INTRODUCTION
PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK
About the North Downs Way
History 9 – How difficult is the North Downs Way? 9 – How long do you need? 10
Practical information for the walker
Accommodation 11 – Food and drink 14 – Money 16 – Other services 16 – Walking companies 16 – Taking dogs along the North Downs Way 18
Budgeting 18
When to go 19
Itineraries
Suggested itineraries 24 – Which direction? 24 – Side trips 24
What to take
Keep it light 26 – How to carry it 28 – Footwear 28– Clothes 29 – Toiletries 30 – First-aid kit 30 – General items 31 – Camping gear 31 – Money 32 – Maps 32 – Recommended reading 32
Getting to and from the North Downs Way
Getting to Britain 34 – National transport 35 – Local transport 36
PART 2: ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE
Conserving the North Downs
Government agencies and schemes 41 – Campaigning and conservation organizations 43 – Beyond conservation 44
Flora and fauna
Mammals 45 – Fish 45 – Birds 46 – Reptiles 48 – Butterflies 48 – Flowers 49 – Trees 51
PART 3: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING AND OUTDOOR SAFETY
Minimum impact walking
Access 55 – The Countryside Code 55 – Economic impact 57 – Environmental impact 58
Outdoor safety
Avoidance of hazards 60 – Blisters 61 – Hypothermia 61 – Hyperthermia 61 – Sunburn 62 – Personal safety 62 – Other users 62
PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS
Using this guide
Trail maps 63 – Map keys 64
The route guide
Farnham to Guildford
Farnham 65 – Seale 72 – Puttenham 72 – Compton 72 – Shalford 74 – Guildford 78
Guildford to Denbies Wine Estate and Dorking
Chilworth 82 – Albury 82 – Newlands Corner 84 – Shere 86 – Gomshall 88 – Holmbury St Mary 88 – Ranmore Common 92 – Westcott 92 – Denbies Wine Estate 92 – Dorking 94
Dorking to Merstham
Box Hill 98 – Box Hill Village 98 – Reigate Hill 98 – Redhill 100 – Merstham 103
Merstham to Oxted
Oxted 108
Oxted to Otford
Westerham 111 – Knockholt 115 – Dunton Green 115 – Otford 118
Otford to Medway Bridge and Rochester
Kemsing 122 – Wrotham 122 – Borough Green 124 – Trottiscliffe 124 – Ryarsh 128 – Cuxton 128 – Rochester 134
Medway Bridge to Hollingbourne
Aylesford 138 – Detling 140 – Thurnham 142 – Hollingbourne 142
Hollingbourne to Charing
Harrietsham 146 – Lenham 146 – Charing 148
Charing to Chilham
Westwell 152 – Eastwell 152 – Chilham 158
Chilham to Canterbury
Chartham Hatch 160 – Chartham 160 – Canterbury 164
Canterbury to Shepherdswell
Bridge 170 – Shepherdswell 176
Shepherdswell to Dover
Dover 180
APPENDIX: ALTERNATIVE ROUTE
Boughton Lees to Dover via Folkestone 183
INDEX 185
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