The Crab & Winkle Way: Visit Canterbury, hike to Whitstable for the sunset

Yaaaaayyyy it is time to hit the road again for a beautiful hike and the visit of this absolutely beautiful city in good company!
We will start our trip in Canterbury, the old, the very old city and will have a stroll around before beginning the hike all the way to the sea via the famous Crab and Winkle way. Fun enough, we will begin our trip in what is the end of the Pilgrim Way, a city where millions of people have ended their Pilgrimage over the centuries and where Christianity started in Britain...
In 597 AD, St. Augustine led a mission from Rome to Christianize Kent. He converted King Æthelberht of Kent, whose queen was already a Christian. St. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 601 AD.
This trip will take us through some beautiful landscapes, including a beautiful forest in its autumnal colours, an old town and the seaside.

Canterbury is a popular tourist destination: consistently one of the most-visited cities in the United Kingdom. The city has been occupied since Paleolithic times and served as the capital of the Celtic Cantiaci and Jute Kingdom of Kent. Many historical structures fill the area, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and a Norman castle, and the oldest extant school in the world, the King's School. It was home to Saint Thomas and became the destination of the pilgrimage that started from Winchester and ended in Canterbury, know as the Pilgrim way and that his followers had followed for centuries.

Known for its cathedral and beautifully preserved old buildings, we will kick off our trip with a wander in these pretty streets before we hike to the sea! And if they are open, I know a delightful crepes place where we can take away a treat to get some energy before we hit the road! Imagine this tasty crepe with hot chocolate and some fruits and whip cream if you want to go full on fatty caressing your taste buds and the warmth of it leaking down your throat... :)

After we have taken some lovely picture, we will follow the famous Crab and Winkle way, an ancient railway line that once linked the two beautiful places, one of the first passenger lines in the country! And today, another famous hike. We will walk through beautiful forests and countryside. There will be a not so pretty bit by the road for about 10 minutes when we leave Canterbury but after that, beauty will pave the way :)
As we arrived to the end of our trip, you will begin to scent the smell of the sea as it awaits us for the sunset, the apotheosis of our trip if weather allows...

Whitstable is a fishing village and one of the most popular seaside towns in Kent, it was famous for its oysters from Roman times all the way to the middle of the 20th century and its traditional architecture will delight us and as usual, for those who wish, we will probably grab a pint and a good old fish and chips, a veggie meal or whatever you fancy eating or drinking.
Come on, you know you want to join me for some fun!

INFORMATION:

DISTANCE:12 miles/18 km

DURATION: About 5 hours

DIFFICULTY: Easy

TOTAL ELEVATION: 500 meters

COST:

£14 via PayPal for the guide's fee
About £25 in cash for the train.
We will buy a group return ticket at the station for those who wish to get a 30% group discount.

INCLUDED:

Guided hike

A great time with lovely people

NOT INCLUDED:

Train

Anything not mentioned above

WHAT TO BRING:

Waterproof shoes for the hike, preferably hiking shoes.

FOR THIS SEASON IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO HAVE WATERPROOF SHOES WITH A GOOD GRIP, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HIKE WITH TRAINERS AS IT WILL BE MUDDY AND SLIPPERY IN SOME PLACES.

Weather appropriate clothes, including waterproofs if there is a chance of rain;

Water bottle;

Packed lunch and snacks.

MEETING POINT:

London Victoria Station at 8.30 am

ATTENTION:

Our trips will not be cancelled due to weather conditions so please ensure that you do wear and carry appropriate clothing. 😄

POLICIES:

1: This group is designed for the pleasure and enjoyment of all of us, we do not accept any derogatory comments or behaviours towards anyone. Racism, discrimination and other unacceptable behaviours will only lead to your rejection to any of our trips and this without exception. Everyone is welcome, we have religious and non-religious people, gay, straight, bisexual people, all shades and colours or nationality, people of all ages, sex and political believes and mutual respect is the fundamental spirit of this group.

2: Our trips are only refundable up to 14 days before departure, if you wish to cancel after that, you will be offered a transfer to another trip for the same price or you may resell your slot to somebody else.

3: If we do cancel the entirety of the trip on our side, you will be fully refunded

4: A WhatsApp group will be created a few days before the hike, it is your responsibility to check any changes to the station or departure time on here or on the group.