June Walks Giveaway: Faversham, Kent

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This walk is reproduced from our popular walking book 'Kent Tea Room Walks '.

📥 To download this walk and take it with you, click here!

FAVERSHAM, KENT

Distance: 5 miles

WALK HIGHLIGHTS

This route takes you out of the historic town of Faversham and alongside tidal creeks where you can see restored sailing barges and more modern boats. The creeks and marshes also provide important habitats for birds such as herons, little egrets and many species of waders, plus several rare plants. You return past the tower of a windmill and an ancient church.

HOW TO GET THERE & PARKING

Roads lead into Faversham from the A2, near to Junction 6 of the M2. The railway station is ½ mile from the start and there are buses to Faversham from Canterbury, Ashford, Maidstone and the Medway Towns. Sat nav ME13 7DX.

Park at the car park in Partridge Lane, off North Lane (GR TR
015615).

THE WALK

1. From the car park walk back to North Lane, cross the road with care and turn right under the Shepherd Neame sign that goes over the road. After 100m, turn left into Bridge Road to cross Faversham Creek, where you may see restored sailing barges. Turn immediately right past the creek at a footpath sign for the Saxon Shore Way, which is followed for the first part of this walk. Walk between houses and the creek, soon passing the Albion Taverna pub then, 200m on, the path bends inland to skirt houses. Where the wall on the right of the path ends go straight ahead for 50m towards terraced houses then right along a paved path by a footpath sign. After a few metres keep ahead on an earth path, with a wall on your right and, after 50m, take the right fork in the path. Where the wall ends, turn right to regain the creek.

2. Turn left along the raised bank alongside the creek, with the Oyster Stores building visible on the opposite bank, then later a boatyard for yachts. Keep along the raised bank to a kissing gate, then ahead between the creek on the right and a lagoon on the left. Once past the lagoon, keep ahead towards a white house in the distance. On reaching another kissing gate, look back for a view to the distinctive spire of Faversham Church. In midsummer, the muddy marshes between the path and the creek are tinged lilac by the flowers of sea lavender, while the lime-green umbel flowers alongside the path are the rare hog’s fennel.

3. The path bends left through another kissing gate, with another gate after 50 metres. Soon there are more lagoons on the right, where you may see elegant little egrets searching for fish. The path bends right to reach the main creek, then left towards the masts of sailing boats in the distance. Go through a kissing gate near an abandoned boat then the path bends right towards a house.

4. Continue past the Shipwright’s Arms, then the path bends left between the inn and a boatyard. The creek here is lined with sailing boats and you may see the yellow flowers of golden samphire on the banks. Go straight over a rough track and ahead on a path between dykes full of reeds on the left and a fence around moorings on the right. On reaching a road on a bend go ahead to the right to walk along the road between Oare Creek on the right and a large lake on the left.

5. When you reach a busy road near a T-junction cross with great care and turn left on a path alongside industrial buildings. Continue past Mill House on the left, which has the base of a windmill behind it, and keep ahead past side roads, soon with a large lake behind the fence on the right. Keep ahead past Davington Primary School and houses to reach Davington church, built in 1153 and all that remains of an ancient priory. Go on the pavement to the left of the church but, after 30m, at the top of Davington Hill, turn left to cross the road and go ahead along another road, with a wall on the left and allotments on the right (take care, no footway). You pass Davington Manor and later industrial buildings. At a T-junction, turn right to cross the creek, then right at the road by the brewery and next left to the car park.

PLACES OF INTEREST NEARBY

The excellent Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre in Preston Street has exhibits and information on the local area and its history.

Shepherd Neame Brewery Tours give a chance to look behind the scenes at Britain’s oldest brewer and learn how beer is made.

Brogdale Collections is the home of the National Fruit Collection, with hundreds of varieties of different fruits.

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