North Downs Way

OVERVIEW

The North Downs Way doesn't quite have the drama or splendor of National Trails such as the Pennine Way, but it is the one that I most feel the urge to come back and walk again. There is a peaceful and charming side to walking this trail that reminds you of an older England, whilst also making you very aware of how much some parts have changed. It is not the most dramatic of trails, but despite some road noise, it is very relaxing.

As a trail to walk continuously you benefit from a lot of convenience as you pass a lot of large towns and villages, whilst still getting a real feel of having been on an adventure. And unless you are on a budget, there is no need to camp!

The downside of the trail is definitely the motorways - and there are a few of those to overcome along the way - but this route is after all an ancient transportation route, and so maybe it is fitting that the trail gets disrupted in this way.

As you walk along the trail you will get a real feeling of being an ancient traveler, walking town to town, passing churches, cathedrals, ancient monuments - and of course the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone.

It is a juxtaposition of a route that takes in hills, woods, beautiful countryside, ancient buildings, motorways, towns, villages and high speed railways - an older England hidden behind the stain of modernity.

The North Downs Way is officially 153 miles long and I measured out 153.8 miles and 16,669 feet of ascent whilst actually on the trail (and not including any sections walked twice). But since I you can't levitate from the path to food and accommodation my actual mileage increased to 171.8 miles, with 18,225 feet of ascent (plus a bit more as I didn't include some of the walks out for food and an explore in the evenings).

Although the route is fairly flat this still amounts to about 3.5 miles of climbing along the whole length of the trail - but that climbing is fairly well spread across the length of the trail. 

It's an easy trail to walk, and one I have immensely enjoyed walking. To get a feel for what the countryside used to look like, enjoy this video from 1956 (assuming the link to YouTube still exists at your time of reading) :

PRACTICALITIES

This is one of the easier National Trails to plan as there are lots of places to stay along the way - and if you are doing day walks along the trail there is public transport at convenient distances along the trail.

The end points at both Farnham and Dover have train stations - and then heading west to east you have trains stations at Guildford, Gomshall, Westhumble, Betchworth, Reigate, Merstham, Oxted, Otford, Halling, Cuxton, Rochester, Bearstead, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham, Charing, Wye, Chilham, Chartham, Canterbury, Bekesbourne, Snowdon, Shepherds Well, Dover and Folkestone. 

I opted against doing the trail in one go, and instead covered it over three separate walks, splitting the walk up at Rochester and Dover. These are easy split points as St Pancras to Rochester is 37 minutes on HS1, whilst Dover is 69 minutes along the same route.

I did enjoy the walk through Rochester, but you could skip this by traveling down to Strood (just before Rochester), and then changing and taking the train to Cuxton. This reduces the amount of off-trail walking, but does mean you miss Rochester.

In the evenings, I tended to make use of public transport to head into town, and whilst this takes you away from the pretty little villages, it makes getting food and accommodation easier - and it allowed me to get a feel for the towns I was passing on the trail. There were places to stay that were on the trail, although food becomes slightly more complex taking this approach, as the villages do not have too many shops.

STAGES

Farnham to Guildford (★★★☆☆)

From Farnham the North Downs Way gets off to a low key start by the side of a busy road - and from here it heads off to follow the course of the River Wey. After crossing some fields there is some road walking to do beyond Runfold - but as this road section comes to an end the walk improves.

From here we head on past fruit farms, by the village of Seale - and then on across scrubland to Puttenham, which is a pretty village in an old English style. After crossing a busy road we head across Puttenham Heath (through the golf course), and then on through the fields towards Guildford.

At the River Wey we can either turn up to head towards Guildford (for accommodation) or cross over and head through Shalford Park, and along the edge of the Chantries to cut up into Guildford via the Mile Path and Pewley Downs (again for accommodation). I prefer the second route into Guildford.

Going up via Pewley Downs the walk totaled 14.9 miles (of which 12.2 miles were on the North Downs Way). Total ascent was a bit over one thousand feet (west to east) on a relatively flat day.

Guildford to Merstham (★★★★☆)

Rejoining the trail from Guildford, the route heads out of the Chantries, and climbs up over St Martha's Hill - where a pretty church and fabulous views can be found. The route then heads down the far side of the hill, and turns left to head up to Newlands Corners.

If you aren't fussed about following the official route, a better route from St Martha's is to continue on along the footpath from St Martha's, heading to Shere and cutting across to Abinger Hammer on local footpaths (and up to Hackhurst Downs to rejoin the North Downs Way). This skips the views at Newlands Corner, but is a nicer walk overall.

From Newlands Corner, the official route has a long wooded section through to Hackhurst Downs - and then there is a lovely section along the ridge, with views out across the countryside below. At Pickett's Hole the path heads back into the woods until a viewpoint at Ranmore Common.

From here the route heads up past Ranmore Church to the ridge above Denbies vineyard, and then crosses a busy road to climb up steps to Box Hill. From here the path drops off the ridge through the woods, heads briefly along a road, and then goes through a quiet wooded section along the base of the ridge.

Then the path climbs up the ridge and begins another pretty section at Cooley Hill - heading past Reigate Fort to Gatton Hill, and then past Gatton Hall School to Merstham. This amounted to 23.0 miles of walking (of which 20.3 were on the North Downs Way) and two and a half thousand feet of ascent (west to east).

