Waypoint 51

North Downs Way

Henry Stedman
Daisy seated by wooden sculpture of

Shepherd Statue near Hollingbourne, Kent.

The North Downs Way

A surprisingly fascinating stroll through one of the country’s most populated corners

The North Downs Way: The Basics

WHERE IS THE PATH? From the heart of Surrey to the east Kent coast.

WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE NORTH DOWNS WAY? 136 miles (153 if the Alternative Route via Dover is included)

WHERE DOES THE NORTH DOWNS WAY START? Farnham, a fairly bustling, swanky market town in Surrey

AND WHERE DOES IT END? The historic, busy and rather run-down port of Dover.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO WALK THE NORTH DOWNS WAY?  Between 10-14 days

IS IT A NATIONAL TRAIL? Yes

HOW HARD IS THE NORTH DOWNS WAY? Pretty straightforward. The walking has the occasional incline but nothing to make you reach for the smelling salts, and there are plenty of settlements with shops and transport links en route should you need a break.

North Downs Way simple map

Introduction

Pilgrim statue, near Hollingbourne

“I can assure those townsfolk who send forth a cry that wild nature and scenery are becoming difficult to find, that any amount of both still exists, within a short railway ride from London.” Denham Jordan, author of On Surrey Hills.

The first thing one tends to remember about the North Downs Way is the motorways. The M25, M20 and M2 – the trail stalks them, hugs them, goes over, under and around them, and generally stays within earshot of them for many, many miles. And we haven’t even mentioned the A roads that can be just as huge and noisy in this crowded corner of the country. 

Now maybe I’m peculiar here, but I didn’t think this was necessarily a bad thing. I’m from round these parts (from Chatham, to be precise, not too far from the trail, and schooled in Rochester, which is very close). So I have travelled on these same roads many, many times; and each time I have looked out of the window at, to give just one example, the tree-topped ridge that runs alongside the M25, and I find myself thinking: I wonder what it’s like up there?

Well, this is the trail for doing just that: to explore what life is like in the quiet bits in between this web of motorways and A roads.

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It’s no coincidence that the North Downs Way is shadowed for much of its length by these major roads. Because for several millennia it was the major transport route between Dover on England’s eastern shore and the major trading and population centres of Canterbury, the Medway towns and on into Surrey. 

If you want to get an idea of just how important this route was, just look at the buildings that you can see along the way. No less than eight castles and three cathedrals lie on or just off the trail, not to mention several archbishops’ palaces (now, sadly, all in ruins), an assortment of WWII defences and one folly.

It is the cathedrals – and, in particular, Canterbury Cathedral, arguably the most important Christian building in England and certainly one of the oldest – that did much to popularise the trail that we now call the North Downs Way, as pilgrims flocked to the cathedral to pray at the tomb of Thomas Becket. Indeed, for much of its western half the North Downs Way follows the so-called ‘Old Road’, also known as the Pilgrim’s Way that worshippers followed from Winchester to Canterbury.

Now this may sound a bit pretentious but I actually felt this ‘spiritual significance’ as I was walking along. Maybe it was the chalk cross carved into the farmer’s field at Lenham, the pub names (the Dirty Habit pub in Hollingbourne being just one memorable example) or the wooden statues of pilgrims dotted along the trail. Whatever the reason, as I approached Canterbury it really did feel like I was on a pilgrimage myself, and I got a real sense that I was walking in the footsteps of thousands of others who had walked before me.

I’m really not particularly religious, but I still felt it. And I defy you not to feel it too. 

But there’s a lot more to this trail than holy men and hard shoulders. For this is a trail that is full of surprises. For one thing, I can’t think of a trail that has more woodland and forest on it than the NDW, particularly the first section in Surrey. 

Secondly, while the cathedrals along the way are sometimes jaw-dropping in their magnificence, I prefer something older even than these.  The prehistoric monuments along the trail, though often little more than a bunch of stones standing higgledy-piggledy in some corner of a field, are to me far more spellbinding. And sure, they may not be as impressive as the ancient stone circles on The Ridgeway, but they are no less enigmatic for that.

What is it about them that I, and so many other people, find so fascinating? Maybe it the sheer age of them that knocks me for six every time I visit one; maybe it’s the mystery of them, and the fact that we are still not 100% sure what they were used for, that I find beguiling. Or maybe it’s the fact that – to judge by the amount of ribbons, charms, bracelets and other knick-knacks adorning the surrounding trees – the stones still resonate with many people thousands of years later.

Or maybe it’s simply that the people who built them, while largely ignorant in matters architectural, did at least know the importance of location, and often chose lovely, peaceful places for their sites.

