The Kenwood Ladies’ Pond wild swimming walks the famous on Hampstead Heath has leads you on 28 adventures into the swimming ladies been a women’s swimming beautiful countryside of southern of London’s Hampstead pond since 1926. World . Discover swimming meadows ponds share their favourite famous for its history and along the Thames, secret coves of the walks with a dip. Leave the idyllic setting, it has become Sussex seashore and hidden islands of car at home this summer a magnet for London the Essex coast. with 28 days out across residents and visitors alike. southern and eastern England. Margaret Dickinson (editor) All the walking routes are accessible is a year-round wild swimmer, by train and each comes with ideas for Featuring secret lakes, river documentary film-maker and places to visit and refreshments along meadows and sandy seaside writer who campaigned to the route. Includes suggestions for beaches, Wild Swimming save swimming on the Heath. longer weekends away as well. Walks is rich with stories, photos and natural history. Complete with detailed directions, maps and practical inspiration, this book is perfect for families, If you like Wild Swimming walkers and swimmers alike. Walks you might also like these other titles from Includes downloadable WildThingsPublishing.com: route information to print out, or take with you on your phone or tablet.

£14.99 9 781910 636015 The Kenwood Ladies’ Pond wild swimming walks the famous on Hampstead Heath has leads you on 28 adventures into the swimming ladies been a women’s swimming beautiful countryside of southern of London’s Hampstead pond since 1926. World England. Discover swimming meadows ponds share their favourite famous for its history and along the Thames, secret coves of the walks with a dip. Leave the idyllic setting, it has become Sussex seashore and hidden islands of car at home this summer a magnet for London the Essex coast. with 28 days out across residents and visitors alike. southern and eastern England. Margaret Dickinson (editor) All the walking routes are accessible is a year-round wild swimmer, by train and each comes with ideas for Featuring secret lakes, river documentary film-maker and places to visit and refreshments along meadows and sandy seaside writer who campaigned to the route. Includes suggestions for beaches, Wild Swimming save swimming on the Heath. longer weekends away as well. Walks is rich with stories, photos and natural history. Complete with detailed directions, maps and practical inspiration, this book is perfect for families, If you like Wild Swimming walkers and swimmers alike. Walks you might also like these other titles from Includes downloadable WildThingsPublishing.com: route information to print out, or take with you on your phone or tablet.

£14.99 9 781910 636015 Walk 21 TO ,

A walk from the medieval city of INFORMATION Canterbury, through gentle countryside along part of the Crab and Winkle Way, Distance: 8.5 miles (9.5 miles starting from Canterbury East Station). and to the coast for a sea swim. Time: 3.5 to 4 hours. Map: OS Explorer 150 (Canterbury he walk starts from Canterbury, a historic city with & the Isle of Thanet); Landranger 179 (Canterbury & East Kent). city walls and many medieval houses, but above Start point: Canterbury West all famous for its cathedral, the mother church Station or Canterbury East Station. of the Anglican Communion, called in full the End point: & Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury. Swalecliffe Station. Public transport: Southeastern In the Middle Ages, Canterbury was one of Europe’s important Railways from Charing Cross or pilgrimageT destinations and from the 12th century, centre of the Southeastern Highspeed from St cult of St Thomas Becket, the archbishop who quarrelled with Pancras International (there is a King Henry II, was murdered in 1170 and canonised in 1173. surcharge) to Canterbury West; Now the cathedral and other ecclesiastical buildings nearby are Southeastern from London Victoria to Canterbury East. Return from a World Heritage Site and major tourist destination. The walk is Chestfield & Swalecliffe station to too long to combine with serious sightseeing, but those arriving London Victoria, or to St Pancras at Canterbury East will walk through the old town, passing near International by changing onto the the cathedral, while the route from Canterbury West heads up a Highspeed (with surcharge) at Faversham. It may be best to buy a hillside from where there are impressive views of the cathedral return to Canterbury and a single below. The building as it appears now is mainly 12th century, from Chestfield & Swalecliffe to although the foundation dates back to 597. Faversham, where the routes join. The walk climbs up through the grounds of the University of Swimming: In the North Sea at Swalecliffe or . Kent, Canterbury and joins the Crab and Winkle Way 2 , a cycle Places of interest: Canterbury route named after the disused railway, and a much older salt route historic city; church; Long along which salt was transported from to Canterbury. Rock, Swalecliffe. The railway, opened in 1830 and soon nicknamed the Crab and Refreshments: Plenty of pubs Winkle Line, was the first anywhere to carry passengers on a and restaurants in Canterbury; The Wheatsheaf Hungry Horse (CT5 regular basis. On the hilly parts of the line trains were hauled by 2LU, tel 01227 792310), Plough Inn cables powered by fixed steam engines, while steam locomotives (CT5 2RN tel 01227 792428) and Mr hauled the rolling stock on flat stretches. There is an information Beano’s Café Restaurant (CT5 2QT, board close to the entrance to Tyler Hill Tunnel, the first steam tel 01227 374343) in Swalecliffe. passenger railway tunnel, now home to bats.

157 Walk 21 CANTERBURY TO SWALECLIFFE, KENT Walk x xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The route passes the ancient village of Blean and stitchwort in the woods and plenty of warbler 3 and a 13th century church, dedicated to Saints birdsong. Cosmos and Damian, with a magnificent crown- The North Kent seaside is quite built-up and post roof. The church’s origins are older than the our route from Canterbury reaches it in the middle building, as it stands on the site of a Roman villa of ribbon development stretching from Seasalter and a chapel here was mentioned in the Domesday to . None of the possible ways through Book. Listen and look out for skylarks on the field entirely avoids dull streets, but our route keeps to the right and for other birds in the church- them to a minimum. The seafront itself is very yard, and note the interesting information board pleasant, with a wide promenade backed in some here. After Blean the route goes past some of the places by a grassy slope and in others by brightly orchards Kent is famous for, before plunging into painted beach huts. The swimming is good from Clowes Wood and on to Shrub Hill in Chestfield. the shingle beach between mid and high tide, but It then descends into the village of Chestfield, towards low tide the retreating sea exposes some crossing the major A299, and on to Swalecliffe for estuarine mud. a well deserved swim in the sea. Our walk directions end at Swalecliffe station, This route was first walked on a gloomy day in but an option is to walk on along the front to the November, when flocks of winter thrushes and old fishing village of , which is famous herring gulls heralded the approach to the sea. for oysters and by far the prettiest of the adjacent There are good views on a clear day, and on a seaside towns. Whitstable station is one stop on fine spring day in late April there were bluebells along the line from Swalecliffe.

Directions

The route is written from turn right into St Margaret Street. 1 Canterbury Canterbury West station; alighting On reaching High Street, if you From the main entrance of instead at Canterbury East enables want to visit the cathedral go Canterbury West station, turn left you to walk through the city but straight on along Mercury Lane, but into Station Road West, right into will add a mile to the distances. otherwise turn left into High Street. Kirby’s Lane, and immediately left From Canterbury East, cross the Cross a river into St Peter’s Street. into a passageway between new footbridge straight ahead on leaving Cross another river by West Gate, houses, then left on a small road the station. Turn right onto the city continue and turn right into Kirby’s keeping parallel to the railway. wall with Dane John Gardens to Lane. As it bends left (to There are brief views of the the left. At the end of the gardens, Canterbury West station) continue cathedral to your right. Cross two descend and turn left into Watling straight on a footpath, joining our roads and pass under the railway. Street. At the second crossroads route from Canterbury West. Follow signs for the cycle route to

158 159 Directions Walk 21 CANTERBURY TO SWALECLIFFE, KENT the university. On reaching St first right into St Michael’s Road, your left, known locally as the 5 To Chestfield Stephen’s open area, turn left signed for the cycle route to the Fishbourne. Cross another This half-mile stretch of busy road along its southern side, signposted university. Quite soon you can footbridge into a second field. At is unavoidable but it is tree-lined for the university. Just after the avoid the drab housing in this road the far end of this, turn right onto and there is a verge to walk on. green area, fork right (signed by taking a path behind the houses a metalled track, marked by blue At the 30mph sign where the road National Cycle Route 1) with on your right, on a wooded bank arrows. This is the Crab and bends left, continue straight on houses on the left and a wooded with playing fields to the right. This Winkle Way (CWW). along Broomfield Gate, marked bank on the right. Turn left at is actually the old Crab and 2 miles with a FP sign. At the end of the Beaconsfield Road and cross it on Winkle railway line. After Tyler Hill houses, pass through a kissing gate the pedestrian crossing. Take the Tunnel, turn left following a blue 3 Blean and continue on between bushes arrow for about 50 metres, then Walk uphill to Blean church. After to the open grass of Chestfield right (signed for the University and visiting the church, cross Tyler Hill Golf Course, with good views to the Crab and Winkle Way link). Road (named after a medieval the right. Soon you can hear the Continue uphill through the pottery and tiles industry). Keep noise of the A299 and see the TTankertonankerton SSwalecliffewalecliffe university grounds with views of left on the CWW and pass Arbele coast and outskirts of Chestfield. the cathedral below. Pass through Farm on the left and Amery Follow the waymarks. At the Souuthth 7 TTankertonankerton the central university buildings, Court, a beautiful Georgian house, cross-paths on Shrub Hill follow CChestfieldhestfield with the Students’ Union building on the right. the sign for Molehill Road, taking a crossroads in Chestfield village, left just before the community CChurchhurch on your right. 3 miles path downhill with a wood on turn left (signed for Swalecliffe) centre, then right into Swalecliffe SStreettreet 6 Souuthth 1.25 miles your right, approaching the main and follow the road round, Court Drive. Follow it down, past SStreettreet 4 To Clowes Wood road obliquely. (Do not bear left passing a bizarre house (The the Victorian parish church of St 2 The Crab and Pass some farm sheds and after and head directly for the main Paddock) on your right. In a few John the Baptist with a steeple. At Winkle Way the track bears right, leave the road.) You pass two seats and yards, take a signed footpath on the end, turn left along the Bear right at the road, then left at CWW at a junction of fields, cross the fairway to enter a small the right into Meadow Drive. Oyster Bay Trail to reach the the T-junction with a busier road, taking a right fork on an enclosed wood. Climb a short hill to cross Keep straight on through housing . There is an Giles Lane. Note Tanglewood, a footpath between fields. Enter 5 the A299 by a most cleverly to a footpath between houses. information board here about weatherboarded house, on your woodland (soon chestnuts on the landscaped bridge. The road There were sparrows chattering Long Rock, the shingle spit left. Take a footpath to the right, left and conifers on the right) and enters a tunnel just here and, but in the hedge here. Cross several straight ahead, which is a signed for Park Wood. You pass continue straight on to a path for the noise, you would not more residential roads, finally protected site noted for birds. the University Sports Centre on crossing in a clearing (the CWW know it was there. Once over the turning left to emerge on the However, a short distance to the 4 your right. At the next path is visible to your left). Very soon other side, the noise soon main road near a petrol station left there is an area suitable for junction turn right, leaving the after this take a left fork footpath subsides and you find yourself at and a roundabout, where you swimming with a row of beach Sports Centre on your right. off the main track. After crossing the edge of Chestfield. turn left. Chestfield & Swalecliffe huts and groynes. You may wish There is a pond on your left. Pass under the pylons, take an BBleanlean 6.5 miles railway station is the far side of to continue west for just under a TTyleryler H Hillill between large buildings (the one indistinct but signed right fork. the roundabout. mile to the popular Tankerton on the left is called Jennison). At Follow this path on through 6 To Swalecliffe. 7.5 miles beach. Alternatively, you can walk the end, cross the perimeter road Clowes Wood, continuing straight Continue past houses on your along to the right beyond Long 3 and take a footpath opposite into on at a cross-path and later over left, crossing The Drove into a 7 To the sea Rock to a promenade and further 2 Brotherhood Wood. Follow the a gravel track. Soon after this, on private road opposite with a right To reach the coast, cross under swimming area, towards Herne yellow waymarks on posts and reaching a broad grassy path, turn of way on foot. The golf course the railway bridge. If you want Bay. Whichever you choose, trees downhill, later crossing a right onto it. On reaching Radfall is on your left (on the far side the shops or a pub, turn left after retrace your route to return to SSt.t. S Stephen'stephen's stream. At the bottom, cross two Road, by the Dog’s House you can see oast houses and the the bridge and then right into the station. SSt.t. D Dunstan'sunstan's 1 footbridges and turn left, signed Rehoming Centre and opposite timber-framed clubhouse, claimed Swalecliffe Court Drive. 8.5 miles CCANTERBURYANTERBURY Blean Walk. Follow the field edge Mill Farm, turn left. to be the oldest in the world) and Otherwise, you can turn right with the Sarre Penn stream on 5 miles houses are on your right. At the after the bridge, take a FP on the Liz Valentine, Cath Cinnamon.

160 161