Day 8: Oxted to Otford
After completing one week of The Pilgrims Way, I was settling comfortably into my Camino/Via lifestyle. My feet were sore but healing; the daily routine was becoming a ritual; trail conditions and weather were as expected; and my confidence was growing that I could complete this warm-up trek by next week and launch myself into the ultimate goal: the Via Francigena to Rome!
Visit my previous post for the first week of this walk.
Before dinner last night, Sean and I compared notes and maps displaying the route of The Pilgrims Way as it moves from Surrey into the county of Kent. The routing in the guidebook and the various tracking apps can differ when they trade between historical accuracy, present-day aesthetics, and private property rights. Today brought these issues to the fore.
Much of the first and last couple of miles of today’s route were on single tracks through the woods – ideal terrain and beautiful (provided there’s not too much mud). The middle section was primarily along a long, narrow, rolling country lane kept busy with numerous road cycling clubs training on this dry Saturday.
There were also two sections where the route seemed to zig-zag off the obvious straight track: around the estate of Titsey Place and the grounds of Chevening House. In the first instance, I thought I could do better and followed an apparent alternativo, only to find myself surrounded by stern “Private” and “No Trespassing” signs. I corrected myself, but it cost me time and distance. I was careful not to make the same mistake in the second case.
Despite the stage’s agricultural feel, I was constantly within earshot of the busy motorways nearby throughout the day. To help drown out the road noise, I listened to many podcasts and read chapters of my audiobook.


The mascot of slow travelers!







Many along the way have told me how climate change has made this a vibrant wine-grape-growing region.

I was the only walker among these cyclists.




I see more and more Bluebell fields every day!






Day 8 Stats (Oxted to Otford)
Distance: 19.2km / 11.9mi
Elev Gain: 488m / 1,601ft
Time: 4:29
Steps: 29,694
Day 9: Otford to Wrotham
Today was a short day. I passed through a couple of pretty Kentish villages and had several chances to see the iconic oast houses where hops are traditionally dried and stored for brewing beer.
I wanted to settle in time to find a pub to watch Liverpool FC play their game at 2:00pm. I am happy that I gave myself plenty of time because I needed to walk an additional distance to a neighboring village to find a place where the game was being shown on TV. After the game, I returned to Wrotham and learned more about the old public house inn where I stayed the night.
First built in 1385! Can you imagine?

















Day 9 Stats (Otford to Wrotham)
Distance: 12.9km / 8.0mi
Elev Gain: 260m / 853ft
Time: 2:57
Steps: 24,766
Day 10: Wrotham to Aylesford
Today was very windy and wet. For the past 9 days, I have avoided walking in the rain, occasionally needing to dodge some light showers and the muddy leftovers. But the forecast of off-and-on rain until late afternoon left me no choice but to don my foul weather gear and hope the steep descent from the ridge top wouldn’t be too slippery.
The more adverse conditions I deal with when I walk, the fewer pics I take. That being said, I loved the dramatic cloud formations before the storm and after it passed. Please enjoy this short post.






At this point in my walk, someone asked me where I was along the whole route of The Pilgrims Way, so I shared this map. I’m the blue dot, much closer to Canterbury than to Winchester!

Day 10 Stats (Wrotham to Aylesford)
Distance: 14.9km / 9.3mi
Elev Gain: 170m / 558ft
Time: 3:13
Steps: 24,165
Day 11: Aylesford to Harrietsham
Today was a long day (the longest yet!) and a good one. While my feet are still sore, and it was as hard as ever to get out of a warm bed this chilly morning, I feel good about how I’m settling into my routine: walk, eat, sleep, repeat. Routine became the magic formula for completing my Camino Francès in 2022, and it was a big goal of this warmup fortnight to Canterbury. It has worked out well!
Today brought a sampling of everything I’ve seen in the first 10 days: single tracks, farm roads, and paved streets; bright sunshine and April showers; muddy trails and dry trails; dusty industrial parks and sweet pastoral fields; quiet stretches of birdsong and monotonous motorway noise; new construction and centuries-old buildings.

Aylesford Priory, also known as “The Friars,” was founded in 1242.



It’s fun to see how creative people have become in converting the old oast houses into modern homes.









The Black Horse Inn, on The Pilgrims Way in Thurnham provided a welcome break from my walking to enjoy lunch and a beer.



