From the church in the centre of Charing village, walk to the High Street, cross over and go up School Road. At the roundabout turn right onto the A252 and then cross the road to follow a public footpath that leads off to the left. Go through a gate and then follow the path diagonally across a field, passing beside two metal gates. Keep to the obvious path diagonally uphill towards the trees.
Pass through the hedge, go through a gate, then turn right and walk along the North Downs Way/Pilgrim's Way. It's very easy going now; this is a popular route for dog walkers and horse riders. Continue to reach the house called Twyford. Where the track ahead forks, go to the left and walk ahead to the A252. Cross over, turn left, walk about 50yds (46m), then turn down the Pilgrim's Way on the right-hand side. Follow the quiet, undulating tarmac lane for nearly 0.5 miles (800m) and pass a lane on your right. Continue to a lone beech tree.
The Pilgrims' Way now continues ahead, eventually bringing you to Eastwell, the burial place of Richard Plantaganet, illegitimate son of Richard III. Unless you want to walk to Eastwell your route now takes you to the right, down a byway. This is an immensely atmospheric lane, with a thick canopy of trees and so old that it has sunk in the middle. Take care if it's wet, as the track can get very slippery. At the tarmac road turn right.
Just past Pett Place take the arrowed path through the gate on the left-hand side. You soon see Charing church peeping through the trees. Walk towards the church, passing through another gate. At the bottom of the field, go through the hedge, cross a track and keep ahead, passing an information board for Alderbed Meadow. In a field, bear right and walk along a paved path and past a children's play area. Turn right up the fenced path and go into the churchyard to return to the start of the walk.
Charing might seem like a quaint, rather sleepy village today, but for centuries it was one of the busiest and most important settlements in Kent. It was a convenient stopping place on the medieval pilgrimage route to Canterbury and practically all pilgrims, whether rich or poor, would have stopped... here for the night, before setting off the next morning for the last leg of their journey. Medieval pilgrimages were a bit like early package holidays – a way of seeing the world in the company of others, with itineraries taking in churches, holy relics and inns. And, as Chaucer revealed in The Canterbury Tales (1387), by the 14th century, pilgrims were often more concerned with enjoying themselves than with any devout purpose. As pilgrims were vulnerable to thieves who lurked in the woods along the way, they tended to group together for protection and, as they travelled, the atmosphere tended to become increasingly festive. The route known as the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, which you follow for much of this walk, was an ancient trackway used as a trading route by prehistoric people. Wherever possible it followed the top of the ridge, avoiding the thickly forested areas and sticky clay lowlands that would be so difficult to negotiate – especially in bad weather. Pilgrims wouldn't, of course, have had the benefit of modern walking boots. While the wealthy would have travelled on horseback, everyone else would have walked – generally wearing traditional pilgrim's clothes of a broad-brimmed hat and long cloak, and carrying a staff and a 'scrip' – a small pouch which held necessities. Better off travellers might also have carried carved charms to protect them on their journey. Anyone undertaking the pilgrimage as a penance would probably have worn a rough, itchy 'hair shirt' as well. While ordinary pilgrims would stay at inns along the way, bishops and archbishops expected something far grander, so archbishops' palaces were built at several points on the route. There was a particularly fine one at Charing as it was the last stopping-off point before Canterbury. When the travellers reached the outskirts of Canterbury those on horseback would dismount and walk into the city; others would probably hobble, as no doubt their feet would have been hurting by then. After visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket in the cathedral, the pilgrims would troop off to buy badges to prove that they'd made it. These were generally decorated with a scallop shell, the symbol of St James of Compostella that is still used by pilgrims today.
Kent is home to the White Cliffs of Dover, an English icon that marks the point where the Kent Downs AONB stretches from the Surrey Hills down to the sea. Visitors can explore historic parklands, including Knole Park and Sir Winston Churchill’s former home at Chartwell, or beautiful nature reserves, such as the coppiced woodlands of Denge Wood and Earley Wood and the ancient fine chalk woodland of Yockletts Bank.
