Читать книгу The North Downs Way. National Trail from Farnham to Dover онлайн

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Stage 3 Mole Valley to Merstham

Stage 4 Merstham to Westerham Hill

Stage 5 Westerham Hill to Wrotham

Stage 6 Wrotham to the Medway

Stage 7 The Medway to Detling

Stage 8 Detling to Harrietsham

Stage 9 Harrietsham to Boughton Lees

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Stage 10 Boughton Lees to Etchinghill

Stage 11 Etchinghill to Dover

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Stage 10a Boughton Lees to Canterbury

Stage 11a Canterbury to Shepherdswell

Stage 12a Shepherdswell to Dover

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B Recommended reading

Appendix C Route summary table

Cobbs Hill gives a view down to Water Farm and Stowting (Stage 10)

INTRODUCTION

The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases… Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours’ march to dinner – and then to thinking!

William Hazlitt (1778–1830)

I'm one with Hazlitt, when it comes to long-distance walks. Except, perhaps, my preference would be for an eight or nine-hour march to dinner, rather than just three. Spread the day thinly, I say; set out soon after breakfast with a cheese roll and an apple in the rucksack, dismiss from mind any thought of the next night's rest – and simply wander. Let the trail ahead guide your feet, leaving each of the senses free to absorb whatever the countryside has in store.