Walks you can reach from Canterbury West by train
MapA day hike is just a simple train journey away — plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Canterbury West.
Margate to Broadstairs (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Beginner-friendly: Just keep the sea on your left and follow it to Broadstairs.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Time: 3h–6h
1 lunch spot: the Captain Digby (1h30–3h 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.
Charing to Chilham (Kent)
9 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Highly recommended
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 4h30–9h
2 lunch spots: the Flying Horse (2h–3h30 in), or Perry Court Tea Room (2h–3h30 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).
Ramsgate to Margate (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Recommended: Low chalk cliffs, sandy bays and coves, cliff-top grassland, seaside promenades and historic coastal towns.
Coastal: nine tenths along the coast.
Kingsgate Bay: A chalk-cliff cove on the Thanet coast near Broadstairs, framed by a natural sea arch.
Time: 4h30–9h
2 lunch spots: the Royal Victoria Pavilion (30m–1h30 in), or Forts Café (1h30–3h30 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Mechanical Elephant, or the Cinque Ports
Warnings: Very popular and busy. Check tide timings.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Walking Post (inc. GPX).
Chilham Circular via Chilham (Kent)
9 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Downland escarpment, upland fields, woods, bluebell woods, country estate and a hilltop village.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Sandling to Wye (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
North Downs escarpment ridge, open downland, woods, sloping fields and fine views over Kent coast.
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Wye Circular via Crown Memorial (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
North Downs escarpments, chalk downland, beech and chestnut woods, open fields, riverbank along Great Stour, churchyard and farmland.
Time: 5h
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Pluckley to Ashford International (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
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).
Herne Bay to Margate (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Recommended: Great views of sea. A flat, easy-to-follow coastal walk on a largely concrete path beside the sea and with around 2 km on grass and some steps. Accessible to wheels along much of its length. Follows the Oyster Bay Trail and Saxon Shore Way. There is a section along a road near Westgate-on-Sea.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Time: 5h–10h30
Lunch: Cafes and toilets en route.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Minster to Margate (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
A fairly easy walk through fields and a concrete footpath past an industrial estate and with some heavy-traffic road sections near Margate that have pavements. The field path at Garlinge can be inaccessible in late summer when there is a crop down. Look out for the Gatehouse at Dent-de-Lion from the path. The route officially ends at the church, a short walk from Minster station.
Time: 2h–4h30
Warnings: A short section along Minster Road onto Shottendane Road has no pavement; the field edge is rough and walkable, but do not walk on the road itself as drivers speed along it. Crossing Minster Road can be scary at rush hour.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Broadstairs to Sandwich (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Ashford International to Chartham (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
Good views of the North Downs and Wye Crown. Flat, easy walking that largely follows the Stour Valley through the flood plain, on field paths and tracks through arable land, pasture and woodland, with some lane walking. A stile, several kissing gates and uneven woodland ground and a couple of steep paths restrict access for some. Can be very waterlogged in wet spells. Follows much of the Stour Valley Walk via Wye, Crundale, Godmersham and Chilham. Can be split at Wye, Chilham or Chartham, which all have stations with an hourly service.
Time: 6h30–12h30
Lunch: Pubs and toilets at Wye, Chilham and Chartham; food stores at Ashford and Wye.
Warnings: Navigation across the large, flat fields south of Wye can be difficult when a new crop has germinated and no path has been worn. A couple of fallen trees have required temporary diversions.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Ashford International to Faversham (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Canterbury West.
A long walk with about a mile less road walking than the alternative, mostly on quiet lanes and footpaths and climbing to King's Wood with its sculptures. Some field-edge alternatives avoid problem paths. A short 40m stretch of A251 road walking near Boughton Aluph looks uncomfortable. Five sculptures in King's Wood are on the route. Possible break-out points by bus, train or pub at Kennington, Wye, Challock, Badlesmere, Leaveland, Sheldwich or Selling.
Time: 6h30–13h
Lunch: Pubs on the route at Kennington, Boughton Lees and Molash.
Warnings: There are 40 metres of road walking on the A251 near Boughton Aluph that looks a little uncomfortable; regular runners keep off the road using the adjacent field edge instead.
Walk details: Slow Ways.