Walks from Canterbury East

Highly recommended

Chilham

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury

Time: 3h–6h

2 lunch spots: Chilham (30m–1h 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.

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

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

Recommended: Mostly tarmac or hard-packed gravel, largely traffic-free and following the Crab and Winkle Way cycle path with a few steps and good bridges over the road. A delightful final stretch alongside the Great Stour through Westgate Gardens into Canterbury. Follows the Crab and Winkle Way; services at Blean can be reached via alternative routes. There is a seat at a church en route for a rest or picnic.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

Time: 3h–6h30

Warnings: One road crossing near the Canterbury end needs more care.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Pleasant, green and fairly quiet out of Canterbury, with a footpath shadowing the A257; flat and easy. Almost entirely footpath after Black Pond Farm into Sandwich and but with a longish stretch on a B-road (Fleming Road) with regular traffic.

Time: 6h–11h30

Warnings: Includes a longish stretch of walking on a B-category road (Fleming Road) with regular traffic.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Some really spectacular views; takes in some of the best countryside north Kent has to offer. A straightforward, almost entirely off-road route with a good mix of woodland, farmland and golf course. Easy to follow and not too challenging, though it can become very boggy near the river in autumn and winter and a few woodland sections get overgrown with nettles in summer. Golden Hill makes a nice stopping place with great views.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 5h–10h

End-of-walk reward: Plenty of places to eat and drink around the Buttermarket in Canterbury.

Warnings: Some felled trees across woodland paths, and a footpath between Horselees Road and Dunkirk Road at Boughton under Blean was very overgrown with stinging nettles. The downloaded track uses straight lines that do not match the paths in places, notably at Rheims Way where you should use the underpass.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Lovely views across the fields. A largely off-road walk through residential and developing areas, ancient woodland and open undulating farmland, making good use of existing trails. Field paths are sometimes faint or ploughed over and can be muddy and with a section along a main road. The start and finish stations are not on the same line, so it is best to return by local bus or to retrace your steps.

Time: 3h30–7h

Warnings: Canterbury Road around Herne Common (the A291) is large and busy, with a narrow pavement next to fast traffic. The A299 underpass can flood after heavy rain. Building works near The Fairways may block parts of the route.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Some beautiful areas, very pretty. An almost entirely flat, off-road route following the River Stour and the Stour Valley Walk on well-trodden, well-maintained paths, much of it through reclaimed land and a nature reserve. Some parts are overgrown with nettles and the riverside path beyond Plucks Gutter requires pushing through. Much of the route follows the River Stour and the Stour Valley Walk, passing through the Stodmarsh nature reserve; some gates there are not suitable for bikes. Rail service back to Canterbury from Minster.

Time: 6h–11h30

Warnings: Some sections are overgrown with nettles, so trousers are recommended. Ensure you cross to the north side of the river at Plucks Gutter, as there is no crossing point at Minster.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Flat Kent countryside, arable fields, woods, ancient villages and riverside near Fordwich.

Source: A shorter variant of Canterbury Circular via Bekesbourne and Sturry – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat Kent countryside, arable fields, woods, ancient villages and riverside.

Source: A variant of Canterbury Circular via Bekesbourne and Sturry – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat Kent countryside, woods, arable fields, ancient villages and riverside.

Source: A variant of Canterbury Circular via Bekesbourne and Sturry – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).