North Downs Way, National Trail in southern England
The North Downs Way is a long-distance footpath in southern England that stretches for 153 miles from Farnham to Dover. The path runs along chalk ridge tops, through beech woodlands and open meadows, where wide views open across the surrounding valleys.
The official National Trail opened in 1978 and partly follows paths that served as pilgrimage routes during medieval times. The chalk formation was created around 100 million years ago, and the ridge tops have been used as travel routes since the Bronze Age.
Walkers follow a path that pilgrims have used for centuries. The route passes through villages that have kept their medieval layout and offers insight into the rural landscape of southern England with its sheep pastures and orchards.
The path divides at Boughton Lees into two variants, one passing through Canterbury and the other through Wye. Both sections are well marked and end in Dover, where walkers can choose depending on their time and fitness level.
Fossils of sea urchins and shells are often found in the chalk soil along the path. The white cliffs at Dover that appear at the end of the route are made from the same chalk as the hills walkers cross during the first miles.
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