Walks And Walking – Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route

My second Kent walk over our Easter stay in Broadstairs could not have been any more different to the Herne Bay walking route from the previous day. The skies were clear blue, there was a lovely crisp breeze and it was a beautifully warm day. I took the train from Broadstairs to Sturry, which only took 38 minutes, where I had planned to start the walk I had plotted out on my map. From Sturry the general idea was to follow the Stour Valley Walk along the River Stour and then a section of the Saxon Shore Way to discover Richborough Castle Roman Fort ending the walk at the very picturesque town of Sandwich covering about 17 miles and taking me about 6 hours.

As the ground was so dry and the route was fairly flat I decided to stick with the Salomon walking boots starting the walk off wearing a lightweight walking jacket with my waterproof jacket in my rucksack just in case. After an hour of walking the lightweight walking jacket became too hot so I put that in my rucksack too and it was lovely walking along the River Stour in just a t-shirt enjoying the fantastic weather. For the rest of Easter the weather was awful so I was lucky to get a good day to complete my longest walking route.

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route Map

From Sturry Railway Station I turned right down towards the village turning left at the signpost for Fordwich and the Town Hall turning left as Fordwich Road went left to King Street to join the Stour Valley Walk through Fordwich, which is Britain’s smallest town. I then walked right at the Fordwich Arms and left in to School Lane following this track all the way to Higham Farm through Trenleypark Wood and the Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve (NNR) following the yellow Stour Valley Walk waymarkers.

At the end of the Trenleypark Wood I climbed quickly uphill to a stile across fields following the Stour Valley Walk waymarkers with great views of Stodmarsh Valley on my left hand side where I then kept left on to Stodmarsh Road turning left at the next Stour Valley Walk signpost over a stile and keeping right along the gorse lined embankments to rejoin the road at the end of the field in to Stodmarsh. I then walked left after the Red Lion pub at the next Stour Valley Walk signpost to the entrance to the Stodmarsh NNR car park keeping to the left hand track by the Stour Valley Walk waymarker following the track as it went right continuing to follow the Stour Valley Walk waymarkers eventually leaving Stodmarsh NNR at Grove Ferry Inn.

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route - Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve

I then walked right at the next Stour Valley Walk signpost turning left at the Public Footpath signpost by the metal gate turning right following the Stour valley Walk waymarker then left at the next Stour Valley Walk waymarker between fields following all the Stour valley Walk waymarkers to then cross the footbridge on the right signposted to the Historic Church in Stourmouth. I kept straight ahead over the footbridge to a wooden gate and the next Stour Valley Walk waymarker turning left on to Church Lane and then turning right in to the Stourmouth Historic Church continuing to follow the Stour Valley Walk waymarkers.

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route - Stourmouth Historic Church

At the farm I turned left at the Stour valley Walk signpost following the road where I then turned left at the t-junction where I then left the Stour Valley Walk and headed up to Plucks Gutter turning right at the Public Footpath signpost just before the Dog and Duck pub through a metal gate to the Pumping Station keeping straight ahead keeping to the left to join the track close to the edge of the River Stour to now join the Saxon Shore Way. This was an enjoyable and relaxing stroll following the River Stour as it meanders through Kent passing Redmarsh Moorings where I saw some canoeists on the river.

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route - River Stour

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route - River Stour Canoeists

I then walked underneath the railway bridge with the wind turbine on my left hand side continuing to follow the River Stour passed an old building and in to some trees before entering the woodland at Richborough Castle Roman Fort. I then crossed the stiles and railway tracks up to the Fort for some pictures.

Walks And Walking - Kent Walks Sturry To Sandwich Walking Route - Richborough Castle Roman Fort

I then doubled back on myself to rejoin the Saxon Shore Way by the River Stour passing some moorings to continue following the Saxon Shore Way and rejoining the Stour Valley Walk signpost turning left at the road, then left and then right crossing the road to Butts Lane walking by the river bank by the cricket pitch, which was extremely picturesque and a great place to watch a match, crossing over the next road to Rope Walk with the river now on my right hand side. I then walked right at the road passing the petrol station turning left in to St George’s Road and then right to Sandwich Railway Station catching a train back to Broadstairs.