Lower Halstow, Newington

Start : The Bull Inn Newington, the junction between Station Road and Hight Street (A2), Newington (ME9 7JP)

(S) Starting from Station Road in Newington, walk towards the railway station and turn right along the footpath towards Church Lane. Cross Church Lane carefully to the pavement on the other side. Walk to the bottom of Church Lane and turn left onto School Lane. Walk past the school and keep to the right onto Boxted Lane, go past the cemetery on your left and stay on Boxted Lane until the footpath on the right just before Libbetswell Cottages.

(1) Proceed along the footpath untill you reach a kissing gate. Go through the gate and along the side of the field, keeping the hedge to your right. Go through the next gate then walk about 25m until the gap in the fence on the left. Go through the gap and turn right along the side of the orchard, under the electricity pylon.

(2) After the orchard where the footpath turns right through a kissing gate, pause for a while. The wide open fields are a good place to spot birds of prey in the sky or a murder of rooks on the ground. The footpath follows the hedge and then the Libbet stream on your right until you reach the small bridge at Lower Halstow. Note that parts of this footpath are quite overgrown.

(3) In Lower Halstow, at the brick bridge, cross the stile, turn right then right again along the track with the new weatherboarded houses on your left. The footpath has been diverted here because of house-building - please follow the official diversion.

(4) Follow the footpath across the field towards the electricity pylon. When you reach the pylon, turn back to enjoy a view across the Medway Estuary. Cross the stile then follow the footpath into the valley and around to the right, keeping Bog Farm on your left. Take care, this footpath has large trees growing in it and the roots can be a trip hazard.

(5) At the end of the narrow footpath cross two small wooden bridges and continue on to the right hand corner of the enterprise centre. Take the footpath ahead of you. This exits directly onto Wardwell Lane – take great care as you turn right onto the lane and walk 200m to the junction with School Lane and Church Lane.(E)

Start : The Bull Inn Newington, the junction between Station Road and Hight Street (A2), Newington (ME9 7JP)

Food and drink : With a small detour, there is an well-reviewed pub in Lower Halstow called The Three Tuns that has outdoor seating and welcomes dogs. Other than this, there are no toilet facilities or water points on the route.

Terrain: There is some road walking. Take care, walk on the right and keep dogs and children close. In summer and autumn, you will find stinging nettles and brambles on sections of the paths.

Please remember that all directions are advisory and you are responsible for your own safety at all times.

All historic information is taken from 'Newington Times Past' and 'Newington Street and Place Names'' by Thelma Dudley. More information at Newington History group here.