Whatever it is, the North Downs Way has some fine examples of prehistoric monuments, including the Coldrum Stones near Trottiscliffe, and Kit’s Coty and Little Kit’s Coty near Aylesford, and they are a real highlight of the trail.

So what’s the worst part of walk? Well, I didn’t particularly enjoy the day after Canterbury, the section that takes walkers to Dover and the end of the trek. There were some highlights but overall it just dribbles on a bit, and is a bit of a let-down when you consider the lovely scenery you encounter – a quintessential Kentish landscape of oast houses and orchards – on the way into Canterbury. 

But let’s concentrate on the highlights, because there are plenty, and we love the surprises this path regularly throws up. For example, how, at one point, you cross a country lane and are confronted by a large, overgrown folly, Whitehill Tower, before Oxted. Then there’s the chimney of an old lime kiln that suddenly emerges from the woods near Box Hill Village; the line of pillboxes on the Surrey Downs, strung along the escarpment like pearls on a necklace; the ducks living in a pond in the centre of a very busy roundabout in pretty Otford; and the stepping stones across the River Mole before the steep climb to Box Hill…. These little gems add so much character to the trail.

Furthermore, we also found the walking pretty straightforward, the gradients fairly untaxing (with the climb up to Box Hill by some distance the steepest) and the signage pretty good, particularly for such a little-used trail. 

But, I hear you ask, has the natural beauty of the North Downs Way been compromised by all these motorways? Not really, in my opinion. For one thing, the path actually takes you through two sizeable Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the Surrey Hills and North Kent AONBs. Furthermore, the roads, where they are visible, are often far enough away to render the noise of the traffic to a barely audible hum – a hum that serves to emphasise rather than detract from the sense of tranquillity at the top of the Downs.

And besides, if the traffic does put you off, just think of the flipside: the proximity of major roads means that transport along the way is, by the standards of the fifteen National Trails of England and Wales, fairly plentiful – allowing you a lot of flexibility when planning your trail.

So there you have it: a splendid two-week jaunt along the course of a spectacular geological feature, following a trail that’s replete with history, ancient buildings and beautiful scenery – and all within a short train ride from London. What, as the phrase goes, is not to like? I walked this path in 2017 – and I think it’s the one long-distance trail I want to visit more than any other. 

 

Is the North Downs Way for you?

 

Why you should...

St Martha’s, a Norman church near Guildford.

Who knew that Surrey, that land of stockbrokers and soccer players, was so full of trees. But much of the first few days of the walk are spent under the cover of a woodland canopy. There’s a little less once you get to the latter part of the trail, it must be owed, but I think there is more woodland on this path than any other trail I’ve done. It’s what distinguishes this trail from its near namesake the South Downs Way – the Downs there having been largely stripped of its woodland centuries ago. 

While much of the first half of the Way is made up of woodland, once you enter Kent you are in a land of orchards and crop fields. Fields of livestock are few. And yes, there are a lot of roads compared to other National Trails, but as long as your hound has some road-sense – or as long as you do, at least – then your dog should be able to enjoy a lot of time off the leash.

I think I encountered no more than half a dozen stiles in total on the entire North Downs Way. Instead, there were kissing gates – lots and lots of metal kissing gates, which are less aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, but easier to negotiate.

You would think that the Thames Path would be the most convenient National Trail for those living in the capital. But think again. True, the Thames Path does go right through the heart of the city, so the last thirty miles or so are easily accessible to Londoners. But at the other end of the trail, in the Cotswolds, it’s a different matter. Public transport is meagre, and you often find yourself having to travel to Swindon, Reading or Oxford to get transport back to London. The North Downs Way, on the other hand, is pretty much entirely located within the commuter belt and transport connections back to the Smoke are plentiful.

Despite its proximity to the capital, I don’t think I met more than half a dozen people tackling the North Downs Way. Those few people you do meet on the trail tend to be dog-walkers and day walkers.

This is a part of the ancient Pilgrim’s Way, after all, and dotted along the trail are several lovely little churches. St Martha’s in Surrey in particular springs to mind, though this is largely because of its isolated woodland location and terrific views. The delightfully isolated 13th-century All Saints Church at Boughton Aluph, before Canterbury, is also wonderfully cute and was built at least partly with the passing pilgrims in mind. Then there’s the ‘redundant’ All Saints Church at Waldershare Park with its magically overgrown cemetery, and the ruined Church of St Mary and its tranquil lakeside setting, the last resting place, so it is said, of Richard Plantagenet, an illegitimate son of Richard III (whose own resting place, of course, was until recently under a car park in Leicester). But there are also three whopping great cathedrals on (or just off) the trail, including at Guildford (modern), Rochester (the second oldest in England) and Canterbury (the oldest). It doesn’t matter if you’re a believer or not – all of these places are, in their own way, quite magical.

