Celebrate Kent’s Wonderful Walks

May has arrived and that means one thing, National Walking Month is here!

Now is the time to throw on your walking boots, grab a map and celebrate the finest country parks, routes and walking festivals Kent has to offer.

The month is filled with everything walking; the Catha’s Seat Picnic returns celebrating this beautiful corner of the Kent countryside sitting alongside National Cycle Route 18. There are also guided walks throughout the month to give you a taste of what Kent has to offer, whether that be the Spring walk at Dungeness National Nature Reserve or the Forage Fest in Dover. This month’s event doesn’t just stop there; country parks and walking routes are located all across Kent so whether you like to walk alone or with friends there is a walk for everyone.

This is great opportunity for us to combine Kent Sport’s Everyday Active campaign with National Walking Month and show that something as small as a 10 minute walk can actually have significant benefits to your health. For the long-distance walkers, we also have the ‘long distance walking challenge‘ where you can apply for a certificate by filling in the route you have taken to celebrate your achievements and inspire your next walking challenge!

Country Parks are a great chance to involve yourself with the National Walking Month. They are cost free, pre-planned routes that are the perfect opportunity for families who enjoy walking or people who have pets to burn some energy.

Above is just a few of the exciting parks Kent has to offer. No matter whether it is Brockhill Country Park, Teston Bridge Country Park or those listed above, each has its own wildlife and history waiting to be explored.

Walking Festivals

Catha’s Seat Picnic 4th May 2019

Come join the cycling and walking routes that have been planned at Wye, Chilham, Ashford & Canterbury all ultimately reaching Catha’s Seat.

A day of fun filled activities will begin on your arrival with live music, poetry readings and not forgetting the annual locally sourced picnic supplied by a host of partners.

Catha’s Seat is a quiet spot on National Cycle Route 18 and the Stour Valley Walk for cyclists and walkers to rest and enjoy the views.  There are two handcrafted solid oak benches with in-built cycle parking so you can enjoy the ride to the park on your bike.

The Catha’s Seat Picnic provides an opportunity for you to discover the joys of cycling and walking in the glorious Kentish countryside. Combining this with a day of entertainment makes this a date to pencil into your diaries.

Each of the starting points and their start times can be located via the Catha Seat website.

Elham Valley Park Walking Festival 1st-2nd June 2019

In 2013 Elham was the first village to achieve the ‘Walkers are Welcome’ status in the North Downs Area. Ever since then the group has expanded not only in Kent but all over running regular events throughout the year. This all leads up to there annual self-financed two day walking festival across a variety of different areas and routes over Kent. Set in the unique Kent Downs, our walks range in distance from one to twenty-three miles and include visits to vineyards, exquisite gardens, charming villages, special woodlands, a fun walk for children and the challenging Elham Valley Way.

Additional information of their festivals and their start times can be located via the Elham Valley site.

Canterbury’s Pilgrim Festival 12th-15th June 2019

A celebration of Canterbury’s pilgrim history and heritage. Exciting events include a full-day pilgrim workshop in the Canterbury Cathedral auditorium with talks on the pilgrimage routes of Canterbury, such as the Pilgrims Way, highlights of the history and heritage to be found along these routes as well as there being a question and answer session with experienced pilgrims on the pilgrimage today.

There will be several organised walks and mini-pilgrimages led by experienced and knowledgeable guides. The festival will conclude on 15 June with a terrific celebration of community and pilgrimage with a Pilgrim Feast, featuring medieval entertainment

Extra information on the event is available at the website.