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CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE Hoo Peninsula
Further information
Medway Council has a duty to protect, maintain and record rights of wayand any problems encountered on them should be reported to:Medway Council, Rights of Way Team, Frontline Services, Regeneration,Community and Culture, Annex B, Civic Centre, Rochester, Kent ME2 4AUPhone: 01634 333333. Minicom: 01634 333111Email: [email protected]
All maps in this publication are reproduced/based upon theOrdnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s StationeryOffice © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. MedwayCouncil 2008. Copyright licence no: 100024225, 2008
Text: Medway Swale Estuary PartnershipPhotography: Mark Loos, David Wise, www.davewise.bizMaps: Sue Meheux, Medway Council
DisclaimerWhile every care is taken in compiling this publication, neither MedwayCouncil nor its servants or agents can accept any liability whatsoever forany incorrect statement contained herein, nor any omission.
G2238 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Teamwww.medway.gov.uk/communications
Key to maps
CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE
Hoo Peninsula
Car parking
Viewpoint
Toilet
Refreshments
Point of interest
Public house
Caution
Further information
Medway Council has a duty to protect, maintain and record rights of wayand any problems encountered on them should be reported to:Medway Council, Rights of Way Team, Frontline Services, Regeneration,Community and Culture, Annex B, Civic Centre, Rochester, Kent ME2 4AUPhone: 01634 333333. Minicom: 01634 333111Email: [email protected]
All maps in this publication are reproduced/based upon theOrdnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s StationeryOffice © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. MedwayCouncil 2008. Copyright licence no: 100024225, 2008
Text: Medway Swale Estuary PartnershipPhotography: Mark Loos, David Wise, www.davewise.bizMaps: Sue Meheux, Medway Council
DisclaimerWhile every care is taken in compiling this publication, neither MedwayCouncil nor its servants or agents can accept any liability whatsoever forany incorrect statement contained herein, nor any omission.
G2238 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Teamwww.medway.gov.uk/communications
Key to maps
CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE
Hoo Peninsula
Car parking
Viewpoint
Toilet
Refreshments
Point of interest
Public house
Caution
ContentsIntroduction................................................................2
Countryside Access Charter..........................................3
South - points of interest ...............................................4
South walk 1 - Upnor to Hoo St Werburgh ......................6
South walk 2 - Hoo.....................................................8
South walk 3 - Chattenden Woods ..............................10
North - points of interest .............................................12
North walk 1 - Cliffe to Cooling ..................................14
North walk 2 - High Halstow to St Mary Hoo ................16
North walk 3 - Allhallows Marshes...............................18
Useful information .....................................................20
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INTRODUCT ION
Introduction
Welcome to this new edition of Circular Walks on the HooPeninsula. As with the revised Cuxton and Halling guide,it contains six walks of varying lengths. The routes have beendevised to help as many people as possible explore thisunique and somewhat still remote area.
For ease of use all the walks have been colour-coded,both in this publication and on the waymarking used alongthe routes. This should ensure that no further directionalinformation is needed. All distances and times given areapproximate and refer to the circular walks only, not thelinks used to access them.
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COUNTRYS IDE ACCESS
Countryside Access Charter
The rights of way are:• Public footpaths - on foot only. These are waymarked in yellow• Bridleways - on foot, horseback and pedal cycle. These arewaymarked in blue
• Byways - all traffic. These are waymarked in red• Road used as public paths (RUPPs) - are currently undergoingreclassification.
On rights of way you can:• Take a pram, pushchair or wheelchairif practicable
• Take a dog (on a lead or under close control)• Take a short diversion around an illegalobstruction or remove it sufficiently to get past.
And, wherever you go, please follow the Countryside Code:• Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs• Leave gates and property as you find them• Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home• Keep dogs under close control• Consider other people.
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SOUTH
Upnor CastleThis impressive castle was built in the16th century and designed to defendChatham Dockyard from attack. It failedspectacularly though, when in 1667 theDutch navy sailed up the river anddestroyed much of the anchored Britishfleet. A frequent visitor to Upnor was theartist JMW Turner, who painted the castlein 1831.
Upnor High StreetUpnor’s High Street is a charming cobbledstreet lined with terraced weather-boardedhouses, leading down towards the river.A more recent addition is Manna house,completely hand-built from Kentish oak ina traditional Tudor style.
St Mary’s IslandThroughout much of the 19th century,huge prison hulks were moored alongthe river, including just off the St Mary’sIsland. Many of the prisoners who diedwhilst on board were later buried there.
The London StonesThese two obelisks mark the southernextent of the City of London’s fisherman’srights to fish on the northern side of theriver. The smaller stone is thought to haveoriginally come from Yantlet creek.
Cockham Wood FortBuilt in the late 16th century as a directresult of the Dutch raid in 1667, the fortoriginally held 48 guns. Within a 100years, the arsenal had been removed andthe fort had begun to fall into ruins. Thered brick remains of the fort can be seenfrom the beach at the high water mark.
