Walks from Sittingbourne
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Sittingbourne Station.
Alternatively, view walks you can reach directly from Sittingbourne by train.
Sittingbourne to Faversham
Gillingham to Sittingbourne
Recommended: Lovely views out over the marshes. A lovely, varied route through woods, fields, gentle hills, orchards and a river estuary, with small sections of mostly safe road walking. The first half is farmland over very gentle hills; the second follows the Medway estuary on the England Coast Trail, with lovely views over the marshes and mudflats. Quite a lot of tarmac and with some muddy parts and slanted cycle gates. The estuary section is on the England Coast Trail. Optional detour along a causeway to 'Horrid Hill'. Break points at Borden, Newington, Rainham, Riverside Country Park and the Strand leisure area.
Time: 5h30–11h
Lunch: Break points with pubs/shops at Borden, Newington and Rainham; cafes and toilets at Riverside Country Park and the Strand.
Warnings: Steps, stiles and gates throughout, plus slanted cycle gates along the estuary. A field path beyond Newington was not reinstated across crops. Care crossing main roads.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Sittingbourne to Queenborough
About 40% off-road on field footpaths, very flat with a few gentle slopes and plus the coastal path on Sheppey and a maze-like path through an orchard. Fields can be soggy or sticky in wet weather but passable; there are kissing gates. Uses the newly opened England Coast Path between Kingsferry Bridge and Rushenden; good views over the Swale from Kingsferry Bridge, where you may see the bridge lift for shipping.
Time: 3h30–7h
Warnings: Follows a busy road for a quarter of the walk. A fair bit of unavoidable road walking on the Isle of Sheppey, some without pavement; a large pool of deep water can block the official England Coast Path entrance north of Rushenden; beware splintered wooden step covers on the coastal section.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Lenham to Sittingbourne
A marginally shorter, more off-road route via Bexon and Bottom Pond. Includes a short and apparently permissive path down the side of an orchard. No shops or scheduled buses on the route. There are no shops or scheduled buses on the route. A tearoom at the Bredgar model railway site was recommended (check opening hours).
Time: 4h30–8h30
Lunch: A tearoom at the Bredgar model railway site is on the route (check opening hours); otherwise no shops or scheduled buses.
Warnings: The permissive orchard-side path between Bloody Mary Lane and Stratton Street may not work out; carry an OS map for nearby alternatives. Lenham station is not near the village-centre start point.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
