Teynham to Faversham walk

This is a flat walk leading initially through ‘The Larder of London’, or the ‘Fruit Bowl of England’, the area around Teynham, not only the home of English cherries, but also with plentiful orchards of apples, pears, plums, strawberries and raspberries, as well as foraging opportunities for cherry plums, elderberries and blackberries. The area also used to be a large exporter of timber, grain and oysters. The local brick earth and chalk make the area fertile for fruit, but also were the foundation for the many brickfields in Teynham, Conyer and Faversham, remnants of which are passed en route. The bricks were an important source in London’s Victorian building boom, and were transported to London by the famous sailing barges, ruined remnants of which can be seen on the walk’s Conyer Creek option.

From Conyer you follow the Saxon Shore Way along The River Swale, a tidal channel between mainland Kent and the Isle of Sheppey, and then along some creeks, with mudflats, salt marshes and fishing boats on the one side and the stark but beautiful landscape of drainage ditches and dykes, fertile meadows and windswept grazing marshes on the other, an unspoilt and tranquil haven for walkers, livestock and wildlife alike. Oare Marshes NR, passed late in the afternoon, is an internationally important birdlife sanctuary.

You finish in Faversham’s bustling streets past the stunning Market Place and its many cafés and eateries.

Plentiful options enable walk lengths from as short as 13.6 km/8.4 mi to as long as 29.2 km/18.1 mi.

Teynham station is on the London Victoria to Dover Priory Chatham Main Line. Journey time is 70 minutes Mondays to Saturdays and 83 minutes on Sundays (shorter if utilising the High Speed service from St. Pancras), with an hourly service all week. Return trains from Faversham are three an hour to Victoria and two to St. Pancras (from 67 to 88 minutes journey time). Buy a Faversham return. Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take the train closest to 9.00 hours, or a later one if taking one of the early morning shortcuts.

A couple of Early Morning Shortcuts cut out the southerly loop through fields, woods and orchards. They cut 8.3 km/5.1 mi or 7.5 km/4.7 mi respectively.
A Mid-Morning Shortcut cuts out 3.1 km/1.9 mi and some of the loop through fields, woods and orchards.
A Morning Extension, through more orchards and up a hillock or two, adds 2.2 km/1.3 mi.
An Afternoon Shortcut takes a more direct route into Faversham from Oare (entirely on tarmac though). It cuts 2.7 km/1.7 mi.
An Afternoon Extension, along Faversham Creek rather than through Ham Marshes, adds 1.6 km/1.0 mi.
Buses 343/344/345 (Mon-Sat) link Teynham and Sittingbourne stations to Lynsted and Conyer (the recommended lunch stop) for a start (or finish) there.
Bus line 333 (Maidstone – Teynham – Faversham) travels along the A 2 and enables a start or finish at the A 2 London Road/Lewson Street junction, a little off route.
Bus line 3C from Oare links to Faversham station (Mon-Sat only, hourly on the hour).
Circular Walks from Faversham are possible due to a choice of routes from the seawall to Oare and then again from Oare to Faversham.

The Black Lion The Street, Lynsted, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 9JJ (01795 521 229). Open 11.00-23.30 Mon-Sat and 12.00-22.30 Sun. Food served 12.00-14.00 and 18.00-21.00 Mon-Sat, 12.00-16.30 Sun. The Black Lion is located 150m off route of the main walk, along the morning extension, 3.4 km (2.1 mi) into the walk.
The Plough Inn Lewson Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 9JJ (01795 521 348). Open 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-21.00 Tue-Thu, 12.00-16.00 and 18.00-22.00 Fri-Sat and 12.00-18.00 Sun. Food served 12.00-14.30 and 18.00-20.30 Tue-Thu, 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-21.00 Fri-Sat and 12.00-17.00 Sun. The Plough is located 6.1 km (3.8 mi) into the walk, and 8.1 km/5.0 mi if taking the morning extension.
The Ship Inn at Conyer The Quay, Conyer, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 9HR (01795 520 881). Open 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-23.00 Mon-Thu, 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-24.00 Fri, 10.00-23.30 Sat and 10.00-21.30 Sun. Food served 12.00-14.30 and 18.00-21.00 Mon-Thu, 12.00-14.30 and 18.00-21.30 Fri, 10.00-14.30 and 18.00-21.30 Sat and 10.00-16.00 Sun. The Ship is located 10.3 km (6.4 mi) into the walk, and 12.4 km (7.7 mi) if taking the morning extension.
The Three Mariners at Oare 2 Church Road, Oare, Faversham, Kent, ME13 0QA (01795 533 633). Open 12.00-23.00 Mon-Sat and 12.00-21.00 Sun. Food served 12.00-14.30 and 18.30-21.00 (21.30 (Fri-Sat) Mon-Sat and 12.00-18.45 Sun. The Mariners is located 19.6 km (12.2 mi) into the walk, and 11-12 km if taking one of the early morning shortcuts.
The Castle Inn 2 The Street, Oare, Faversham, Kent, ME13 0PY (01795 533 674). The Castle is located 19.5 km (12.1 mi) into the walk, and 11-12 km if taking one of the early morning shortcuts.

For the tea options please consult page 2 of the pdf.

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Start ME9 9DU Map Directions Return to the start:

Finish ME13 8JJ Map Directions Travel to the start:

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National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Travelline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Sep-20 Thomas G