North Downs Way (★★★★☆) - Surrey Hills / Kent Downs
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 here!
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.
It's an easy trail to walk, and one I have immensely enjoyed walking.
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 Farnham and Dover both 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 adds a lot of modernity to the walk, it makes getting food and accommodation incredibly easy - 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 (★★★☆☆)
Guildford to Merstham (★★★★☆)
Merstham to Otford (★★★★☆)
Otford to Rochester (★★★★☆)
I used Rochester as a start and end point so didn't stay over in Rochester. There is a Premier Inn that is very close to the trail just before the River Medway crossing, although this in an industrial estate and out of town. Otherwise it is a 2 mile walk into Rochester itself, which does mean you get to see the town, castle and cathedral - although it is another 2 miles walking to head back out of town. The walk through town is pleasant enough and the town is lovely.
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 - but 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 (★★★★☆)
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 spent on the North Downs Way itself). Total ascent was a bit under two thousand feet.
Canterbury to Dover (★★★☆☆)
Dover to Folkestone (★★★★☆)
Fokestone to Boughton Lees (★★★★☆)
THE TRAIL
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