Chacan one

Verified Slow Way

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This is a really beautiful route and not too long at all. As others have mentioned, it is very well established with good surfaces, signposting, etc. However, in the late autumn/winter I have always found this route to be very wet and difficult to traverse in some places (without getting wet feet). Nonetheless, traversable with boots and in all shoe types in spring, summer and early autumn.

Attractive and level route with no obstacles for walkers. Some sheep grids which might impede a wheelchair but this is a surfaced (sand/ gravel and some tarmac stretches near Canterbury and Chartham ) route. It’s popular with runners, cyclists and walkers. Especially recommended early morning when mist often shrouds the water meadows/ marshes and adjacent lakes and river.

Being part of the Stour Valley Walk and Cycle Path this is an established safe public footpath and cycle path over a mixture of tarmac and compacted type 1 aggregate. It is fairly level and accessible but wheelchair users may need assistance through kissing gates with adjacent cattle grid. The route follows the Stour River and past some fishing lakes with an abundance of ducks and swans plus the occasional kingfisher. There are public toilets at both the start in Chartham and Todlers Cove in Canterbury and both these points have car parking including disabled as well as a play park for children and seating. You will also find benches along the route including one with a table with animals carved into it.
Following the route to Westgate Gardens in Canterbury brings you out at the bottom of the main pedestrian street with access to numerous cafes and tea rooms in addition to Canterbury Cathedral itself.
At the Chartham end of the route you will find St Mart's church dating back to the 13th century. The church is constructed of Kentish knapped flint with ragstone quoins. Church features of note include: the magnificent series of timber rooves with large scissor-trussed rafters; windows in the chancel are considered amongst the very best examples of Kentish tracery; the stained glass, although partly renewed has enough glass of circ.1294 to guarantee the authenticity of the whole; the brass of the medieval knight, Sir Robert de Septvans, is the one of the oldest in the country. By crossing over the river you will be heading towards the Artichoke pub and restaurant that dates back to the 15th century. This is a tenanted pub owned by Shepherd Neme Breweries. Among previous owners was Richard Marsh who turned the inn into a brew house before moving on to Faversham where he founded the Shepherd Neme Brewery. Please note that it is advisable to book a table to avoid disappointment.

A very pleasant walk along the Great Stour. This route follows the Stour Valley Walk and National Cycle Route 18 for almost its entire length (up to Westgate Gardens on the edge of Canterbury City centre), and is well signposted and waymarked. It is almost completely traffic-free, generally on good surfaces, and should be suitable for most users. Flooding may be a problem after heavy rain or when river levels are high.

I think this route is very accessible, it follows part of Route 18 of the National Cycle Network. The survey seems very severe, orange X, because of the number of gates and cattle-grids that were found. The grids are placed so the wheeled can bypass the gates. The route is part of the Great Stour Way and it follows the river bank closely. However this also means that after a wet spell in the winter the route is liable to flooding. It is a very popular route where you find lots of families, pushchairs, runners, cyclists, swimmers, dog walkers and sheep all sharing the path.

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