New Year's cobweb-blowing on the North Kent coast: Herne Bay to Birchington

Happy New Year to all! If you're feeling the effects of over-indulgence over the festive season, here is just the walk for you: a blast of around 9 miles (16km) along the north Kent coast from Herne Bay to Birchington-on-Sea via - the highlight of the walk, pictured - the ruined Roman fort and Saxon church of Reculver.

As far as the terrain goes, it's an absolute doddle - mainly flat along the sea wall, with just a small bit of light climbing after lunch. So it's ideal for those who feel their fitness might have been affected by too little movement and too many mince pies over Christmas. The only catch is that, as my old granddad used to say "there's no land between north Kent and the North Pole". He was almost right - he was forgetting East Anglia -but the point he was making, that when a north wind blows it does well to wrap up warm in these parts, still stands.

All in all, though, that makes this a perfect destination for some New Year cobweb-blowing - all the better because we will, as ever, also compensate it with a fine pub lunch and a pub at the end. Dry January be darned. Hope to see you there!