Walks from Canterbury

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.

GPX

Moderate

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Canterbury Circular via Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve

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).

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Chartham to Canterbury

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).

GPX

Moderate

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Whitstable to Canterbury

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

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

Walk details: Slow Ways.

GPX

Moderate

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Canterbury to Sandwich

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: 7h30 (6h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Walk details: Slow Ways.

GPX

Gentle

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Canterbury to Herne Bay

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

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.

GPX

Moderate

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Canterbury to Minster

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: 7h30 (6h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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.

GPX

Moderate

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