Around Canterbury Blean Chartham Chilham Howletts Stodmarsh Petham Kent UK

Canterbury Countryside, Cycle Hire & the Blean Woodlands

North of Canterbury the ancient woodlands of the Blean (see webguide right) push up towards the coast. Incorporated within the Blean woodlands area, currently receiving much attention and tourist focus, are cycle and walking paths, woodland walks, charming country pubs and villages and a host of wildlife waiting to be discovered.

The relatively new Crab and Winkle cycle path is the main cycle path in the area, accessed direct from Canterbury centre. Checkout Downland Cycle Hire (webguide right) for details on hiring bikes in Canterbury. Downland suggest a number of cycle routes and trails in the Canterbury area on their superb website, including a short cycle route around the city of Canterbury.

Downland Cycles, Cycle Hire Canterbury, The Malthouse, St. Stephens Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7JA. Tel. 01227 479643. (webguide right for suggested Canterbury city and Canterbury area cycle routes).

Situated midway between Canterbury and Whitstable on the A290 sits Druidstone Park in the heart of the Blean Woodlands. A superb family attraction, Druidstone is a fairytale woodland world with fun adventure play areas, enchanted woodland which changes with the seasons (bluebells are a highlight in spring), trails, farmyard animals and a pond with ducks and geese. Falconry displays run twice daily and free parking and a cafe are on-site. Druidstone Park, Honey Hill, Blean, Canterbury Kent CT2 9JR. Tel. 01227 765168. Checkout Druidstone's weblink right for details and opening times.

• Canterbury Hotels
• Canterbury Accommodation
• Canterbury Bed and Breakfast

The North Downs Way Canterbury Loop, Petham, Chartham & Chilham

The North Downs Way National Trail stretches for 153 miles passing through the stunning Surrey Hills into the Kent Downs. This historic route follows much of what was the ancient Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury and at the eastern end a loop winds up before it reaches Wye passing nearby Chartham en-route to Canterbury.

Chartham, Chilham and Petham all make perfect bases from which to access the North Down Way loop and also nearby woodlands including Denge and Larkey Valley Woods. Canterbury city centre is a mere 3 miles from Chartham village which sits in the valley of the Great Stour. Near Petham at Garlinge Green sits Perry Court Organic Farm with on-site organic farm shop (see Perry Court Farm's weblink right for opening times).

The 13th century Parish Church of St Mary in Chartham boasts 13th century fine glass windows. Other notable historic buildings in the village include the 14th century Artichoke Inn. A comprehensive history of Chartham can be found on the village parish webguide link right. Alongside the North Downs Way which crosses Chartham Hatch en-route from Chilham to Canterbury, the Stour Valley Walk also crosses Chartham. Maps and details are on the Chartham Parish webguide.

Stunning ancient woodlands cover the high ground of this area around Canterbury including Bigbury Wood, Denge Forest, Denstead Wood, Hunstead, Larkey Valley and Bakers Wood.

• Canterbury B&B
• Canterbury Guest Houses
• Canterbury Holiday Parks

Stodmarsh Nature Reserve

Stodmarsh NNR sits in the lower regions of the north Kent plain to the north east of Canterbury. The area is an important site for breeding and migratory birds and popular with birdwatchers. Wet woodland, marshland, large reedbeds, lakes and meadows are distinctive features to the area.

The site is managed by Natural England (weblink right for map of the nature reserve and more details). Both Upstreet and Stodmarsh villages make ideal bases from which to explore the reserv and Stodmarsh sits alongside the Stour Valley Walk and the Sustrans National Cycle Network.

• Hotels in Canterbury Kent
• Bed and Breakfast Canterbury Kent
• Canterbury Holiday Cottages

Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury

One the Britain's best conservation oriented wild animal parks is situated just three miles south east of Canterbury, clearly marked off the A2. Howletts Wild Animal Park covers 90 acres and is one of two parks in the area, the other is Port Lympne Wild Animal Park covering 300 acres near Ashford Kent. Both have grown and are doing great conservation work since the late John Aspinall set the parks up, first Howletts in 1957 then later Port Lympne in 1973. Protecting and breeding rare and endangered species are firmly on the menu in both parks. Howletts is home to the UK's largest herd of African elephants, and a visit to the park will see you walking with lemurs and touring the Black Rhino breeding sanctuary. Howletts recommend allowing 2-3 hours for visits - they've 90 different species here plus numerous other attractions and facilities including restaurant, adventure playground, an educational centre, gift shop, picnic area and free parking on-site. Meet the keepers who give talks during peak visitor periods. Checkout Howletts and Port Lympne's wildlife weblink right for more details.

Howletts Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne, Nr Canterbury, Kent CT4 5EL.Tel. 44 (0) 1227 721286. Open every day except Christmas day. Summer. 10am to 6pm (last admission 4.30pm). Winter. 10am to 5pm (last admission 3.30pm).

• Cheap Hotels Canterbury Kent
• Hotels in Canterbury UK
• Accommodation in Canterbury

Local Canterbury Kent Golf Clubs

Canterbury does well for a selection of local golf clubs, as does the wider Kent region which within the UK is a top county for British Golf (see Kent Golf Union and Kent golf guide weblinks right). Canterbury has its own golf club at Scotland Hills. Checkout their website for details on the course. More golf is afoot near Canterbury at Broome Golf Club in Barham.

Canterbury Golf Club, Scotland Hills, Littlebourne Road, Canterbury, CT1 1TW. Tel. 01227 453532.

Broome Park Golf Club, The Stable Block, The Broome Park Estate, Barham, Nr. Canterbury, Kent CT4 6QX. Tel. 01227 830728.

• Guest Houses in Canterbury
• Canterbury B&Bs
• Canterbury Holiday Parks