insideKENT Magazine Issue 59 - February 2017 | Page 67

CANTERBURY ’ S TALE OF SUCCESS

DAYSOUT
LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE OF CANTERBURY , FORDWICH IS A HIDDEN GEM OF TRANQUILLITY THAT IN THE PAST WAS A BUSY PORT AS THE STONE FROM CAEN IN FRANCE USED TO BUILD CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL WAS UNLOADED HERE . THE PORT WAS ALSO USED BY SHIPS CARRYING WINE AND TIMBER IN MEDIEVAL TIMES . THE MAIN FOCAL POINT OF THIS WALK , REED POND , ONCE SUPPLIED THE MONKS OF CANTERBURY WITH WATER BUT NOW IT IS A TRANQUIL HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE . IT ’ S A PERFECT PEACEFUL WALK TO TAKE WITH SOMEONE SPECIAL TO END A WONDERFUL MEAL OR AS AN EXTENSION TO A VISIT TO CANTERBURY .
Your walk begins along the banks of the River Stour . Although the second largest river in Kent , this particular stretch is very peaceful and teeming with wildlife and birdlife . At this time of year , you might be lucky enough to spot some early signs of spring or even a winter robin or cheeky heron ! Fordwich trout can be found in the river , one of the largest species of trout around . Fordwich gained angling and fishing repute from Izaak Walton due to its trout .
Turn left out of the car park and follow the signs for National Cycle Route 1 .
Your walk takes you through woodland that is owned and maintained by the Ministry of Defence – Chaucer barracks are close by where the Princess of Wales regiment is based . Look out for spring wildflowers such as the long-awaited snowdrops , primroses or even lesser celandine – their shiny star-like flowers look similar to buttercups and cover woodland floors during early spring .
Continue following the welldefined path which will lead you to Reed Pond – this is the highlight of the walk . A biggerthan-average pond , this surprisingly large expanse of water is well worth spending some time at to admire the natural pond life that grows here . Sit on the banks for a while and admire the peace and quiet in the area . You will understand how the author FJ Beerling based a series of children ’ s books on Fordwich after being inspired by the beautiful Kent countryside against the backdrop of the River Stour . Beerling loved the olde worlde charm of Fordwich and the even older charm of the town hall building .
When you ’ re ready , you can simply retrace your steps back to the car park and explore the rest of Fordwich or have a meal in the cosy George and Dragon pub . Fordwich is the smallest town in Britain and its town hall was the first to be built in the reign of King Henry VIII . It ’ s open to the public , a quaint little building and well worth exploring . Fordwich is also home to St Mary ’ s church , which contains part of a carved sarcophagus reputed to have once contained the remains of St Augustine of Canterbury . The Fordwich Arms and the George and Dragon are also located in the town too and serve lunch and evening meals , a great way to finish this little wander .
Fordwich is a sleepy part of Kent , and a perfect reason to take this gorgeous walk with that special person in your life , it ’ s got everything you need here for the perfect Valentine ’ s Day .
LOCATION : FORDWICH , CT2 0BX DISTANCE : 2.5 MILES ( 4.02 KM ) LINEAR TIME : ALLOW 1.5 – 2 HOURS OS EXPLORER MAPS : 150 TERRAIN : A WELL COMPACTED SMOOTH SURFACE WITH OCCASIONAL STONES
PUBLIC TRANSPORT : FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT DIRECTIONS TO FORDWICH FROM YOUR HOME ADDRESS , PLEASE VISIT WWW . KENTCONNECTED . ORG . THERE IS A RAILWAY STATION AT STURRY , A 10-MINUTE WALK AWAY .
PARKING : PARK IN THE CAR PARK OPPOSITE THE GEORGE & DRAGON PUB , BY THE BRIDGE OVER THE GREAT STOUR . TWO DISABLED PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE .
REFRESHMENTS & FACILITIES : GEORGE & DRAGON PUB AT THE START . THE PUB ALSO HAS ADAPTED TOILET FACILITIES .
EXPLORE MORE
To find out about other walks in Kent including romantic walks in Kent , please visit the Explore Kent website www . explorekent . org . Follow @ explorekent on Twitter and Facebook and share your experiences !
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