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North Downs Way
North Downs Way
	The North Downs Way near Hollingbourne
Length	153 mi (246 km)
Location	South Eastern England, United Kingdom
Designation	UK National Trail
Trailheads	Farnham, Surrey; Dover, Kent
Use	Hiking
Highest point	Botley Hill, 885 ft (270 m)
Season	All year

The North Downs Way National Trail is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978.^[2] It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Kent Downs AONB.

History

Planning for a new Long Distance Path, as they were classified in 1949, began in Kent in 1950. After an extensive survey, it was agreed that a route on "a line which offers the best scenic qualities for the walker" along the ridge of the North Downs, rather than the Pilgrim's Way (which even in the 1960s was predominantly metalled road), was preferred. Working alongside Surrey County Council, plans were eventually submitted in 1966. The North Downs Way was officially designated by the then Minister of Housing and Local Government, Anthony Greenwood, on 14 July 1969, and opened in parts shortly afterwards.^[3] The formal opening ceremony, led by Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury, took place on 30 September 1978.^[4] At that time, it was 141 miles (227 km) long, 36 miles (58 km) of which were newly created public rights of way.^[3]

Route

East of Boughton Lees, the path splits in two, the northern section running via Canterbury and the southern via Wye; at this stage the path crosses the Stour Valley Walk and passes the Wye Crown. The two sections of the path reunite at Dover. The northern route is 131 miles (211 km) long, and the southern route 125 miles (201 km), the current length of the North Downs Way being 153 miles (246 km). The official guide to the trail divides the North Downs Way into fifteen sections.^[5]

Sections of the North Downs Way
Section	Start point	Finish point	Distance (km)	Ascent (metres)	Descent (metres)
1	Farnham	Guildford	17.7	203	233
2	Guildford	Westhumble	21.0	293	288
3	Westhumble	Merstham	16.0	442	384
4	Merstham	Oxted	12.8	311	249
5	Oxted	Otford	18.9	524	587
6	Otford	Cuxton	24.1	524	587
7	Cuxton	Detling	20.1	404	299
8	Detling	Lenham	14.9	320	281
9	Lenham	Wye	17.9	128	247
10	Wye	Etchinghill	18.1	396	303
11	Etchinghill	Boughton Lees	19.3	406	506
12	Boughton Lees	Chilham	9.5	156	171
13	Chilham	Canterbury	11.6	187	215
14	Canterbury	Shepherdswell	16.7	248	158
15	Shepherdswell	Dover	13.7	152	268

The pathway is mixed-category in that it varies throughout length from footpath (around 48%) status to bridleway, byway and road. Some 19% of the Way follows roads, though 75% of those are minor lanes.^[1]

The path (east of Boughton Lees, the southern section) runs along the ridge of the North Downs hills, and follows parts of the Pilgrims' Way.

Geology

As the pathway runs through the higher parts of the downland, the trail and surrounding countryside are characterised by chalk-based soil and calcareous grassland with broadleaf woodland on the upper slopes. It reflects the underlying sedimentary chalk deposits on the highest parts of the trail. There is livestock grazing on the lower slopes with clay soil and crop agriculture predominant in the valleys.

References

^ ^a ^b "National Trails - Facts and Figures about the trail". Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
^ Drewett, J (1985). "Chapter 1: Landscape and Countryside". Surrey. Shire County Guides (2nd ed.). Princes Risborough: Shire Publications. pp. 9–10. ISBN 978-0-7478-0051-4.
^ ^a ^b County Council, Kent (July 1969). Archive files (CC/C-PL/19/16/1). Maidstone: Kent County Council.
^ "News in brief". The Times. No. 60387. London. 23 August 1978. p. 3.
^ Saunders, Colin (2013). North Downs Way. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 9781781310618.