Greensand Woods and the Royal Military Canal: A circular from Hamstreet

To an under-explored and under-appreciated corner of Kent for our next walk, as we explore the soft woodlands and (betimes) misty pathways bordering Romney Marsh. Leading around 11 miles (18km) in a loop from the village of Hamstreet (or, if you're a railway person, Ham Street), the morning will take in the National Nature Reserve of Hamstreet Woods, home to rare species of butterflies and a colony of great crested newts (lucky if you spot one) before the inevitable stop at a gorgeous pub for lunch. Then it's back on the trail for an afternoon largely spent exploring one of England's most peculiar military curiosities: the Royal Military Canal, built to repel Napoleonic invasion in the early 19th century around the boundary of Romney Marsh, and having never seen military action, now a haven for wildlife.

Marvellous - see you there!