A circular walk from Eastry, going through Finglesham

Eastry and Finglesham

A pleasant walk with varied scenery. The walk is mainly across arable farmland, with an ancient waterway and a pretty boggy section thrown in for good measure! Parking is in the car park in the high street in Eastry, next to a veterinary surgery (which used to be a people surgery)! The walking is generally easy, with a couple of short inclines. Both the A256 and A258 can be very busy, so patience is needed to cross them.

OS Ref: TR310548

Length: 8 Miles

Approximate time: 3 – 3½ hours

Parking: Free car park off High Street, Eastry

Refreshments: Pubs in Eastry and Finglesham. Plenty of choice in nearby Sandwich.

Black-spots:

1 - The climb between TR313546 and TR314545 near the beginning of the walk can be treacherous if there has been a lot of rain.

2 - The area between TR341540 and TR342541 can be really boggy after a lot of rain. Best to skirt round the left side of the field to the bridge in that case.

The walk

Start by going through a gap on the left edge of the car park then turning right. Walk along a short alley, turning right at the end. Pass Eastry Court on the left, soon to walk to the right of St Mary’s church. Go through a gate, then take the right of two paths here, which can be more indistinct than the left one. Use a wooden gate on the far side, walking along an enclosed path after. Don’t be tempted by a path immediately left after the gate, as that can only be used with prior consent of the landowner! This path can be a tad muddy after rain.

Use another wooden gate at the end, turning left onto a road after. Soon after a left bend in the road, take an enclosed footpath on the right, uphill. It can be quite muddy here after rain, and some care with footing may be needed at the steeper parts! Go through a kissing gate to walk across a field for about 180 metres, going slightly left to cross a stile at the far side. Follow the path (which can be a bit overgrown) down steps to the ever-busy A256. Cross the road, then up some steps the other side. These have the potential to be a bit iffy, as they’re not in the best condition (when the walk notes were taken).

Go straight across a field at the top, heading towards the right end of a hedgerow. Keep ahead to follow the hedge now to the left, turning left when it ends. Soon, continue into an enclosed path, coming to a road (Hay Hill). Turn right onto it, following the road past the entrance to Cherry Trees Farm on the right, to a tee-junction. Keep ahead at the junction, following one of the fingers of a 4-way signpost. The path gently descends to the right end of the hamlet of West Street. Keep ahead, through an enclosed part of the path, to a road.

Climb up the bank the other side of the road, bearing slightly left to continue, now with a fence to the left. Just over the brow of a hill, take the right of two paths (1), gently uphill. Go through a metal kissing gate at the top, but before that, take in the views from this point – a lot of east Kent is visible. Anyway, after using the gate, follow a fairly indistinct path on the right of a meadow. Go through a metal kissing gate, turn right onto a lane for a few metres before turning left at a public footpath signpost.

Go through a wooden chicane to walk along an enclosed path, between some well kept hedges. Go through another chicane to cross the next field. Cross a road (Broad Lane) to seek the refuge of a pavement. Turn left to walk about 170 metres, passing the entrance to Intercrop Ltd. Look out for a public footpath signpost on the left – turn left here to walk diagonally across a field. Bear left onto a road at Finglesham, then follow the road for about 130 metres. On coming to a footpath signpost (which can be a bit hidden), turn right onto a driveway initially. The way becomes enclosed, with a ditch to the left.

Go through a wooden kissing gate further along, to be on a slightly winding path. Cross a bridge, then follow the path to a metal kissing gate. Cross another bridge, turning slightly left after, making for another bridge. These bridges are very necessary, as the land around here can be rather boggy. On the subject of bogginess, the next part of the walk can be a bit treacherous if there has been a lot of rain. You can see where you need to go next, which is towards a metal gate near a power pole. If the ground is sodden, it’s awkward taking a linear route to the gate, so it may be best to keep to the left edge of the field. There is yet another bridge to cross to the right of the gate, turning left after. Follow an enclosed path, eventually coming out onto the busy A258 near a building that used to be a pub. Cross the road, then turn left the other side to follow the road, passing the Elite Hand Car-wash Centre to Homemead Road.

Turn right onto Homemead Road (2), going past some properties, then farm buildings. At the end of the lane, keep ahead for a short while before bearing slightly right to walk along an enclosed path. After losing the fence on the left, keep ahead passing to the right of a large concrete slab. The path goes right, then gently swings left after a short way. Continue to the Hacklinge pumping station, ascending a bank to walk beside Roaring Gutter Dike (as it’s spelt on the O/S map). This can be a great place for wildlife, and seems rather remote in places.

After about 700 metres (0.4 miles) cross a concrete bridge, turning left after, to have the course of a waterway to your left. This follows Pinnock Wall, once part of a medieval system to supply water to nearby Sandwich. Follow Pinnock Wall eventually coming out onto a road, turning left along it. Where the road bends left take a track to the right (3), following it round to the left after a while. At a crossing of paths, keep ahead onto a track, bearing right at a public bridleway waymarker near some nurseries on the left. Cross a lane further along to continue on the bridleway, keeping ahead again where a track appears on the right.

On coming to the A258 road (again), turn left along it, using the earliest opportunity to cross it. After about 300 metres (0.2 miles), turn right onto Felderland Road (4). Follow it for about 300 metres (0.2 miles). Turn left just before some farm buildings on the right, to follow a bridleway signpost. Carry on until just before the end of the hedge on the right, then turn right through a metal gate. Walk along a shaded enclosed path, soon to go through a metal kissing gate into a more open area.

Cross a stile a bit further on to walk on a track. Keep ahead where the path becomes more enclosed, now with a wire fence to the left. Soon the path opens up to walk through an orchard. Keep ahead where the orchard on the right ends for a short while, before another part of the orchard appears on the right again (just briefly), before being replaced by a nursery! Now we have a wire fence to the left, with a meadow the other side of it.

Keep ahead through a farmyard with some large metal barns, soon to use a metal kissing gate. Down three steps the other side then cross the A256, turning left along the verge opposite. Go up a flight of seven steps to the right, following the path left at the top. The path bends right just before going through a metal gate (not the wooden one to the right of it).

Walk on the left edge of a meadow, with some decent views to the left. Use a gate in the far left corner, then turn left with a fence to your left. At a tee-junction, turn right (5) for about 200 metres, then left along a pleasant tree-lined path, gently uphill. A concrete public footpath flags that you’re nearly at the end of the walk. The path becomes tarmacked further along. Cross a road to do a quick left-right turn, soon finding the car park on the left.

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