.

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.