Meet outside at the crossroads ODR/Nunnery Fields/Oaten Hill opposite St. Mary Bredin Church @ 8:00am

Canterbury/Toddler’s Cover/Stour Valley Walk to Chartham Hatch, then North Downs Way out of Chartham Hatch onto Old Wives Lees, then North West, up the brown road for a short way, take New Forest Lane to Shottenden (mainly yellow road with some footpath). Yellow road from Shottenden to Woods Court and then footpath to Badlesmere and lunch stop – The Red Lion (approx. 12 miles).

Cross main road outside The Red Lion; footpath by Leaveland and join another path, later, direction of Bell’s Forstal, then yellow roads and footpaths West by South West, crossing down to Stalisfield, then South of Otterden, eventually rejoining the North Downs Way heading West towards Lenham – destination Lenham Train Station (approx 10 miles).

Total approx. 22 miles

Train from Lenham to Canterbury. Cost with Senior Railcard £8.05.

16:13 (43 mins)

16:36 (51 mins)

17:13 (43 mins)

17:36 (48 mins)

18:27 (44 mins)

There is also the 10X bus service between Lenham and Ashford (27 mins), which could be useful:

16:04; 16:34; 18:03; 19:18.

LAST WEEK’S WICKHAMBREAUX CIRCLE WALK VIA THE ROSE PUB (HIGH APPROVAL RATING FROM THE STRIDERS)

Meet outside 25 St Augustine’s Road @ 8:30am

Canterbury to Fordwich to Stodmarsh to Grove Ferry (through the Nature Reserve) then on to the Wickhambreaux Valley and slowly down to Wichambreaux. Lunch at The Rose, Wickhambreaux thence back to Canterbury via Littlebourne.

About 15 miles

Last week’s walk – the Striders stop for a photo en route to Stowting

Meet corner of South Canterbury Road/Stuppington Lane @ 8:30am

Walk to Nackington, then through Whitehill Wood. We then swing right, passing just to the south of Lower Hardres, and taking a bridleway via Cobsdane Wood and Shoot Wood, across Stone St and down into Petham. Hardly anything on roads so far. I calculate this as about 5 miles.

From Petham we go south on a footpath which goes off the 150 map at the bottom just to the right of grid no 13. On to map 138.

We then wiggle our way south for about 5 miles to Bodsham, via footpaths and a bit of yellow road. I can show you tomorrow on my map.

From Bodsham we continue south-east to Stowting.

About 12.5 miles

Lunch at the Tiger (Stowting)

Return by car (boots deposited in back of car) – Car takes five

Last week’s walk – NORTH OF STURRY Heading to Broad Oak and Whitstable ( a broken writst poses no problem to this sturdy silver strider):

Meet outside 25 St Augustines Road at 8:30am

Proceed to Stour Valley Way footpath past St Martin’s Church
Fordwich
Sturry
over the rail line
Broad Oak
Thornden Wood
Chestfield
Whitstable

About 11 miles

Lunch – somewhere in Whitstable (maybe Tea & Times)

Last week’s walk – NEAR GREAT MONGEHAM

Something easy this week (SSFR 1)

Meet corner of South Canterbury Road and Stuppington Lane 8:30

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

Lunch at the Cosy Tea Rooms 12:30

17 Bus back to Canterbury 13:35 (one after is 14:50)

Approximately 10 miles

Once I have a rough idea how many of us will be coming I shall book a place at The Cosy as it is becoming more popular these days.

‘And did those feet in ancient times…..’ last week’s walk via Perrywood and Sheldwich to Faversham

Please bring a packed lunch

8:30 Meet at junction of Old Dover Road/Nunnery Fields/Oaten Hill

Proceed to Harbledown/London Road roundabout/Golden Hill

Towards Chartham Hatch via No Man’s Orchard

Hunstead Wood/Nickie Wood/Bower Wood/Ash Stubb/Beech Pollard/Rhode Common

Perrywood/Shepherds Hill/Lees Court/Sheldwich

Old Badgin’s Road/Badgin Wood/Whitehill/Vicarage Lane

Footpath that goes across Brogdale Road and out to the A2 in Faversham close to the Town Centre and Station

Approx: 13 miles

Bus from Faversham to Canterbury: 3B 13:46, 3X 14:06, 3 14:16, 3X 14:31, 3X 14:54, 3A 15:08, 3 15:25, 3 15:52 (about 30 mins)

Train from Faversham to Canterbury East

14:08; 14:24; 15:08; 15:24 (about 12 mins)

Last week – VIEW BETWEEN NEWNHAM AND EASTLING EN ROUTE TO FAVERSHAM

Thursday – 8 SEPTEMBER, 2016

Train from Canterbury West to Harrietsham 8:06 (arrive Harrietsham 8:47) – cost £12.20

Footpaths and some yellow roads to Newnham for Lunch – arrive approx 13:00

Onward to Faversham via footpaths and some yellow roads (about 6 miles for the afternoon walk)

Approx: 15 miles

Bus: 3X 16:12, 3A 16:41, 3 17:06, 3 17:41 (about 30 mins)

Train from Faversham to Canterbury East

15:58; 16:24; 16:58; 17:29

Last week – TWO MEN WENT SEARCHING FOR THANET – THEY COULDN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE (CANTERBURY TO BIRCHINGTON)

Thursday – 1 SEPTEMBER, 2016 – PACKED LUNCH

Meet outside 25 St Augustine’s Road at 8:30

St Martin’s Church, Stour Valley Walk, Lampen Walk – Fordwich/Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry

Saxon Shore Way/Wantsum Walk towards Chislet but take Sarre Penn towards Sarre

From Sarre to St Nicholas at Wade

Footpath to Nether Hale Farm

Then connect to footpath by Chalk Pit and Upper Hale towards Great Brooksend Farm and then into Birchington

About 13/14 miles

Buses 8/8A back from Birchington to Canterbury Bus Station (38 mins):

13:54; 14:09; 14:24; 14:39; 14:54; 15:09; 15:24; 15:39; 15:57

Tickets £5:30 or Travelcard

Last week on top of the Downs about to walk down to Bilting

hursday – 25 AUGUST, 2016

Meet corner of South Canterbury Road and Stuppington Lane at 9:00

On to New House Lane then through Larkey Valley Wood to join footpath to Chilham

Stop at Shelley’s for early lunch or late elevenses

Onward towards Wye but come down from the Downs just after Bilting to Home Farm and take this footpath to Wye (something different)

About 12 miles

Trains back from Wye to Canterbury West:

14:36; 15:09; 15:39; 16:09; 16:39 (Cost £3:65 with Railcard)

THIS COULD BE THE LP COVER FOR THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND ‘ BURNIN’ OUTA NORTHBOURNE’ BUT IT’S REALLY THE SILVER STRIDERS ON LAST WEEK’S Miners’ Way part 2 WALK