Dog Walk
One of my favourite local walks, especially early in the morning when nobody is around.

Start at White Horse Wood Country Park (£1.50 parking). Exit the car park in the direction of the A249 and follow the well made path through the woods.

As the path bends sharply right, go straight ahead along the track, exiting to views of the North Downs.
Go through the gate, turn right and then almost immediately left down the steep bank.
At the bottom, go through the gate at follow the path straight ahead through the vineyard/orchard to the hedgerow.
There is a gap in the hedge on to the road. Cross over and go through the gap on the other side and follow the diagonal path.

At the end of the path you have several choices:
- Turn right, and track along the bottom of the Downs. Turn right and follow the path back up to the country park.
- Turn left through the church grounds, turn right and follow the road before turning right just before the tunnel and then tracking along the bottom of the Downs as above.

- Make it up as you go along remembering that regardless of your route, at some point you have to go back up!

This walk was from Adrian Coleman thank you, and Samantha Warner also entered this walk in our content competition, a slightly different take on it so here it is.

Set within the stunning Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, White Horse Wood Country Park is a lovely spot to enjoy beautiful countryside, local history, and far-reaching views. It’s ideal for a peaceful picnic or a dog walk, with the added bonus of exploring the atmospheric medieval ruins of Thurnham Castle.

We followed signs for the North Downs Way and took a scenic walk through the vineyards in nearby Detling before looping back to the Country Park. However, if you prefer to stay within the park itself, there’s a well-maintained hard-surfaced path that’s easy to follow.

The park has a car park, picnic benches, and bins, but no other facilities—so plan ahead if you need toilets or refreshments. Overall, it’s a quiet and picturesque place, perfect for a few hours outdoors.

Cafes and Pubs
The Black Horse Thurnham is dog-friendly as is The Hook and Hatchett Hucking, neither are far but you will need to get back in the car.