North Downs Way: Wye to Tolsford Hill

The Walk: We rejoin the NDW where we left off, and follow the trail to the transmitter on Tolsford Hill, passing through arguably the finest scenery in the Kent Downs National Landscape. There are far reaching views across Kent, and the for the first time on our NDW journey the coast and sea come into view, including distant landmarks such as the Camber Wind Farm and the Dungeness Nuclear Power Stations. We descend to the train station at Sandling.

The Devil's Kneading Trough

Route

NB The map shows my route, with various diversions and excursions which you may not wish to follow precisely.

Why do it? For anyone doing the NDW from Farnham to Dover, the Trail up to this point seems mostly enclosed by woods, hedges and scrub. Onwards from Wye the Downs progressively open out and the viewpoints become more frequent and expansive.

Wye Downs is a Geosite within the UNESCO Geopark. Wow!

The Wye Crown is a chalk emblem cut into the hillside by students of Wye Agricultural College in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of Edward VII. The College was much respected in its day but is sadly now closed - you pass the college buildings, now in a state of disrepair, on your way up. You can't see much of the Crown from close up, the best views are from across the Stour Valley on the previous section. However, unmissable is a circular stone monument installed above the Crown to celebrate the Millennium. In the distance, on the proverbial clear day, you can make out the wind turbines behind Camber Sands, the Fairlight hills, and also the looming blocks of the Dungeness Nuclear Power Stations. These landmarks are your constant companions on the NDW from this point onwards.

Wye Crown Millenium Stone

The Devil's Kneading Trough is a steep sided dry valley cut out of the hillside.

Looking across the Devil's Kneading Trough

Farthing Common gives panoramic views back along the Downs scarp and out to the Fairlight hills behind Hastings.

View from Farthing Common

The NDW passes right through another curious but less well known and unnamed dry valley feature above the village of Postling, with steep sides and a flat bottom.

Unnamed dry valley near Postling

The walk culminates at the BT transmitter tower on Tolsford Hill, which is unusual for being constructed out of concrete. From the surrounding plateau there are views looking down onto Folkestone (of which you will see plenty more on the next section).

Transmitter tower on Tolsford Hill

The track down to Sandling Station, also reveals the striking Summerhouse Hill, Kent's answer to Silbury Hill.

Summerhouse Hill

Motorway noise is virtually absent on this section: the M20 (and the High Speed Rail Line) are now several miles away and well screened (although you will cross both on the way to Sandling Station).

Logistics: You may arrive in Wye either by train (at the station, obviously) or by car. Amazingly in these times of near universal parking apps, there is a free car park off Churchfield Way. Parking is limited to 23 hours, which should be ample for this walk!

Wye free car park

From Tolsford Hill, I descended 2 miles on tracks and footpaths to Sandling Station, from which there are trains back to Wye (change at Ashford International).

Sandling Station (a touch of Adelstrop)

Alternatively, you could walk half a mile down Westfield Lane to the village of Etchinghill, from where you can get a no 17 bus down to Folkestone Bus Station, a short walk from the railway station. This bus links Folkestone and Canterbury, and seems to run about once per hour, and is probably quite a high priority service so relatively reliable (I used it successfully on the next section).

Finally, if you have the stamina, time and daylight you could continue 8 miles on the next section of the NDW to Capel-le-Ferne, and get the bus from there to Folkestone.

Distance: 12 miles along the NDW, plus 2 miles to Sandling station, making 14 miles in all. (20 miles if you combine this and the next section.)

Challenges: Paths may be muddy after rain. I also found some short sections to be badly overgrown, and often wished I had a pair of secateurs to snip off scratchy brambles. This also increases the risk of tick bites, so long trousers and shirt sleeves may be advisable if you can bear it on a hot day.

Overgrown path

I missed the Trail where it starts the ascent to Tolsford Hill from the road at Postling. The gate and sign for the NDW are hidden in bushes. To the left is a set of steps, and to the right a seductive track between trees: take neither.

Navigating to Sandling Station requires care: it is straightforward to reach and cross the M20 and the High Speed Railway line, but watch out carefully for the route branching off to the right from the obvious track. The last stretch of footpath leading to the station is also quite boggy.

Refreshments: Pubs, cafes shops in Wye. The Tickled Trout has an attractive garden beside the River Stour a stone's throw from the station, and nearby is The Hub, a cafe specifically catering for cyclists.