Along the North Downs Way you encounter three decent Neolithic (ie late Stone Age) monuments within a few miles of each other. Two of them – Coney Barrow and Kit’s Coty – are quite atmospheric and, dare I say it, powerful (the third, Little Kit’s Coty or the Countless Stones, is close to an electricity pylon and road and loses a little because of this). The ‘offerings’ – ribbons etc – decorating the trees surrounding Coney Barrow suggest I am not alone in thinking this.

Yes, I know it’s illegal in England but with official campsites in such short supply (see opposite), those who prefer to sleep under canvas have little choice but to wild camp (ie camp away from a recognised ‘official’ campsite). And there are plenty of woods and meadows where you can do so. I am not saying you should, of course, nor condoning anyone who does – but I’m just saying it’s very possible; and rather enjoyable.

...and why you shouldn't

Crossing the M25.

I know I spent much of the Introduction trying to persuade you that the many motorways and A-roads that cut across the route aren’t that obtrusive – and I meant it too, for most of the time the trail does a very good job of avoiding the traffic, dropping down to the tarmac only when absolutely necessary and diverting off it as soon as possible afterwards. But there are three short sections that spring to mind where ramblers and roads meet – and it’s not very pleasant.

The first and least pleasant of them all is the crossing of the Medway, which is where the Way shares the bridge with the M2. And though the first edition of the guide that I was updating said that crossing the bridge ‘was not as unpleasant as you might expect’, I beg to differ: it’s bl**dy awful, and thanks to his description, a great deal worse than I was led to believe it would be. Possibly the worst fifteen minutes of any National Trail? It’s certainly up there.

The other stretch that springs to mind is walking alongside the A24 just before Box Hill, where you have to walk alongside the road on rough grass for about 500m to a tunnel under the road, go through that, then walk 500m back again. That was God-awful too. 

The last occurs as you approach the crossing of the M25, where the North Downs Way insists you use a pavement-less Sundridge Lane to reach the bridge; in rush hour this short stretch can be absolutely terrifying. Thankfully, there is an alternative path on this occasion, which we point out in the book, which enables you to avoid risking your life.

Don’t let these stretches put you off walking the trail – it’s still lovely and most of the time any traffic noise is little more than a low, distant rumble. But do be warned – a lot of tarmac has been poured over this part of the country down the years. 

There really aren’t that many at all; indeed, I can think of only one official one that I stayed at, though the guide book I was updating says there are as many as eight (though most are a distance off the trail). One more reason why the North Downs Way is perhaps best for those Londoners who want to complete a trail over several separate day trips or those who don’t mind wild camping.

You may just be able to plan your trek so you can stay on the trail every night, but the fact of the matter is that many of the towns and villages where you can find B&Bs, pubs etc are not actually on the trail but a 20- to 30-minute walk off it. Which means, if you do stay in a B&B in one of these towns, you’ll then have a 20- to 30-minute walk the next morning to get back on the path. Not a major disadvantage, but a bit of an annoyance.

There’s lots to see and do in Dover and the actual finishing line by the sea is rather smart; but the town centre itself is rather rundown, knackered and, if you turn up in the evening – which you may well do, given that the last day can be rather long  – a bit intimidating too (unless you like spending your evenings hanging around outside McDonalds comparing love-bites with local youths, or standing on a street corner shouting abuse at passing traffic, in which case you’ll fit right in).

The trail does start off in Surrey, so I suppose it’s to be expected. And the first village you encounter on the Way is called Puttenham, so I shouldn’t be surprised. But though they may look green and verdant, I’m not a fan of the sterile, manicured world of golf courses (I’m not really a fan of golfers for that matter, but that’s another story). Things do improve in Kent, where farmland replaces fairways, and it’s barns instead of bunkers.

Once you leave Canterbury it’s a bit of tedious schlep to Dover, with your only company for much of it the sonorous A2. Given the beauty of the walk into Canterbury, with some lovely scenery and choccy-box villages such as Chilham en route – it’s a bit of a let-down, and you get the feeling the people who devised the trail were just looking for somewhere fitting to end it, and Dover seemed like the logical choice, regardless of the fact that there’s little to see on the way. Still, to be fair to those that did design the North Downs Way, they also built in an Alternative Route which actually diverges off the more popular trail before Canterbury, reaches the sea near Folkestone and then bounces along the cliffs to Dover. It’s certainly the more scenic walk, though admittedly missing out on Canterbury (and the lovely walk leading up to it) is a disappointment.