Hoo FortHoo Fort and its neighbour Darnet werebuilt in the 1870s as part of the defencesagainst an expected French invasion. Theywere originally intended to mount 25 gunson two tiers, but it soon became clear thatthe forts would sink into the marsh underthe weight. Both forts are privately-ownedand cannot be visited.
St Werburgh ChurchThe church dates mainly from the 14thcentury, but stands on the site of a mucholder Saxon building. St Werburgh wasa devoutly religious princess believedto have been responsible for an
Points of interest
Cockham Wood Fort
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SOUTH
unrecorded miracle in the village in theseventh century. There are five yew treesin the churchyard, of which one isbelieved to be over a 1,000 years old.The artist William Hogarth visited thechurch in 1793 during his walking tourof the peninsula and the Isle of Sheppey.
Hoo St WerburghThis unassuming village mentioned in theDomesday Book, has only been formallyknown by its full name since 1968. In thelate 19th and early 20th centuries, thearea was a hive of industrial activity, withthe surrounding agricultural land used toprovide gravel and the raw materials forbricks and pottery.
Hoo MarinaThe river frontage around here wasoriginally used by barges to take awaythe raw materials from the surroundinglandscape. A number of their derelicthulks can still be seen today.
PillboxesDuring the Second World War, thepeninsula was of national strategicimportance. A number of defensivefeatures still remain today, including atleast 29 pillboxes.
Lodge Hill CampThis has been home to the DefenceExplosive Ordnance Disposal Schoolsince 1966.
Cooling StreetThis hamlet was once home to theBeehive Public House, a tiny circularthatched beer house.
Berry Court WoodThis wood is a remnant of a traditionalcoppice woodland. It is also home tothe strange Stag’s Horn or Candle-snufffungus, which grows on dead wood.
Weslyan ChapelOnce known as 'The Chapel in theOrchard' it also served the villageschool. The building still remains but isnow a private house.
StW
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SOUTH WALK 1
Distance: 4 miles (6.4km)Time: Allow 2 hoursTerrain: Some surfaced paths and roads. A long stretch of
beach. One fairly steep path.
Points of interest1 Upnor High Street 5 Cockham Wood Fort2 Upnor Castle 6 Hoo Fort3 The London Stones 7 St Werburgh Church4 St Mary’s Island
Walk 1 - Upnor to Hoo St WerburghBlack route
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SOUTH WALK 1
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SOUTH WALK 2
Walk 2 - HooBrown route
Distance: 3 miles (4.8km)Time: Allow 2 hoursStiles: 2Terrain: Flat unmade tracks which can get muddy.
One surfaced road.
Points of interest1 Hoo Fort2 WW2 Pillboxes3 Hoo St Werburgh4 Hoo Marina5 St Werburgh Church
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SOUTH WALK 2
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SOUTH WALK 3
Walk 3 - Chattenden WoodsGreen route
Distance: 4 miles (6.4km)Time: Allow 2 hoursTerrain: Some surfaced paths, some road walking.
Unmade tracks through woodland. One fairlysteep ascent and descent.
Points of interest1 Lodge Hill2 Weslyan Chapel3 Cooling Street4 Berry Court Wood
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SOUTH WALK 3
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NORTH
Cliffe villageCliffe is believed to have begun life as theancient Saxon settlement of Cloveshoo,later translating as Cliffe at Hoo. By theMiddle Ages, Cliffe had become a fairlyprosperous town with a thriving port andlarge farm. The surrounding landscapeowes much to the 19th century cementindustry, which dug quarries in search ofclay. These have flooded over time andbecome havens for wildlife.
Cliffe ChurchThe impressive church of St Helen’s wasoriginally built around 1260 in the localstyle of alternating layers of Kentishragstone and black flint. The churchyardincludes the 19th century Grade II listedCharnel House, historically used to storethe bodies or bones of the dead.
Cooling CastleThe privately-owned Cooling Castle isactually a fortified manor house built in1380 and would have originally stoodmuch closer to the river. The gatehouseremains in an impressively goodcondition and can be easily viewedfrom the adjacent road.
Cooling ChurchThe church of St.James’ dates mainly fromthe 13th century and has an interestingvestry covered in shells. Its churchyard ishome to a group of lozenged - shapedgravestones, believed to have inspiredthe opening scenes of Charles Dickensepic novel Great Expectations.
Well Penn RoadThis ancient route takes its name from theOld English ‘Wielle Pund’, meaning apound, or an enclosure, by a spring.
High HalstowThe village takes its name from theAnglo-Saxon word Hagelstowe (alsohagelsto or Agelstow) meaning ‘highholy place’. Its 10th century church ofSt Margaret stands on the peninsula’shighest point and was referred to in theDomesday Book of 1086.
