Author Archive: John Pike

Thursday 22 January, 2026 Canterbury – Faversham via Herne Hill

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8:30 Meet outside the Launderette St Mary, Nunnery Fields

Road and footpath to Rough Common

Church Wood through to Courtney Road and through the woods till we get to the

Herne Hill footpath, crossing Thanet Way between Kemdale Wood and Fostall.

Footpaths to Sandbanks Road, Nagden Cottages then SSW into Faversham.

Take bus back or lunch – to be decided
About 12/13 miles

Buses back:

X3 12:36; 13:36; 14:36

Trains back to the East station: 12:26; 13:26; 14:26 (£4.75 with railcard)

Last week’s Canterbury to Elham SSFR1 Walk:

SSS426 – Tuesday 20 January,2026 – Reverse The Don’s Walk

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Meet @ 8.00 am outside 25 St Augustine’s Road

Proceed to Spring Lane then Little Barton House, then through the Orchard Route leading to Bekesbourne Lane crossing onto the footpath behind Hoath Farm.  Onwards to Firdown Wood and then on to the footpath towards Swanton Lane (crossing A257).  Then left onto the footpath over the old dump, when you get to the open field proceed north-west to the far right-hand corner to connect with the footpath through to Stodmarsh Road.  Cross the Christchurch sports field and take the footpath through to Fordwich and then the ‘wall of death’ through to Moat Lane and then along the road for the footpath that leads through the golf course, later joining the SVW and then back towards St Martin’s Church where the walk finishes.

6 miles.

Last Tuesday’s Reverse Around the Woods Walk:

Canterbury to Elham SSFR1 – Thursday, 15 January, 2026

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Meet outside the Hospital (Junction of South Canterbury Road with Ethelbert Road) @ 8:30

Packed lunch or Tea/Coffee/Beer in Elham or early bus back

Back of Canterbury Rugby Club/Nackington/Pett Bottom/Gorsley Wood/Westwood/Quilters Wood/Clambercrown/Palmstead/Peafield/Park Gate/Elham

17 Bus back to Canterbury 11:50, 12:50

Approximately 10 miles

Last week’s Canterbury Northern Circle Walk:

SS424 – Tuesday, 13 January, 2026 – Reverse Around the Woods Walk

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Meet @ 8:00 am outside the hospital – junction of South Canterbury Road with Ethelbert Road

Walk to Rugby Club then, via Nackington to Bridge Road and into Whitehill Wood: where four paths cross, carry straight on and, at the next junction, take the path furthest to the right and continue straight ahead.  At the footpath bifurcation, bear left, joining School Lane, head down the hill towards Pett Bottom, at the bottom of the hill, by the Duck, turn left, onto Pett Bottom Road.  Proceed along the road to Little Eaton Farm joining the footpath on the left, back to Whitehill Woods. We keep to the righthand footpath until we begin to exit the woods, where we take the left hand footpath and, at the next footpath junction, turn right, through the orchard, across Bridge Road, then along the footpath by the side of the poly tunnels until we reach the fire break where we descend the hill and cross to the footpath, returning us to the Nackington footpath and back the way we came.

About 7 miles.

Last week’s Reverse Nick’s Walk:

Thursday, 8 January, 2026 – Canterbury Northern Circle

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Lunch stop – packed lunch and something to drink advised

Meet outside The Launderette (opposite St. Mary Bredin Church) at 8:30 am

Walk to Toddler’s Cove then up to Orchard Street, along St. Dunstan’s Terrace, crossing London Road, later taking the footpath beside the Cemetery and parallel to Whitstable Road – towards Rough Common but take the turning by Kent College and then cross the Whitstable Road.
We then take the footpath to Walnut Tree Farm and then into Clowes Wood and through to Radfall, moving along to bypass Chestfield Golf Club and crossing Thornton Wood Road at Sheepfold as we move into West Blean Nature Reserve, making for The Radfall path, thence Hackington and Alcoft Grange. With Canterbury Cathedral as our notional ending place we weave our way through Hales Place, St. Stephen’s and then pavement footpath to the Cathedral.

Approx. 12 miles.

Last week’s The Pet Circle in Reverse Walk:

SSS423 – Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 – Reverse Nick’s Walk

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Meet outside the Launderette (opposite St. Mary Bredin Church) @ 8:00am

Toddler’s cove via Lansdown Road

Cross Toddler’s Cove, walk under the ring road bridge and then over the railway bridge, across to St. Dunstan’s Terrace, over London Road ending up on the footpath towards Rough Common.  When we are near the Blean water tower we turn left and walk down towards the Harbledown Bridge – crossing into Harbledown and walking through the grounds of St Nicholas’s Hospital.  We then take the footpath under the A2 bridge and work our way down to the Chartham Cycle path, by the Thannington footbridge over the Stour, turn left and back to Toddler’s Cover then under the ring road, towards the East Station and Lansdown Road where the walk concludes. 6 miles

Last week’s The Les Walk: