The London-based hiking group for people in their 20s - 30s.
Stuart B.
A reasonably fast paced walk through the rolling hills and woodland to the north of the cathedral city of Canterbury. The walk starts at the historic Westgate Tower and its attractive gardens, and then passes along the banks of the River Stour for a couple of miles before then heading north and passing an Iron Age hillfort where Julius Caesar may have had one of his first battles with the locals, a nuclear bunker, and also Holly Hill and Clay Hill - which offer great views of the Thames Estuary. The walk then heads south back to Canterbury via the University Campus - which overlooks the entire city and its prominent cathedral.
Bring a packed lunch - the lunch stop is at the 10 mile mark in the quaint village of Hernhill, where there is also a pub for drinks only. A walk that is at times undulating, but with no particularly steep climbs, with a total ascent of 450 metres. A plethora of pubs and restaurants to choose from in Canterbury city centre at the end. The city centre itself is also pleasant to walk around with plenty of sights to be seen.
Travel: Take the 9:40 from St Pancras International (Stratford International 9:48, Ebbsfleet International 9:59) arrive at Canterbury West at 10:34. A high speed ticket is required.
The cheaper (but much longer) option is the 8:34 from London Charing Cross (Waterloo East 8:37, London Bridge 8:43, Sevenoaks 9:08) which arrives at Canterbury West at 10:18.
Meet just outside the main entrance of Canterbury West station.
Canterbury West Station