From the church in the centre of Charing village, walk to the High Street, cross over and go up School Road. At the roundabout turn right onto the A252 and then cross the road to follow a public footpath that leads off to the left. Go through a gate and then follow the path diagonally across a field, passing beside two metal gates. Keep to the obvious path diagonally uphill towards the trees.
1 of 4
Pass through the hedge, go through a gate, then turn right and walk along the North Downs Way/Pilgrim's Way. It's very easy going now; this is a popular route for dog walkers and horse riders. Continue to reach the house called Twyford. Where the track ahead forks, go to the left and walk ahead to the A252. Cross over, turn left, walk about 50yds (46m), then turn down the Pilgrim's Way on the right-hand side. Follow the quiet, undulating tarmac lane for nearly 0.5 miles (800m) and pass a lane on your right. Continue to a lone beech tree.
2 of 4
The Pilgrims' Way now continues ahead, eventually bringing you to Eastwell, the burial place of Richard Plantaganet, illegitimate son of Richard III. Unless you want to walk to Eastwell your route now takes you to the right, down a byway. This is an immensely atmospheric lane, with a thick canopy of trees and so old that it has sunk in the middle. Take care if it's wet, as the track can get very slippery. At the tarmac road turn right.
3 of 4
Just past Pett Place take the arrowed path through the gate on the left-hand side. You soon see Charing church peeping through the trees. Walk towards the church, passing through another gate. At the bottom of the field, go through the hedge, cross a track and keep ahead, passing an information board for Alderbed Meadow. In a field, bear right and walk along a paved path and past a children's play area. Turn right up the fenced path and go into the churchyard to return to the start of the walk.
Charing might seem like a quaint, rather sleepy village today, but for centuries it was one of the busiest and most important settlements in Kent. It was a convenient stopping place on the medieval pilgrimage route to Canterbury and practically all pilgrims, whether rich or poor, would have stopped... here for the night, before setting off the next morning for the last leg of their journey. Medieval pilgrimages were a bit like early package holidays – a way of seeing the world in the company of others, with itineraries taking in churches, holy relics and inns. And, as Chaucer revealed in The Canterbury Tales (1387), by the 14th century, pilgrims were often more concerned with enjoying themselves than with any devout purpose. As pilgrims were vulnerable to thieves who lurked in the woods along the way, they tended to group together for protection and, as they travelled, the atmosphere tended to become increasingly festive. The route known as the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, which you follow for much of this walk, was an ancient trackway used as a trading route by prehistoric people. Wherever possible it followed the top of the ridge, avoiding the thickly forested areas and sticky clay lowlands that would be so difficult to negotiate – especially in bad weather. Pilgrims wouldn't, of course, have had the benefit of modern walking boots. While the wealthy would have travelled on horseback, everyone else would have walked – generally wearing traditional pilgrim's clothes of a broad-brimmed hat and long cloak, and carrying a staff and a 'scrip' – a small pouch which held necessities. Better off travellers might also have carried carved charms to protect them on their journey. Anyone undertaking the pilgrimage as a penance would probably have worn a rough, itchy 'hair shirt' as well. While ordinary pilgrims would stay at inns along the way, bishops and archbishops expected something far grander, so archbishops' palaces were built at several points on the route. There was a particularly fine one at Charing as it was the last stopping-off point before Canterbury. When the travellers reached the outskirts of Canterbury those on horseback would dismount and walk into the city; others would probably hobble, as no doubt their feet would have been hurting by then. After visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket in the cathedral, the pilgrims would troop off to buy badges to prove that they'd made it. These were generally decorated with a scallop shell, the symbol of St James of Compostella that is still used by pilgrims today.
Kent is home to the White Cliffs of Dover, an English icon that marks the point where the Kent Downs AONB stretches from the Surrey Hills down to the sea. Visitors can explore historic parklands, including Knole Park and Sir Winston Churchill’s former home at Chartwell, or beautiful nature reserves, such as the coppiced woodlands of Denge Wood and Earley Wood and the ancient fine chalk woodland of Yockletts Bank.
