The route from Maidstone town centre to Vinters Valley is straightforward and relatively quiet; the nature reserve was lovely in the hot weather, going up a very shady and quiet valley. Bearsted Golf Course was about par for a golf course public footpath; but as always I wish they’d make the posts easier to spot from a distance, white paint or something. But the traffic was very polite and much quieter than any road before the golf course, somehow even though some of those were partially closed for roadworks. Between the pub to Coldharbour Farm the route follows a young long distance route, the Augustine Camino, which has reliable but discreet white and purple stickers on fences and posts....

Daisy C

The riverside parts are very tranquil especially between Allington Lock and Maidstone where the houseboats also add a bit of colour. There was a footpath diversion near Coldharbour Lane in Sept 2023 but it was well signed and Kent Council's website suggests it has now be reinstated, March 2024. There was a footpath diversion somewhere between Coldharbour Lane and the M20 footbridge but it was easy to use (and apparently reinstated before this edit in March 2024) and a railway level crossing....

Daisy C

No public transport in central 2 quartiles but Aylesford station is about a mile from Aylesford village. Will probably add more and some photos later....

Daisy C

There are several places where a more direct route could be taken with map reading or advance route planning....

Zen Miguel

I recall getting lost at some point around the A20, but I'm not sure if this was because of our ineptitude (as we'd been walking for sometime) or because of a mistake in the routing....

ShortLegsLongWalk

It's fine as way of walking from Paddock Wood to Maidstone - the paths are easy to find, it's fairly direct and much the way is on flat, gravel or tarmac surfaces....

benjoda

It's tricky to find the route at times and it's tough going....

benjoda

The highlight - just over half way through the walk - is a path which takes you round Leeds Castle, giving a different view from the wrong/rarely photographed side....

benjoda

This is a reasonable route with some pleasant sections by the river Medway and in the higher ground above Yalding.( Walked in late summer /autumn)....

And

confident walkers but not suitable for wheelers of beginnners and route difficult to follow between Linton and Marden. The second part of the walk from Linton starting at St Nicholas Church on Linton Hill to Marden is more difficult to follow as in mid- summer the paths are starting to get overgrown with brambles and path markings are not particularly clear...

And

The next section from Chart Sutton area across fields and then turning left towards Sutton Valence was reasonable walking. Care needed crossing A274 road into Sutton Valence ( lovely views) Steeps steps down from upper part of Sutton Valence and then below castle there was a step and very overgrown path ( very wet at the time ) Dropped down by fruit farm and very sticky ground towards Heniker Lane which I managed to follow around Weald of kent GOlf Course and then finally lost definitive route and ran out of time just after the Golf Course....

And

This is a an easy route, with much of the well-signposted, flat path farm being concrete, gravel or, for the final stretch between Allington lock and Maidstone, tarmac. Despite the made path, it's also a glorious route which cuts through Kent farmland not yet fully industrialised and crossing a tidal, near-estuarine stretch of the Medway: you step back into a Michael Balcon film. That can't last - so it's a walk worth making before the landscape changes forever....

benjoda

Then path to Otham Green and from below Stoneacre up field path to Chambers Farm ( fruit growing), using marked tracks across farm by Polytunnels. Then paths across road at Arnold Court to Brogden, Church Lane and finally entering Leeds Castle park. Crossing road and then through farm taking care to find path which is marked but a little difficult to locate....

And

The first section from Maidstone Museum to Bearsted Golf course was reasonable , straightforward for most walkers and possibly wheelers however I missed a short section near Hockers Lane ( the path entrance was up a private drive though was actually accessible....

And

I walked this in 2 sections in May, first from Maidstone to Northpole Road, Barming Heath in a couple of hours. Road walking through Barming Heath to Northpole Road. Second part of walk from Northpole Road goes past converted Water tower then left through Oaken wood on good wide path with variable surface including stone chippings. Note there are some road sections and road crossing needed....

And

The path then follows the river bank to Aylesford where there is a short road section and it is necessary to cross the road by Forstal and Station Road at the old Aylesford Bridge. Overall it is a reasonable walking route (with limited climbing and some mixed surfaces with some sections suitable for a range of wheeled access ( particularly the riverbank sections apart from the section in Aylesford which was muddy and had many roots. The other side of the riverbank ( right bank) from Maidstone to Aylesford ( without crossing at the locks) is easier to use without the fields and more rough sections across fields and woods and avoids 2 of the level crossings...

And

When arriving in Maidstone the route shows to leave the river and cross the road to Faith Street but there is no exit point from the river there and the road crossing is further down, opposite Earl Street....

Karsco