Whican two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 75.00% of reviewers

Basically a sound route with a plot that is reasonably accurate. In my opinion it tried too hard to use footpaths when other better routes are available. No stiles but steps at Whitstable station and mud in season. No cattle seen and no roads that offered me any concern. Other Whican routes are available and more could be offered.

Starting from Whitstable it was good to take in the harbour where business and leisure sit side by side. The detour off Cromwell Road takes in Westmeads Recreation Ground but in future I would stay on the road. The stepped bridge at the station makes this route unsuitable for some users. Beyond that it would be better to take the old rail line route from the start after leaving Old Bridge Road. The plot failed to take me to the footpath behind houses with so many conflicting options on offer.

Once on the cycle route, Crab and Winkle Way it’s simple navigation and good under foot. A tall bridge under a road would make a great enclosed venue for something. There is a good sloped bridge over the A299. A footpath offers a short cut from the cycle track but it was muddy and even this is used by intrepid cyclists so at times no break from bikes.

Amery Court Farm has acres of poly tunnels producing soft fruit including cherries. The walked path to ‘The Hare at Blean’ first heads for the church where there is a seat but the rest of the paths are poor and the planned service destination limited. Lots of opposition to more new housing at Blean.

We leave the cycle route at the university following the edge of the campus then cross the sports field of St Edmund’s School, so avoid walking on sports day. The available path south of Giles Lane is a little to the left, not straight across as shown on OS.

Back on the Uni campus it’s obvious management do not encourage their students to walk into Canterbury along this route. It’s muddy, unsigned and overgrown with annual summer growth.

Close to town we hit the streets and follow the pavements from Forty Acres Road which might be a shame because routes one and three use the narrow but well used path opposite. Things do improve as we pass through Westgate where the streets are transformed into the continental street cafe scene.

Happy to make this journey again but with a few improvement tweaks.

This route will get you to Whitstable but for some reason takes an unnecessary deviation. If you are attempting to get to Blean see Whican 1 and if you want a faster route to Whitstable see Whican 3.

I walked the route from Whitstable to Canterbury. Overall, I really enjoyed the route; it was varied, gorgeous, interesting, and generally navigable and easy to follow. The route generally, but not exclusively, follows the cycleway, so much of the route has really good ground conditions (paved or compacted gravel and wide paths).

A few points:
- Around Thurston Park the route has you go in behind a stretch of homes, but the footpath was totally littered with debris or overgrown vegetation. It makes more sense to just get on the cycleway right after Old Bridge Road rather than join it south of All Saints Close.
- You might be able to avoid some mud by staying on the Crab and Winkle Way instead of taking the deviation from it at Amery Court Farm.
- I didn't take the diversion into Blean and intead just stayed straight on the Crab and Winkle Way.
- The route around the University of Kent is a bit weird, ducking around uni buildings, but the path is always there and always public. I actually liked it as a way to keep the approach into Canterbury as green as possible for as long as possible!

No major complaints here: the route was pleasant, beautiful, and a great connection between Whitstable and Canterbury!.

A pleasant and easy to follow route. Sharing much of its length with the National Cycling Route 1.

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