This 9KM by 9AM walk features the country lanes and footpaths around Charing and the Stalisfield Church areas of Kent including the Windmill high above Charing.
The walk starts in Charing village - sited on the Pilgrims' Way from London to Canterbury. The historic village had a market recorded in 1285, and a fair recorded in the fifteenth century.
Charing features the Church of St Peter and St Paul situated next to the remains of the Archbishop's Palace, just off the High Street. The church's west tower was built in the 14th century, though most of the rest of the building was reconstructed following a catastrophic fire in the 16th century.
The walk takes in Charing Windmill, also known as Field Mill on the Downs above the village - a smock mill built in the early nineteenth century and last worked in 1891. It stands today as a house conversion.
I headed around the lanes and up Charing Hill towards Stalisfield a village about 1½ miles (2.4 km) north of Charing and 5 miles south west of Faversham.
Stalisfield is well known for its pheasant population but there were none to be seen this morning as I walked across the pheasant farm!
Stalisfield lies high on the North Downs (a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), some 650 feet above sea level.
I returned to Charing via the Windmill.
I thoroughly enjoyed this walk – with its beautiful long distance views over the Kent countryside.
Time - 2 hours 58 minutes
Distance - 11.1km and elevation of 162 metres with a mixture of roads and country paths.
There is plenty of parking in Charing village.
What 3 Words -https://what3words.com/start.spoon.shrub
Below you'll find a mapmyride image of the route including elevation.
This walking route was provided by our contributor Nigel Jones.
Nigel is a self-development and motivation coach and the author “WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS - THE SECRET TO ALCOHOL-FREE LIVING & WELL-BEING”, to be published next month (July 2022).
He is the founder of 9KM BY 9AM and walks 9KM before 9 o’clock every day!
9KM BY 9AM is a health & wellness channel featuring the 9KM BY 9AM CHALLENGE and is available on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
The channel features daily walks and thoughts and is open to anyone who wants to challenge themselves.
Over the first 12 months Nigel walked 3,420kms before breakfast! That’s the equivalent of 81 marathons!
Nigel says, ‘The walks are a great time to think, plan your day and also meditate. It’s not just about walking it's about the ideas, the thoughts, the creativity time. Out walking early in the morning is a great time to learn new things through listening to podcasts and audio books and reflect.’
