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ExploretheStourValleyatwalkingpaceyoullsee,hearandsmellsomuchmorethan

whizzingbyenclosedinthebubbleofacar.Theendorphinsflowandyoureintunewiththe

environment:altogetheragreenergetaway!

HeresarevitalisingbreakbasedontwodaysramblefromCanterburytoSandwich,

followingtheStourValleyWalkandwithnatureandwildlifehighlightsalongtheRiverGreat

Stour.SpendsometimeexploringSandwichBaybeforereturningtoCanterburybyriveron

daythree.Youwillneedtocarrywhateverbelongingsyourequirefortwonights

accommodationenroute,andthereareplentyofplacestorestandeat.

BrianMaxted

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Littlebourne Mill

Littlebourne Green

Day One The Bourne Walk

InthemorningtakethetraintoBekesbourne andfollowtheBourne Walk (oneofthe

KentishStourCountrysideProjectsTrainRidestoRamble).Thispassesthroughthedelightful

villagesofBekesbourne,Littlebourne,Wickhambreaux,IckhamandPatrixbourne,andtakesin

fivechurches,asmanypubsandanumberofconvertedwatermills.Italsofeaturesorchards

andwatercourses.

AsanalternativetofollowingtheBourneWalkfromBekesbourne,youcouldstepoutalongthe

StourValleyWalkfromCanterburytoUpstreet.Thiswilltakefourfivehours.AtUpstreet,turn

downtoStodmarshNationalNatureReserveandexplorethewonderfulareaofopenwater,

reedbedsandmarsh.ThencheckinattheGroveFerryandenjoyawellearneddinner.

Wickhambreaux Church -

East Window

Werecommendyoudohalfofthecircularroutesothat

youcandetourviaHowlettsWildAnimalPark.Stopoff

forlunchatMamaFeelgoodsatChalkPitFarmorattheUnicornneartherailwaystation.(TheUnicornisa

popularpubforwalkersandcanpointyouintheright

direction!)

Fromhere,rejointhewalkandcontinueonthrough

Littlebourne,whereyoucanstopforadrinkatthe

AnchorInn,ortheEvenhill,beforecontinuingon

throughIckham and/orWickhambreaux.Accommodationisavailableatthesetwovillages(See

listingspages)

BrianMaxted BrianMaxted

BrianMaxted

http://www.kentishstour.org.uk/train_rides_bklts.htmhttp://www.kentishstour.org.uk/train_rides_bklts.htmhttp://www.totallywild.net/howletts/http://mamafeelgoods.com/http://mamafeelgoods.com/http://www.totallywild.net/howletts/http://www.kentishstour.org.uk/train_rides_bklts.htmhttp://www.kentishstour.org.uk/train_rides_bklts.htm

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Day Two Join the Stour Valley Walk

IfyoustayedovernightinLittlebourne,WickhambreauxorIckham:afterbreakfast,tracethe

publicfootpathsthroughorchardsandsoftfruitfarmstoStodmarsh.Amblethroughthe

StodmarshNationalNatureReservetoGrovewhereyoucanjointheStourValleyWalk.

Dependingonthetimeofdayyoustartedout,youmightarriveintimeforlunchatthe

GroveFerry.

ThescenicStourValleyWalkfromGroveFerrytoSandwichthentakesuptofivehours,so

planyourjourneytimesaccordingly.

ThebeautifullypreservedmedievaltownofSandwichandtheneighbouringvillageofWorth

havenumerouscomfyhotels,b&bsandinnswhereyoucanstay,aswellasawidevarietyof

placestoeat.Hangupyourbootsfortheeveningandrelax!

Sandwich

View from the Grove Ferry

Stodmarsh

National

Nature

Reserve

DavidYoung

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Seals at Richborough

Pegwell Bay

Day Three Return to Canterbury

TheverylastlegoftheStourValleyWalkisfromSandwichtoShellNess,wheretheRiver

StourjoinstheStraitofDover.

FromSandwichQuay,therivertakesalonelycourseacrossthesalts,doublingbackonitselfby

StonarCut.Thecut,betweentheriveratRichboroughandSandwichHaven,wasconstructedin

1776tocontroltheflowoftheriverandactasafloodreliefmechanism.The

StourValleyWalkpicksawayacrossthesaltsbetweenthetwogolfcoursesRoyalSt

GeorgesandPrincesthencontinuesalongsidetheSandwichFlatstoreachtheheadlandof

ShellNess.FromhereyoucanlookrightacrosstothesweepofPegwellBay.

Dependingonyourspeed,thissectionofthewalkwilltakearound1.5hourssoyoucouldwhile

awaysometimeexploringSandwichBay:checkforactivitiesoreventsbeingorganisedbythe

SandwichBayBirdObservatoryFieldCentre.Youmightalsowanttolookaroundthetown.

ItispossibletoreturntoCanterburybybus,orbytrain(changingatRamsgate).

BrianMaxted

http://www.sbbot.co.uk/http://www.sbbot.co.uk/

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Attraction Telephone Web address Opening Times Address

Howletts

Wild Animal

Park

+44(0)1227

721286

http://www.totallywil

d.net/howletts

Summer10:00-

18:00(last

admission16.30)

Winter10:00-17:00pm(last

admission15.30)

HowlettsWild

AnimalPark,

Bekesbourne,

Nr.Canterbury,Kent,

CT45EL

Mama

Feelgoods

+44(0)1227

830830

http://mamafeelgoo

ds.com/

Mondayto

Saturday9:30to

17:00,Sunday

10:30to16:00

ChalkpitFarm,

SchoolLane,

Bekesbourne,

Canterbury,

Kent,

CT45EU

The Anchor

Inn

+44(0)

1227

721207

http://www.the-

anchorinn.com/

Checkwebsite

alternatively

phone

TheAnchorInn,

Bekesbourne

Lane,

Littlebourne,

Canterbury,

Kent,

CT31UY

The Evenhill +44(0)1227

728073

Checkwebsite

alternatively

phone

http://www.evenhillc

anterbury.co.uk/

TheEvenhill

62TheHill,

Littlebourne,

Kent,CT31TA

The Grove

Ferry

+44(0)1227

860302

http://www.thegrove

ferry.co.uk/home.ht

ml

Monday-

Thursday10:00-

23:00,Friday&

Saturday9:00-

00:00,Sunday

9:00-22:30

TheGroveFerry,

Upstreet,

Nr.Canterbury,

Kent,

CT34BP

Sandwich

Bay Bird

Observatory

Trust

+44(0)1304

617341

http://www.sbbot.co.

uk/index.asp

Checkwebsite

alternatively

phone

SBBOT,

GuilfordRoad,

SandwichBay,

Sandwich,

Kent,

CT139PF

http://www.totallywild.net/howlettshttp://www.totallywild.net/howlettshttp://mamafeelgoods.com/http://mamafeelgoods.com/http://www.the-anchorinn.com/http://www.the-anchorinn.com/http://www.evenhillcanterbury.co.uk/http://www.evenhillcanterbury.co.uk/http://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.sbbot.co.uk/index.asphttp://www.sbbot.co.uk/index.asphttp://www.sbbot.co.uk/index.asphttp://www.sbbot.co.uk/index.asphttp://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.thegroveferry.co.uk/home.htmlhttp://www.evenhillcanterbury.co.uk/http://www.evenhillcanterbury.co.uk/http://www.the-anchorinn.com/http://www.the-anchorinn.com/http://mamafeelgoods.com/http://mamafeelgoods.com/http://www.totallywild.net/howlettshttp://www.totallywild.net/howletts