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NORTH DOWNS WAY

Farnham - Guildford - Dorking - Westerham - Kent Downs - Maidstone - Folkestone - Dover

NORTH DOWNS WAY Total Distance: 153 Miles KEY ATTRACTIONS: FARNHAM, Watts Chapel, GUILDFORD, River Wey, Newlands Corner, River Mole/Mole Valley, DORKING, Betchworth, REIGATE, Redhill, Merstham, Godstone, Caterham, OXTED, WESTERHAM, Titsey Place, Knockholt, SEVENOAKS, Otford, KEMSING, Heaverham, Wrotham, TROSLEY, The Coldrum Stones, Stansted, KENT DOWNS, Cuxton, ROCHESTER, River Medway, Burham, Kits Coty House, Aylesford, Tyland Barn, Boxley, MAIDSTONE, Detling, Thurnham Castle, LEEDS CASTLE, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, LENHAM, CHARING, Westwell, Eastwell, ASHFORD, BOUGHTON-LEES. [1 - SOUTH]: River Stour, WYE, Devil's Kneading Trough, Hastingleigh, Stowting, Postling, Etchinghill, FOLKESTONE, DOVER. [2 - EAST]: Kings Wood, Godmersham Park, CHILHAM, Bigbury Camp, CANTERBURY, River Stour, Howletts Zoo, Womenswold, Shepherdswell, Waldershare House, DOVER.

