This week Huw is in charge of the maps.

This is next week’s walk – prepared by me, delegated for this week from chief walk creator John.

Train to Teynham, then to Lynsted, then via Sharsted Plantation to Doddington; then via Jackson’s Wood, Solomon’s Cottages to Payden St Farm and then to Lenham station.

I estimate it at 20km, 12.5 miles, probably 5 hours.

These are the likely trains for the walk:

Canterbury East to Lenham 8.22 – 8.42 £9.00
9.09 – 9.29 £9.00
9.48 – 10.08 £9.00 or £5.06 for oldies

Lenham – Canterbury West 13.36 – 14.27 £12.20 or £8.05 for oldies
14.36 – 15.27 £12.20 or £8.05 for oldies
15.36 – 16.27 £12.20 or £8.05 for oldies

We could do a packed lunch or stop for a lunch in the Harrow Inn at Warren Street – a slight detour from Payden Street or the pub in Doddington..

If we get the 9.48 arriving at Tenham at 10.08, this should give us an arrival at Lenham in time for the 15.36.

Huw

Last week’s Faversham from the south side walk:

9:00 Meet corner of Old Dover Road/Nunnery Fields/Oaten Hill

London Road Roundabout

Proceed along Mill Lane and North Downs Way

Bridge across A2

Podhurst Farm

Denstead Wood/Court Wood/Winterbourne Wood

South Street/Brenley/Westwood Court

Faversham – Eat at one of The Yard, Havershams, Cosgroves (Preston Street) or The Bear or travel back to Canterbury

About 11 miles or 4 hours

Trains (£3.50 with Railcard)

12:08, 12:24, 13:08, 13:24 (11/13 MINS)

Buses

13:16 (3 @ 35 mins)

13:36 (3X @ 25 mins)

13:46 (3B @ 35 mins)

14:06 (3X @ 25 mins)

14:16 (3 @ 35 mins)

14:31 (3X @ 25 mins)

14:54 (3X @ 25 mins)

LAST WEEK: LOOKING BACK TO GOODNESTONE CHURCH FROM THE FOOTPATH TO WINGHAM

Packed lunch

Meet at Canterbury East to catch 9:20 train to Sibertswold (Shepherds Well) – 10 mins journey time. Cost £3:50 with Railcard.

Sibertswold/Barfrestone/Nonington/Goodnestone/Wingham/Ickham/Littlebourne – about 10 miles.

At Littlebourne there is the Pub, should one desire refreshment; the Bus back – 14:02, 14:24, 14:42, 14:42, 14:56 etc. all take 13 mins or the alternative of walking 4/5 miles further to Canterbury.

Last week’s walk: Striders gather for final onslaught on Wye

Packed lunch

Meet corner of Stuppington Lane with South Canterbury Road @ 9:00

Proceed to Garlinge Green (possibly via Larkey Wood)

Through the Wildwood to Crundale

Up and down the fields to Crundale Church

Down to the Farm in the Valley (where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison as Bob Dylan says)

Up again to the top of the downs and then down to Wye via the radio mast site

11 miles (more or less)

A beer at the Tickled Trout maybe…..before the long journey back to Canterbury.

Trains back to Canterbury West:

14:11 (16 mins)

14:41 (12 mins)

15:11 (16 mins)

15:41 (12 mins)

£3.65 with Railcard

Last week’s walk between Shottenden and Badlesmere

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