Walking the North Downs Way

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. The Trails Shop has a wide range of guides, maps and merchandise to celebrate walking the North Downs Way.  

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 them. When walking the North Downs Way you will follow part of the Pilgrims’ Way, there are many churches and links to pilgrims who would have travelled these parts in both Mediaeval and recent times. There are also Neolithic sites, Roman and Napoleonic forts, Mediaeval 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. Walking the North Downs Way takes the traveller through a rich tapestry of heritage and history.