Merstham to Otford (★★★☆☆)

The walk out of Merstham gets off to a bit of a weak start with a double motorway crossing, but then heads across fields and lanes higher up on the ridge. After crossing the A22, the path drops down into prettier countryside - but has to share the countryside with the M25 as it runs close by. This is a very pretty section of the trail, however, and this prettier stretch continues until Titsey Place.

After this the route generally tracks higher up on the ridge again, with a lot of wooded section, but with another particularly pretty section coming as you head past Westerham.

From here the going is almost exclusively done higher on the ridge, walking through fields - and this is a quiet section, before coming back down off the ridge ahead of a crossing for M25. This is followed by a short road section, a stretch through the fields, and then a walk through Otford to the station.

Between the two stations the walk was 19.6 miles with around two and a quarter thousand feet of ascent (west to east). The stations are as good as on the trail.

Otford to Rochester (★★★★☆)

The train station at Otford provides direct access straight onto the North Downs Way - and then there is a very pretty section heading past Kemsing and Otford Manor. That pretty stretch continues on round to the village of Wrotham.

From Wrotham the M20 has to be crossed, and then there is a less enjoyable road section - before you reach Trosley Country Park. From here the path dips down along an attractive stretch of countryside (very typical for the downs), before cutting up through woods to pass Cuxton and Ranscombe Farm Reserve. From here there is the slightly unenjoyable Medway bridge crossing to tick off, before you reach the outskirts of Rochester.

I used Rochester as a start and end point so didn't actually stay over in Rochester. There is a Premier Inn that is very close to the trail just before the River Medway crossing, but this in an industrial estate and out of town. Otherwise it is a 2 mile walk into Rochester itself, where you get to see the town, castle and cathedral - and in my opinion it is worth making the extra effort to stay over in town.

Between Otford and Rochester train stations the walk was 19.0 miles (of which 17.1 miles was spent on the North Downs Way). The walk included a bit under two and a half thousand feet of ascent (west to east).

Rochester to Harrietsham (★★★★☆)

This section heads out from Rochester across the fields, and then passes the ancient monument at Kit's Coty - which dates back to 4000BCE. From here the path continues on through Westfield Wood to Detling. The highlight of the day comes with the stretch from Detling round to Hollingbourne, and then on to the train station at Harrietsham. I opted to stay over in Ashford, but you can stay in Hollingbourne or Lenham and remain on the trail.

From Rochester train station to Harrietsham train station, the walk totaled 19.2 miles of walking, of which 16.7 miles was spent on the North Downs Way itself. The walk included around two and a half thousand feet of ascent.

Harrietsham to Canterbury (★★★★☆)

Continuing on from Harrietsham along the Pilgrim's Way trackway - the path tracks the valley heading on past Lenham and Charing, turning left at Broughton Lees and heading up through King's Wood, through Chilham, Chartham Hatch and past an iron age fort at Bigbury Camp to Canterbury.

Bigbury Camp is believed to have been a key site of Caesar's second invasion of England, whilst Eastwood Manor is the former home of Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria.

The North Downs Way heads straight through the centre of Canterbury, passing the Cathedral - with the city offering a very straight-forward spot to stop off for the night.

The walking totaled 24.6 miles (of which 23.8 miles were on the North Downs Way itself). Total ascent was a bit under two thousand feet.

Canterbury to Dover (★★★☆☆)

The section running down from Canterbury to Dover has no dramatic ridges or rolling countryside and instead the day is spent walking the fields of Kent, and passing through small villages on the way. 

This eventually takes you down to the port town of Dover - where there is the opportunity to head down to the seaside to reach the official end point of the North Downs Way, and views out across to Dover Castle (which looms above Dover on a ridge).

The walking on this day totaled 19.2 miles (of which 18.9 were on the North Downs Way). Total ascent was a bit under one and a half thousand feet.

Dover to Folkestone (★★★★☆)

This is a shorter section, heading out from Dover over the top of Western Heights, where the path heads round a Napoleon-era fort, and on past a Knights Templar church - before climbing up Shakespeare Cliffs.

From here the path heads along the bumpy coastline round to Folkestone, taking in Samphire Hoe Country Park, rolling hills and the Battle of Britain Memorial Park on the way (home to replica Hurricane and Spitfire planes).

From here the path leave the coast and heads west along the ridge line overlooking Folkestone - passing Sugarloaf Hill, heading over Round Hill and heading over Ceasar's Camp.

The walking on this section totaled 9.1 miles (of which 8.4 miles were on the North Downs Way). The total ascent was a bit under one and a half thousand feet.

Fokestone to Boughton Lees (★★★★☆)

From Folkestone the path heads out along a ridge passing above the Channel Tunnel terminal, before cutting away to head across farmland. What follows is a quiet section of walking that jumps between different ridge lines, passing by small villages - of which Postling is the most memorable.

From Postling the path continues along a bumpy route to Farthing Common, where it meets up with Stone Street roman road - and then cuts down off the ridge, and through Stowting Court.

From here the route once again gains height and cuts along a new ridge to the beautiful Broad Downs near Wye. Then it continues across to Wye Crown, before dropping down into Wye itself. Finally the path cuts across the fields once again to Boughton Lees.

Including the additional distance to get to Charing train station this day included 23.2 miles of walking (of which 16.8 miles were walked on the North Downs Way to the split point at Boughton Lees). The day included two and a half thousand feet of ascent - although this drops to just over one and half thousand feet only going as far as Boughton Lees.