insideKENT Magazine Issue 33 - December 2014 | Page 121

DAYSOUT

The Faversham
Food Trail:
EARTH, WIND AND WATER
With Faversham’s glorious rolling
landscape and pretty creek, all you need
is a cold, bright day to take on this
fantastic 11-mile walk. When you’ve
finished exploring London’s larder, you
can warm up by the fire in a cosy pub
with a glass of Faversham’s very own
Shepherd Neame beer.
This peaceful marshland was the scene of a ferocious exchange of
gunfire in September 1940 in the Battle for Graveney Marshes. The British
soldiers’ prize was the Luftwaffe’s latest bomber, complete with secret
technology that was adopted for the Lancaster and Halifax planes. It was
even reported that they later exchanged souvenirs and a few pints with the
German crew in the local Sportsman pub.
As you continue through the marshes, you’ll pass the Kentish Flats
wind farm and the Sportsman pub, the setting for that aforementioned
wartime drink.
Take your time strolling through the marshes and keep an eye out for
the wildlife, samphire, lizards, and sea lavender that all make up this
internationally acclaimed nature reserve. Cornfields, grazing cattle, and
birds will accompany you as you make your way along the sea wall.
Follow the creek as it winds its way back to Faversham, where you’ll
cross the footbridge into Iron Wharf boatyard. Stroll past the collection of
boats on the waterfront and head out of the quay, returning to the evercharming town centre.

You’ll find Faversham’s historic marketplace is the perfect place to start
your day, with plenty of delicious local food to stock up on. When you’re
ready to tear yourself away from the market, leave the Guildhall behind you
and walk past Britain’s oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame.
From Abbey Street, turn right into Abbey Place, passing the house
where Thomas Arden was murdered on the direction of his unfaithful wife.
Follow the footpath ahead and walk through the playing fields.
Faversham’s Royal Abbey stood here until the 1530s, after which Henry
VIII ordered its destruction.
Continue ahead through Park Place and Gordon Road and take the
path behind the houses on your right. Look out for the chimneys on your
left, a remnant of the abbey’s brickfield.
Across the fields, you’ll have fantastic views of the rolling farming
landscape and the distant Faversham Parish Church. Up ahead you’ll see
Whitstable clinging to the hillside.
Take your time rambling through the fields, pass through the marked
gateway on your right and cut across towards a gap in the hedge.

Location: Faversham (ME13 7JL)
Distance: 11 miles
Time: Allow 4.5 hours
OS Explorer Map: 149
Terrain: Mainly flat
Parking: Queens Hall car park, near
Faversham railway station
Refreshments & Facilities:
Restaurants, cafés, and public houses
in Faversham
Public Transport: For local bus and
train services in Kent, contact Traveline
on 0870 6082608 or visit
www.traveline.org.uk

To find out about other walks in Kent or for information on cycling, riding and country parks
in Kent, visit www.kent.gov.uk/explorekent. Follow @explorekent on Twitter.

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