The Kent Downs are well served by an extensive network of Public Rights of Way and permissive access routes – offering a variety of walks for everyone. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll discover when you leave the roads behind.

How to find information on walks
Visit Explore Kent where you can download circular routes or order walking guides through the online shop. Ideas for days out, information on parks and nature reserves, as well as easy access routes and sites, can be found here.

The North Downs Way is a national trail (142 miles, 227.2 km) starting at Farnham in Surrey and finishing at Dover, which takes in some of the finest aspects of the Kent Downs. When not on top of the scarp, the trail follows the Pilgrims Way - the legendary route that may have been used by Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. There are many cicrcular walks accessible from the trail and local railway stations, helping you to discover the local landscape, heritage and history of our downland villages.

The Kentish Stour Countryside Project has produced a series of leaflets called Train Rides to Ramble, featuring circular walks from downland railway stations such as Wye, Chilham and Charing. You can purchase these booklets through Explore Kent.

The White Cliffs Countryside Project has produced a wide range of walking leaflets including the Royal Military Canal, the Magic of Romney Marsh and the Dover Walks Pack. For information on these and many other nature trails and heritage walks in the White Cliffs area, follow the link to their website.

Faversham has launched a series of four new walks in and around the town, as part of a local sustainable tourism project. Download maps and directions from their website, or request a Walking Pack and receive all four guides together with details of special offers and discounts negotiated specially for walking visitors.

Explore and understand the farmed countryside through DEFRA’s “Conservation Walks and Rides in Kent”.Site maps can be downloaded from the Natural England website.

Walking Holidays
For those wanting to spend some time walking through the Downs, and with the luxury of luggage transfers taken care of for you, there are two tour operators organising walking holidays in the area. Go to Orchard Trails and WalkAwhile Holidays for ideas and information.

Village Footpath Groups
If spending some time in our downland villages, try hooking up with a local village footpath group. The Wye Footpaths Group welcomes visitors walks through the village and surrounding downland. Call the Group's Chairman, Alan Ramsey on 01233 813730 for information. For those living in the Swale area, you could join the Swale Footpaths Group. Walks are held on Sundays, some Thursdays and on summer evenings.

Healthy Walking
The Walking the Way to Health Initiative (WHI) aims to get more people walking in their own communities. It is an initiative of the British Heart Foundation and Countryside Agency. WHI has helped to create over 350 local health walk schemes and has trained over 20,000 volunteer walk leaders. Walking the way to Health has an East Kent branch. Click here for details of their current programme.

Public Rights of Way

In the majority of cases, Public Rights of Way are indicated where they leave Public Roads by signstones or fingerposts. The signing indicates the status of the right of way and the general direction that it takes. Usually there is additional signing along the route (waymarking), although it is always helpful to carry a map of the area.

Waymarking is most often carried out using coloured arrows:

Footpath for pedestrians

Bridleway for pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists

Byway, open to All Traffic, for pedestrians, equestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles

The following Ordnance Survey maps cover the Kent Downs AONB:

Explorer Series, scale 1:25,000

Explorer 137 – Ashford

Explorer 138 – Dover, Folkestone & Hythe
Explorer 147 – Sevenoaks & Tonbridge
Explorer 148 – Maidstone and the Medway Towns
Explorer 149 – Sittingbourne and Faversham
Explorer 150 – Canterbury and Isle of Thanet
Explorer 163 – Gravesend & Rochester

Click here to buy these maps at the Kent County Council Website.