WALKS AROUND ALKHAM
(updated 31st March 2014)
All the
walks start from the car park opposite the village hall. Approaching Alkham
from the Folkestone direction go about 50 metres past the Marquis and turn
right. Entering the village the from Dover direction after going round a sharp
right hand and left hand bend, turn left
into Hogbrook Lane. A short distance down on the right you will see the
village hall, which is painted green and opposite is a car park.
As Alkham
is in a valley be ready for some steady climbing on all the walks suggested
below.
The map
showing the footpaths has letters at various points and these are shown in
brackets at the relevant points on the walk information.
WALK
ONE
About 7.5 kilometres in
length taking you in a large loop around the north side of the parish on arable land
and pasture land with livestock and country lanes.
From the
car park, cross the road and walk down the left hand side of the village hall
(A) and round the back of the hall to the Alkham Valley road. Cross the road
and walk in front of the Marquis, turn sharp left up the side of the Marquis to
the lychgate at the entrance to St Anthony’s church (B).
Walk
straight ahead past the church to a kissing gate. Pass through this and walk a
short distance between fences to a gate and then continue to an opening kissing
gate a short distance forward.
Go through
the kissing gate and you will see a footpath that goes up the hill. From here continue
up the hill and when you reach the top and a short distance on there is a gap
in the hedge by a stile. Continue the short distance over the next field to a
gap in the hedge. On the other side is a cultivated field across which you walk
until you come to a byway which crosses the footpath. This byway is generally
rutted and is called Pimlico Way (C), which runs from (W)
to (M).
Continue in
a straight line across the next field until you come to a road (D). Turn right
and follow the road for about a kilometre passing the top of Slip
Lane(Q) and a couple of accesses. Eventually the road
descends to a sharp left hand bend at which point a track goes straight on (E).
Follow this track and pass through a field gate. There is generally livestock
in this field. Walk through the field for about ¾ of a kilometre along the
bottom and then head up to the top right corner before you meet a cross fence.
In the corner there is a gate leading into a wood. Walk through the wood
following the main track and pass through the gate on the other side. Continue
walking in the same direction and after a short distance pass through another
field gate onto a track between two fields. Follow the track until you get to a
road (F).
Cross the
road and just to the right is another road going straight ahead; this is
Belsey Lane. Walk down this lane for about a kilometre
passing Greenwich Lane on your left until you get to Ewell Minnis. Ferne Lane
joins on your right (G) and passing this the road narrows with hedges on both
sides, opening up to a telephone box and post box on an island to the left.
Walk
straight on just past this island and take the next right, which is Green Lane
(don’t go down the hill). Walk up Green Lane and after a short distance you
will come to a kissing gate on the left (H).
Go through
the kissing gate into the field, which normally has livestock in, sometimes
lambs. The footpath across the field should be visible but if it is overgrown
take a diagonal line across the field and eventually drop down to a fence line
by a wood. If you’ve taken the right line you should end up with a wood to the
front, a wire fence to the right and a kissing gate in front of you. This is
Sladden wood (J).
Sladden
Wood is maintained by The Kent Trust for Nature Conservation and is a nature
reserve. Follow the path through the wood until you come to a kissing gate.
Pass through the gate into a field, which normally has livestock in.
There is
open access to this field and from the kissing gate you have to walk straight
up the hill and down the other side. However, because it is open access, you
can walk round the lower part of the hill if you like, to get to the other
side. Here you will find another kissing gate (K). On the other side is a small
field normally with a horse in leading to another kissing gate. Pass through this
onto a path with overhanging trees. After a short distance the path forks;
follow the left turn down to the Alkham Valley Road.
Cross the
Alkham Valley Road and go slightly left and down Short Lane (L). At the bottom
turn right and walk along the road to the end, where you will find a narrow
footpath, which leads to the village green. Walk straight on by the football
pitch back to car park where you started from.
WALK
TWO
This is similar to Walk One but a bit shorter
at about 6 kilometres, around the northern part of the parish.
