Walks you can reach from Martin Mill by train
MapA day hike is just a simple train journey away — plan your next day of green.
Dover Priory to Deal (Kent)
8 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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.
Time: 5h30–11h
3 lunch spots: Saint Margarets Bay (3h–6h in) — the Pines Tea Room, or the bay kiosk; plus Walmer Castle and Gardens (3h–6h in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Port Arms, the Sir Norman Wisdom, or the Queen Street Tap
Warnings: Mobile may switch networks.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Walking Post (inc. GPX) and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).
Folkestone Central to Dover Priory (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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.
Time: 4h–8h30
1 lunch spot: Camping Café (1h–2h30 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).
Sandling to Folkestone Central (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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: 5h30–10h30
1 lunch spot: the Gatekeeper Inn (1h30–3h 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 Central Circular via Castle Hill (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
Highly recommended: Verdant coastal cliffs, rolling hills and suburban streets.
Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Coastal: three fifths along the coast.
Time: 5h–9h30
2 lunch spots: Capel-le-Ferne (3h–5h30 in) — Cliff Top Café, or the Royal Oak
7 end-of-walk rewards: the Royal George, the Harbour Inn, the Kipps' Alehouse, the Samuel Peto, the Pullman, the East Kent Arms, or the Lord Morris
Warnings: Begins, necessarily, with a lengthy suburban segment, but then becomes very beautiful and surprisingly quiet. Particularly lovely on the walk along the cliffs east of Folkestone, where there are also a number of lunch spot choices. The narrow overgrown paths are best. But note that there is a LOT of steep ascents and descents on this walk.
Source: Trains2Green.
Ramsgate to Margate (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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).
Pluckley to Ashford International (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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).
Sandwich to Deal (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
Broadstairs to Sandwich (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
Canterbury East to Sandwich (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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.
Ashford International to Chartham (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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)
30 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
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.
Ham Street to Ashford International (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Martin Mill.
A short walk with lots of twists and turns before joining the Greensand Way, which is quite overgrown and leading into Ashford. The overgrown sections create accessibility issues. Follows the Greensand Way. A former large deviation near the end is no longer necessary thanks to a new pedestrian route.
Time: 3h30–7h
Walk details: Slow Ways.