The North Downs Way National Trail offers walkers 153 miles (246 Km) of spectacular scenery, picturesque villages and glorious rolling countryside, passing through the Surrey Hills and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You don’t have to walk the National Trail in one go to enjoy the best it has to offer. 

Starting in Farnham and  ending in Dover, the North Downs Way passes through a landscape of great variety. There are eight castles, three cathedrals, including Canterbury Cathedral,  three archbishops’ palaces as well as numerous stately homes and gardens close to it. The National Trail follows part of the Pilgrims Way and there are many churches and links to pilgrims who would have travelled these parts in Medieval and more recent times. There are also Neolithic sites, Roman and Napoleonic forts, Medieval castles and WWII fortifications. 

The views from the scarp across the High Weald are spectacular, as is the countryside through which it passes. Much of the North Downs Way follows the legendary Pilgrims Way. Originally pilgrims travelled from Canterbury to Winchester to pray for St Swithun who was buried at the cathedral. The route was then used in reverse as pilgrims journeyed from Winchester to Canterbury Cathedral to pray at the shrine of Thomas Becket.

The North Downs Way takes the traveller through a rich tapestry of heritage and history.