Useful info for those walking the North Downs Way

 

Transport to and from the North Downs Way

Getting to Farnham is straightforward with services from Waterloo every thirty minutes. Services to London Victoria from Dover at the end of your trek are equally as frequent.

 

Transport along the North Downs Way

You are only ever an hour or two from London on the North Downs Way with convenient and frequent train services to Guildford, Dorking, Redhill, Merstham, Oxted, Otford, Rochester, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham, Charing, Chilham, Canterbury, Bekesbourne and Shepherds Well (for Shepherdswell). Which is why I think a lot of Londoners who want to complete a walk in short stages will appreciate this trail. In addition there are plenty of bus services to convey you further along the trail (or back to where you started that day). The book goes into great detail on all the current bus and train services but do check online to make sure the services are still in operation.

 

Walking the North Downs Way with a dog

A Daisy among poppies

Daisy had a whale of a time on the North Downs Way. The vast stretches of woodland and open countryside – and the lack of much in the way of livestock – meant she could spend most of her time off the leash. For everyone’s peace of mind I made sure she was on the lead again before I got to a road (Daisy has been taught to never go through a fence, gate, stile etc before I get there, and sometimes she even obeys me, which is a great blessing). There were a few other dog walkers on the trail – not a huge number, and no more than you’d encounter elsewhere. I was also pleasantly surprised by a number of pubs that not only accepted dogs but actually made them feel very welcome, with blankets, water and dog treats. Anybody would think that she was the one that was paying. The Weyside in Guildford – the first pub you come to when leaving the path at the River Wey – was notable for this but there were several others.

As there is a lot of woodland, rather than carry bags of poo everywhere may I suggest the ‘stick & flick’ approach, ie grab a nearby stick and flick your dog’s poo off the path and into the trees (making sure first, of course, that there is nobody standing in the trees where you’re aiming).

Our usual advice about warning any B&Bs well in advance that you are bringing a dog is relevant here too, even though, in my experience at least, there are very few people who walk the trail in one go. (Speaking with the B&B owners while updating the book, most of them said that they don’t get many guests who are walking the North Downs Way. Indeed, one or two of them didn’t even know that the North Downs Way was nearby!)

Remember to visit the following page for more details on walking with your dog.

 

So where might I get lost? I struggle to think of a place where you’re likely to get seriously lost on the North Downs Way for more than a few seconds. The main reason for this is because the signposts are so good and so plentiful. So plentiful, in fact, that you start to worry if you haven’t seen one for a few minutes.

The only place where you may have a slight problem sticking to the trail is actually right at the end when you enter into Dover; for once the signposts disappear and you’re left to find your own way to Market Square. Similarly, from the square I could see no sign telling us to continue on to the seafront (indeed, the first time I completed the Way I didn’t realise I was supposed to go to the sea! It was only when completing the Way’s Alternative Route that I ambled along the seafront and stumbled on the official end of the trail.)

Of course, I don’t recommend relying on signposts alone – a map or, even better, my guide book(!) will be essential too. Take one or both of these and you’ll be fine and free to enjoy the views, safe in the knowledge that you’re on the right path. 

 

Camping and accommodation along the North Downs Way

This section might well be redundant, for few people in my experience attempt the North Downs Way in one go. But there are enough B&Bs around for those who do want to stay on the Way. What there aren’t enough of is campsites, so those looking to camp every night will have to be creative, perhaps by contacting local landowners to see if they’ll allow you to stay.

Facilities along the North Downs Way

Guildford High Street

Food and drink There are so many big towns near the Way that finding somewhere to eat is never a problem, as long as you are prepared to walk down off the trail to the town to get it. If you don’t fancy doing that then, as long as you are patient and plan ahead and aren’t too fussy where or what you eat, there are also plenty of places actually on the trail where you can find something. Three places that stick in the mind are: the National Trust cafe at the top of Box Hill; the Junction 8 food shack in the car park on Reigate Hill; and the cafe on the top floor of the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne, on the alternative last stage to Dover.

The one stage where you may have difficulty finding something to snack on is on the last stage between Canterbury and Dover. The only possible place is Shepherdswell, about halfway along, which has a pub. If they’re not doing food then you’ll have to walk for five minutes down the hill to the Coop and pick up something there.