Day 11 Stats (Aylesford to Harrietsham)
Distance: 23.3km / 14.5mi
Elev Gain: 427m / 1,401ft
Time: 5:06
Steps: 36,999
Day 12: Harrietsham to Boughton Lees
Another successful day. It was distinct from all previous stages in that it did not pass through any towns or villages along the way. It was obvious that the farm fields were being tended (most were planted, and a few were plowed under), and there were large homes, new homes, and small homely cottages throughout the area. The map indicated that the nearby villages are 1-2 km away from the path, in a parallel line, but not directly on it. I read that my “hometown” last night (Harrietsham) used to be further up the hill from its current location (meaning, it used to be on The Pilgrims Way). But the village moved its location when the Black Plague arrived in England… in 1348!)
As a result of seeing nothing but my path, I wasn’t ever distracted as I had been on all previous days: stopping for “off-trail” things such as a coffee, a morning snack, breakfast, lunch, water, a drink, a warm and dry room, a conversation. I stopped moving whenever I saw something interesting and sometimes took photos. Two of the interesting things I saw were the first and only two examples so far of what I call “Pilgrim Art.”
The first was Brother Percy resting on a park bench to the side of the trail, and the second was the 61-meter (200-foot) high Lenham Cross carved into a chalk hillside in 1922 as a memorial to those from the parish who died during the First World War. It was constructed by volunteers from the village, who excavated it by hand.

Brother Percy




The Lenham Cross.








First view of the day’s destination beyond the local cricket green: The Flying Horse in Boughton Lees.



Day 12 Stats (Harrietsham to Boughton Lees)
Distance: 18.5km / 11.5mi
Elev Gain: 302m / 991ft
Time: 4:04
Steps: 27,478
Day 13: Boughton Lees to Chilham
My penultimate day on The Pilgrims Way brought many special moments… including my first view of Canterbury Cathedral in the distance, surreal Bluebell fields, the beautiful village of Chilham, and dinner with Martine, another friend from past adventures who kindly drove from her home to meet me.




It is said that these benches have helped pilgrims rest in the shade for hundreds of years.







The first dusting of Bluebell didn’t adequately prepare me for the flood of color I would soon see.









Day 13 Stats (Boughton Lees to Chilham)
Distance: 11.6km / 7.2mi
Elev Gain: 268m / 879ft
Time: 2:51
Steps: 25,060
It was a beautiful day to explore the charming village of Chilham, which I had not seen for nearly thirty years.




I first met Martine when we hiked over the Pyrenees on Le Chemin de la Liberté in September 2022. It was a fun reunion!

Day 14: Chilham to Canterbury
My final day walking The Pilgrims Way reminded me of my entrance to Santiago de Compostela in late 2022. Both days brought a cloudburst to accompany my arrival at my final destination, but the rain couldn’t contain my excitement at the journey’s end.







The Westgate to the old city.


Geoffrey Chaucer, best known for The Canterbury Tales.






Day 14 Stats (Chilham to Canterbury)
Distance: 12.3km / 7.6mi
Elev Gain: 261m / 856ft
Time: 2:52
Steps: 23,517
The Pilgrims Way
Final Stats (Winchester to Canterbury)
Distance: 233.1km / 144.8mi – Avg: 16.6km/10.3mi per day
Elev Gain: 5,125m / 16,814ft – Avg: 366m/1,201ft per day
Time: 54:10 over 14 days – Avg: 3:52 per day
Steps: 399,766 – Avg: 28,555 per day

Rest Day: Canterbury
Ever since I watched the 1964 star-studded film Becket as a young boy, this friend-of-the-king-turned-martyr has fascinated me as one of the most interesting figures in history and literature. It was also my introduction to Canterbury, as magical a name as Camelot, but this place is real!

As my boyhood fantasies matured into scholarly appreciation, my fascination with the city never waned. The role of Canterbury Cathedral in the age-old struggle between religion and the state has always held my attention amongst the edifices of Western civilization. Once I had decided to walk the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, it was easy to choose my warm-up walk on the route that millions of pilgrims have taken to the shrine of Thomas à Becket. The finish line of one trek is the starting block of the next, so I took extra time to explore the church and its grounds on my rest day. In addition to the photos, I have included a video clip of the organist preparing for the evening service. He provided an emotional soundtrack to my wander through the centuries.



















Chris’ posts are like a glass of fine wine- they enhance the end of my own day- with his joy for living and seasoned eye for detail, along with an intimate narrative that paints each scene with his obvious love for all things beautiful.
You are very kind, Mark. Thank you!