Fordwich to Reed Pond Walk
Fordwich was once a busy port serving Canterbury, when the River Stour was tidal. The stone used to build Canterbury Cathedral from Caen, in France, was unloaded here.
Today, it is said to be the smallest town in Britain and the town hall, which was first built in the reign of Henry VIII, is often open to the public.
The walk passes through land which is maintained and conserved by the Ministry of Defence. Nearby Chaucer Barracks is home to the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.
Reed Pond, with its wealth of wildlife, is the focal point of the walk. The pond once supplied the monks of Canterbury with water.
Accessibility Information:
The path is well-compacted, but with stones of up to 40mm in the final approach to Reed Pond. It climbs gradually from the woodland up to the pond with occasional flat surfaces and there is a step of approx. 70mm up onto a footbridge. There are no seats. Due to the gravel surface and step onto the footbridge, this route is not suited to wheelchair users, and would be best suited to pushchairs with wider wheels.
Step by step guide
Turn left out of the car park and immediately left onto National Cycle Route 1 - following these signs continue along the path beside the river. Please note that dogs must be kept on a lead as you pass through the meadow.
Continue straight ahead through the woodland.
Keep following this path until you reach Reed Pond.
Return to the car park
