Best walks near Ashford International by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Ashford International and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Ashford International.
Margate to Broadstairs (Kent)
45 minutes direct from Ashford International.
Beginner-friendly: Just keep the sea on your left and follow it to Broadstairs.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Broadstairs (2h45 in)
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
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.
Sevenoaks Circular via Ightham Mote (Kent)
45 minutes direct from Ashford International.
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 (45m in).
The Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio (National Trust; 45m in)
Knole Park (National Trust; 45m in)
One Tree Hill (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 (2h15 in).
Deer in Kent Downs National Landscape (National Trust; 3h45 in)
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Ightham Mote café (2h15 in; not bad), or the Bucks Head (3h30 in)
Warnings: Some mud inevitable.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Otford Circular via Shoreham (Kent)
1 hour direct from Ashford International.
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)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h15 in) — the Samuel Palmer (Plenty of seating, including outdoors; excellent), the Kings Arms, or the Mount Vineyard
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Penshurst Circular via Chiddingstone (Kent)
45 minutes from Ashford International, with one change.
Highly recommended: Stately home.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Chiddingstone Village (National Trust; 45m in)
Penshurst Place (2h in)
Chiddingstone (National Trust; 45m in)
Penshurst (2h in)
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
4 lunch spots: Chiddingstone (45m 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).
Tunbridge Wells Circular via Groombridge (Kent)
45 minutes from Ashford International, with one change.
Highly recommended: Escarpments.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 8h (6h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
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.
Wadhurst Circular via Bewl Water (Sussex)
1 hour from Ashford International, with one change.
Highly recommended: Quiet fields and country lanes running through rolling wooded hills. Mostly secluded.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Wadhurst: Quaint little village (1h45 in).
Bewl Water: An aqua park, and the largest body of water in South East England.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Old Vine (1h30 in; excellent), or La Petite France (3h45 in)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Charing to Chilham (Kent)
8 minutes direct from Ashford International.
Highly recommended
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Canterbury (4h15 in)
Chilham (4h15 in)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
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).
Sandling to Folkestone (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Ashford International.
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.
Folkestone to Dover Priory (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Ashford International.
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).
Chilham to Canterbury (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Ashford International.
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.
Dover Priory to Deal (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Ashford International.
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).
Winchelsea to Hastings (Sussex)
30 minutes direct from Ashford International.
Highly recommended
Coastal: three quarters along the coast.
Hastings (3h45 in)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the New Beach Club (1h30 in), or the Cove (2h in)
8 end-of-walk rewards: the Jolly Fisherman, the Lord Nelson, the Royal Standard, the London Trader, the Hastings Arms, Ye Olde Pumphouse, the Cutter, or the Albion
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.