NORTH DOWNS WAY: INFORMATION, MAPS AND STATISTICS

Background The North Downs Way National Trail runs for 153 miles through the Surrey Hills and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). It starts at Farnham on the Surrey Hampshire border and ends at Dover - Gateway to England. Much of the Trail follows the Pilgrims Way, the legendary route that was supposed to be used by pilgrims on their way from Winchester to Canterbury to pray at the shrine of St Thomas Becket (murdered in 1170). Prior to this pilgrims would have walked the other way to pray for St Swithen, who was buried at Winchester Cathedral! Modern day pilgrims and people simply out to enjoy some of the finest scenery in Southeast England now use the North Downs Way and the route takes the traveller through a rich tapestry of heritage and history. Much of the Downs are covered with rich woodland and rare chalk grasslands, which give rise to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. There are nature reserves, rare plants and butterflies - but wherever you find yourself on the Downs there will always be a new discovery or breathtaking view awaiting you around the corner. In discovering the Downs you will fall upon typical English villages steeped in history - all of them offering a warm welcome through the Surrey Hills and Kent Downs. Countryside Valued for their dramatic escarpments, secluded valleys and network of lanes, the North Downs are the backbone of the South East of England. For their protection they have been designated as 2 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) - The Surrey Hills and Kent Downs. The chalk landscape of the Surrey Hills is capped with beech woods and some of the most important areas of box and yew. This woodland is interspersed with surviving stretches of grassland, unimproved heath and showpiece villages. Across into Kent, the Downs continue to be topped by pocket woodlands opening into lower rich grasslands. Criss-crossed by sunken, one track lanes and scattered villages, the Downs plummet to the sea at the magnificent white cliffs of Dover. Facts and Figures The path All 153 miles (246km) of path is on open, accessible and signed public rights of way. The path has been picked to offer the best views within some of the most attractive scenery in the South East. Some sections, particularly near the M25 at Reigate can be noisy and although 19% of the path does follow roads, 75% of these are minor lanes. Every effort is being made to make the crossing of the main roads as safe as possible but at the moment the A24 and A249 do need extra care. A new footbridge over the A249 at Detling is due for completion in August 2002. Overall the path offers relatively easy walking, the majority of the path running along the top of the downs. The facilities There are 10 places along the trail where long flights of steps have been installed as a precaution to stop erosion on the sensitive chalk hills. There are 197 stiles and 135 gates on the trail. The number of stiles is being decreased in favour of more accessible gates over the next few years. There is a consistent and high quality design style and use of materials chosen to suit the character of the North Downs landscape. The entire route is waymarked with over 4,500 aids at every path junction and crossing to a standard which does not require the need for a guide book or route map to follow the path although one is recommended. The signs are colour coded with the national path status system, with the name of the path and National Trail acorn symbol clearly marked. The services The route is divided into 13 manageable sections in accordance with the official guide book, practical handbook and on route information panels. On this site the sections have been combined into just 7. There are small car parks, bus and train services at 11 of the 13 stopping points including the start and finish points. At Etchinghill and Boughton Lees, although not served by trains, there are buses and informal parking available in the villages. Outside of the two main towns and within a 2 mile belt of the trail there are 204 places to stay including 52 hotels, and 111 B&B's. Using Youth Hostels and campsites it is possible to walk the route (there are 7 Youth Hostels and 18 campsites) although visitors should be prepared for sections divided differently to the guide book. There are 288 pubs including 30 Shepherd Neame houses and 195 shops along the trail outside of the main towns. There are 56 attractions along the trail including 8 castles, 3 cathedrals, 6 stately homes and 4 vineyards and breweries. Litter bins can be found at access points to the trail and are serviced regularly. Wildlife WILDLIFE ON THE NORTH DOWNS WAY The North Downs Way runs for 153 miles (245km) from Farnham Surrey to Dover in Kent with an alternative route via Canterbury. Most of the route lies within areas of outstanding natural beauty and the Downs are important both for the quality of the landscape and the wildlife which they support. Enploughed grassland especially important for many species of plants and flowers which are either confined to this habitat or are scarce elsewhere and a wealth of insect life including many butterflies depends upon these plants for survival. Chalk grassland has become an increasingly rare habitat due agricultural change encroachment of scrub and lack of grazing and those well managed areas which remain are especially valuable. The extensive wooded areas which include ancient woodlands and coppice also support a huge range of interesting plants insects birds and other wildlife. DOWNLAND PLANTS Chalk downland supports a large number of distinctive plants and flowers of which the grasses themselves are especially important. Typical species include sheeps fesque quaking grass, downy oat-grass , tor grass and upright brome. There is a wide variety of orchids such as common spotted bee, early spider, late spider man and pyramidal orchids. Among other flowers which regularly occur are common rock rose, horseshoe and kidney vetches, fairy flax, squinancywort, yellow-wort, marjoram, wild thyme, eyebrights, dropwort, burnet-saxifrage, wild carrot, field scabious and dwarf thistle. Many species of trees may be found growing on the Downs and there are large areas of semi-natural woodland. Typical trees include beech, field maple, whitebeam, yew and box the latter especially at Box Hill. The white-flowered wayfaring tree is typical of chalk scrubland. Flowers in the woodlands include common species such as dog's mercury, bluebells and wood anemone as well as those which are more restricted to chalk soils. Examples of these include stinking mellbore and spurge-laurel both scarce and early spring flowers. Traveller's joy produces fluffy white plumes in Autumn giving rise to the popular name old man's beard. Orchids include the fly orchid and (only in Kent) the beautiful and rare lady orchid. BUTTERFLIES Butterflies form a special feature of the Downs during the months from Spring to Autumn, and there are a number of species which find the conditions on the surviving chalk downland to be particularly to their liking. Foremost among these are the adonis blue and the chalk-hill blue. Two species which are completed are completely dependant upon chalk grassland for their survival. The caterpillars of both feed on the horseshoe vetch and are tended by ants in search of a sweet secretion which they produce. The combination of horseshoe vetch and the right species of ants is critical for the existence of these two attractive insects. Other members of the blue family which may be encountered are the small blue, common blue and the brown argus. Other species are not wholly dependent upon chalk downland but do find the habitat suitable. These include marbled white, dark green fritillary and grayling. In the woodland and scrub speckled woods occur commonly throughout the summer but white admirals are much less widespread. Relatively common butterflies which occur in a wide range of habitats and may often be seen in the Downs include brimstone, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, peacock, small, large and green-veined whites, orange tip, meadow brown, small heath and small large Essex skippers. BIRDS The North Downs support a wide range of birds, especially in the wooded areas resident species such as blue, great, coal marsh and long tailed tits, treecreepers, nuthatches and goldcrests are joined in summer by migrants such as chiffchaffs, willow warblers, garden warblers, blackcaps, spotted flycatchers and in some places nightingales. Kestrels and sparrowhawks are the two birds of prey seen most frequently. In winter an occasional hen harrier may turn up and the hobby is regular in the summer. The open Downs are less obvious a habitat but species such as yellowhammers , corn bunting and green woodpeckers are often seen here. The coastal section of the North Downs Way features the fulmar (a small relative of the albatross cormorants and many gulls, especially herring gulls. OTHER WILDLIFE There is a vast area of insect life in the North Downs in addition to the butterflies. Moths fly mostly at night but a few species are day-time flyers and may be confused with butterflies the black and red six spotted burnet is one commonly encountered example. On warm summer days grasshoppers and crickets can be heard in the grassland. Common lizards may sometimes be seen basking in the sun although they often dart away when approached. The only snake occurring with any frequency is the adder - although its bite is poisonous it generally moves away when people approach and is not a threat to visitors. Mammals include badger, fox, roe deer, hare, rabbit and many small mammals like mice, voles and shrews.

NORTH DOWNS WAY FARNHAM 0 GUILDFORD 10 GOMSHALL 18 BOX HILL 25 MERSTHAM 35 OXTED 43 OTFORD 55 WROTHAM 63 CUXTON 72 BOXLEY 82 HOLLINGBOURNE 89 CHARING 97 WYE 105 R1 - SOUTH [23] ETCHINGHILL 116 FOLKESTONE 121 DOVER 128 R2 - EAST [33] CANTERBURY 119 SHEPHERDSWELL 129 DOVER 138

IMAGES: SELECTED PICTURES FROM NORTH DOWNS WAY (GALLERY LEADS WEST TO EAST)