My Exercise Walk this sunny Sunday was a slow stroll around Canterbury, delivering Easter eggs to two of my sons and enjoying the ancient empty streets.
I’ll write of a longer walk, which i might have done but for the lockdown. The village of Chartham is about three miles southwest of Canterbury. Take bus or train. A short walk leads to a bridge over the river Stour. Just before the bridge, signs point to the Stour Valley Walk, also a cycle route to Canterbury. The path closely follows the river bank past a recreation ground and children’s play area. Easy walking: a flat firm surface.
Behind a fence to the left are lakes for private fishing. Across the river are Bretts gravel works, no longer active i think. The lakes are a result of gravel extraction. We come to grassy meadows, sometimes feeding sheep, pleasantly rural. The path leaves the river briefly to go under the A28, next to the railway. The next section is also grassy, between fishing lakes and the A28. Were i walking it today, the road would be eerily quiet.
After crossing Tonford Lane, the path passes through Hambrook nature reserve, managed to encourage wildlife. At times, one might see Highland cattle or Konick ponies grazing here. The path continues under the A2 Canterbury bypass, then under a railway bridge to the children’s play area at Toddlers Cove. After going under a road bridge, we are in the more formal Westgate gardens, ending at the Westgate Towers, Canterbury’s only remaining medieval gate.
What i like is the change from farmland to nature reserve to gardens, bringing the walker close to the city centre.
A pity today’s walk is only in my head.
Rambling Brummie 