Shops, post offices and ATMs It always pays to carry a bit of money with you just in case, and while there are plenty of cash machines off the trail, sometimes there aren’t so many on it and occasionally some of them aren’t working anyway; I always make sure I have £50 on me, just in case. That said, most places on the route seem to accept card payments, though many of the smaller B&Bs/campsites may not. There are shops aplenty too, and in the big towns you should find a trekking store too.

Trekking companies and baggage carriers I could only find three walking companies that offer self-guided tours (including luggage transfers) on the trail. Presumably, because most people are doing it in day trips from London they’ve not packed much, so there isn’t much demand for heavy bags to be conveyed along the path. The three companies are: Contours Walking Holidays ; Macs Adventure and Walk Awhile .

 

Dangers and annoyances

On the White Cliffs of Dover, on the North Downs Way’s Alternative Route

There’s little danger on the North Downs Way. I suppose there is the odd steep slope to consider but for a sheer drop you’d have to go a fair way off the trail and probably hack through a lot of thick gorse and bramble bushes to get to it. The exception to this is those taking the Alternative Route to Dover that misses out on Canterbury; it’s a lovely walk and I highly recommend it but there are some sheer drops.

Though there are plenty of roads the North Downs Way tends to either cross over them on a bridge or goes under them through a tunnel; so again, you’d really have to go out of your way to put yourself in any danger there. I do remember a couple of place where you have to have your wits about you – the first is the roundabout just after Wrotham, and the second one is the road crossing just before you join the motorway bridge across the Medway. But other than that the most dangerous roads are probably the many country lanes you have to negotiate, and the reason they’re dangerous is because they are so quiet normally, so any traffic becomes rather unexpected.

Finally, the town of Dover, at the end of the walk, is a bit seedy; I didn’t feel particularly threatened though in the two hours I was there I saw one fight and, separately, two people being arrested. There’s lots to see and do in Dover and I don’t want to put the place down – but maybe don’t hang around too long after dark.

 

Tips and hints

1) Most people will want to do the popular version of the trail via Canterbury. That’s understandable and in addition to the home of Christianity in England, you also get to see the village of Chilham, the prettiest on the route, too. But if you come to the end of your North Downs Way odyssey but don’t want it to finish, do have a look at the Alternative Route, which separates off the main trail at Boughton Lees. It’s a lovely walk that ends with a stroll along the White Cliffs of Dover. What could be better than that?

Kit’s Coty, just past Bluebell Hill

2) Reached the point on the North Downs Way where you can turn off the trail to see the Neolithic Coldrum Stones, but not sure you can be bothered to walk the extra few hundred metres to get there? Do – I think it’s really worth it. And do look out for those other Neolithic sites, Kit’s Coty and Little Kit’s Coty; they’re both close to the path (the former is right next to it) but easy to miss if you’re not concentrating. Little Kit’s Coty in particular is missed by most people as it’s hidden behind a screen of trees. Pay close attention to the maps in the guide (I’m not sure if they’re even clearly marked on the OS map) so you don’t walk right past them.

3) I know I emphasise that this trail is excellent if you want to complete it bit by bit, but nothing, in my opinion, beats trying to complete a long-distance trail in one go. It becomes quite a different animal then, and does make it more like a pilgrimage – which, after all, is what most people have used this trail for down the centuries.

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The North Downs Way: Further info

The North Downs Way Guide! 

‘Trailblazer really have got it right with their route maps. They rival Wainwright’s mapping for accuracy and detail and if anything are actually easier on the eye to read.’ Backpack magazine, Winter 2016

‘Recommended’ Country Walking

Practical, all-in-one Trailblazer British Walking Guide to the North Downs Way. A  National Trail, the North Downs Way winds its way through the protected landscape of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs. The path passes medieval churches, castles, Neolithic burial sites, vineyards and numerous WWII defences. There are literary associations with Swift, Cobbett, Dickens and Jane Austen.

*Includes 84 walking maps  the largest-scale maps available At a scale of just under 1:20,000 (8cm or 31/8 inches to one mile) these are bigger than the most detailed walking maps currently available in the shops.

* Accommodation for all budgets – campsites, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses, pubs and hotels with reviews.

* Places to eat – cafes, tearooms, pubs, takeaways and restaurants with reviews.

* Detailed public transport information for all access points on the path.

* Itineraries for all walkers – for the entire route or weekend and day walks.

* Downloadable GPS waypoints also available on the Trailblazer website.

* Colour overview and stage maps (one stage per page) with trail profiles (showing ascents and descents).

* Walking with a dog: Henry Stedman, the co-author, was accompanied along the North Downs Way by his dog, Daisy.

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