Follow Walk
One to Pimlico Way (C). Turn right and follow Pimlico Way to Slip Lane (M). Go
up the bridleway, which is roughly opposite leading up to Chalksole Green Lane
(N). Turn left here and about 20 metres along on the right go through a
pedestrian field gate. Go at a slight angle passing the end of a hedge, which
has been laid, and on to a small gate. Continue walking in the same direction
until you get to a field gate, which leads onto pasture land (O).
It is
unclear which side of the fence the footpath runs but it is probably best to
stay in the same field and turn sharp left and follow the fence line to a small
gate at the far end. Go through the gate and follow the leylandi
until you get to a partially paved road. Follow this road until you get to an
island and go to the left where you will meet a road. Continue left along the
road past the top of Slip Lane (Q) to the next bend (D). Turn to the left and
walk across the field back to Pimlico Way and then back to Alkham.
WALK
THREE
This is
about 3 kilometres. Follow Walk Two to the bottom of Pimlico Way (M) and turn
right down Slip Lane back to the village hall.
LONGER
WALKS NORTH OF THE VILLAGE
Walk to Ewell Minnis. The quickest route is to go from the car park across the football pitch
walking on the right hand side of the dyke. At the end of the green you will
see a path which has a leylandi hedge on one side and
a wooden panel fence on the other. This leads to Short Lane and follow the road
round the 90 degree bend (L) up to the Alkham Valley Road. Slightly to the left
and opposite is a track leading up to point (K) on the map. Turn right here and
walk along the track before passing through a kissing gate. Continue straight
on and go through another kissing gate. Turn left and go over the hill, or as
it is open access, walk round the lower part.
Once over
the hill you should see a kissing gate into Sladden Wood (J). Follow the main
track to the right up to another kissing gate. From here strike a diagonal
across the next field to a kissing gate in the corner by a track (H). Turn
right onto the track and walk to a T junction where there will be an island
with a phone box and telephone box to your left. Walk to the right of the
island into Ewell Minnis.
After a
short distance the road forks, with Redbarn Lane to
the right and Newcastle Lane to the left. Go right and following the road and
then paths (X) it will take you down to Kearsney. Here you can cross into
Bushey Ruff and then follow the footpath back to Alkham.
It’s probably a 10 kilometre walk. Going to the left at Ewell Minnis and
following the road and paths (Y) can take you down to Watersend
to the north of Temple Ewell. If you take the path at (Z) it will lead to
Lydden.
WALK
FOUR
This is to
the south of the village and is about 4 kilometres in length. The quickest
route is to go from the car park across the football pitch walking on the right
hand side of the dyke. At the end of the green you will see a path which has a
leylandi hedge on one side and a wooden panel fence on the
other. This leads to Short Lane and where the road turns sharp left (L), walk
straight on up the track. Pass through a field gate and follow the path close
to the fence to the brow of the hill. From here you can see the path, which is
called the Priest’s Walk, leading up to a wood. Follow this path for about 500
metres and then fork right up towards St Radigunds (R). Turn right and walk
along the road for about ¾ of a kilometre until you come to a house called
Mount Ararat (S). Turn right here and follow the path, known as The Firs back
to Alkham. The last 400 metres will be down Hogbrook Lane.
WALK
FIVE
This is to
the south of the village and is about 3.5 kilometres long. Walk round the back
of the village hall and up to the wide verge by the Alkham Valley Road. Turn
left and walk along the verge a short distance to a path, which leads into the
small estate of houses. Take this path and on reaching the estate road bear
right and after a short distance you will see a footpath between two houses.
Go up the
footpath, through a gate and into a field. Carry on across two stiles and
strike for another stile on the far side of the field on the edge of a small
wood. Pass through the wood onto Hogbrook Lane (U). Turn right and after a very
short distance take a path up the opposite verge to a stile leading to a field.
Continue on about the same line up the field where you will find another stile.
Cross this to an arable field continuing across a paved track to a gap in a
hedge (T). On passing through the hedge turn left and follow
the footpath leading to a wood and then a road. From this point walk along the
road about 200 metres to Mount Ararat. From here follow Walk Four back to
Alkham.