Points of interest
Cooling Castle
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NORTH
St Mary HooThis tiny hamlet was first recorded in1240 and originally much larger.Its 14th century church was largelyreconstructed around 1881 and is nowa private dwelling. Its 18th century vicarthe Reverend Robert Burt is believed tohave performed the illegal marriageceremony between the future George IVand Maria Fitztherbert in 1785.
Northward HillEstablished in 1955, this is the RoyalSociety for the Protection of Birds’ (RSPB)oldest nature reserve and is only oneof three woodlands on the peninsula.Its abundance of mature oak trees makeit ideal territory for grey herons and it isactually the largest heronry in England.The woodland is also renowned for itsspringtime display of bluebells.
SwigsholeThe name Swigshole, sometimes alsospelt Snagshole, means ‘snake-infestedmuddy pool’.
AllhallowsThe original settlement takes itsname from its 12th century church ofAll Saints. The church is the peninsula’sonly Grade 1 listed building.
Allhallows-on-SeaOriginally planned to transform thearea into a major seaside resort duringthe 1930s, much of the proposeddevelopment never went ahead. Had itdone so the area would be very differenttoday as the proposals includedzoological gardens, the country’s largestswimming pool, several hotels and up to5,000 houses.
Yantlett CreekThis once navigable creek was part ofa trading route used since the Romanoccupation of Britain. It is also whatoriginally made the Isle of Grain atrue island.
The London StoneThis stone marks the northern extent ofthe City of London’s fisherman’s rights tofish on the northern side of the river.The southern boundary is marked bytwo stones at Lower Upnor.
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NORTH WALK 1
Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6km)Time: Allow 2 hoursTerrain: Unmade tracks across fields which can get muddy.
Some road walking.
Points of interest1 Cliffe Church2 Cooling Castle3 St James’ Church4 Well Penn Road
Walk 1 - Cliffe to CoolingBlack route
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NORTH WALK 1
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NORTH WALK 2
Distance: 4 miles (6.4km)Time: Allow 2 hoursStiles: 7Terrain: Unmade tracks and paths which can get muddy.
One surfaced path. Some road walking.
Points of interest1 High Halstow2 Northward Hill Nature Reserve3 St Mary Hoo4 Swigshole
Walk 2 - High Halstow to St Mary HooBrown route
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NORTH WALK 2
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NORTH WALK 3
Walk 3 - Allhallows MarshesGreen route
Distance: 4.5 miles (7km)Time: Allow 2 hours 30 minutesTerrain: Flat unmade paths and tracks which can get muddy
Points of interest1 Allhallows2 Allhallows-on-Sea3 Yantlett Creek4 The London Stone
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USEFU L INFORMAT ION
Local informationMedway Visitor Information CentreThe centre provides information on localattractions, events and accommodation.95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX.Phone: 01634 843666www.medway.gov.uk
National RailThis provides information on rail timetablesand fares across the UK, but does not selltickets. Phone: 08457 48 49 50www.nationalrail.co.uk
TravelineThis partnership provides a publictransport route and timetable information.Phone: 0871 200 22 33www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk
Useful organisationsCampaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)This registered charity campaigns toprotect and enhance the countryside forthe benefit of all. Phone: 01303 815180www.cprekent.org.uk
English HeritageThe government’s statutory advisor on thehistoric environment ensures that it isproperly maintained and cared for.Phone: 0870 333 1181www.english-heritage.org.uk
The Environment AgencyThis public body is responsible forprotecting and improving theenvironment in England and Wales.Phone: 08708 506506www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Medway and Swale EstuaryPartnershipThe partnership was formed to addressissues affecting the economic,environmental and social well-being ofthe estuary. Phone: 01634 338891www.msep.org.uk
The Open Spaces SocietyBritain’s oldest conservation society isdedicated to protecting common landand Public Rights of Way.Phone: 01491 573535 www.oss.org.uk
Natural EnglandNatural England is here to conserve andenhance the natural environment for itsintrinsic value, the well-being andenjoyment of people and the economicprosperity that it brings.Phone: 0845 600 3078www.naturalengland.org.uk
The RamblersBritain’s biggest organisation for walkerscampaigns for their continued enjoymentof the countryside.Phone: 0207 3398500www.ramblers.org.uk
North
South
Further information
Medway Council has a duty to protect, maintain and record rights of wayand any problems encountered on them should be reported to:Medway Council, Rights of Way Team, Frontline Services, Regeneration,Community and Culture, Annex B, Civic Centre, Rochester, Kent ME2 4AUPhone: 01634 333333. Minicom: 01634 333111Email: [email protected]
All maps in this publication are reproduced/based upon theOrdnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s StationeryOffice © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. MedwayCouncil 2008. Copyright licence no: 100024225, 2008
Text: Medway Swale Estuary PartnershipPhotography: Mark Loos, David Wise, www.davewise.bizMaps: Sue Meheux, Medway Council
DisclaimerWhile every care is taken in compiling this publication, neither MedwayCouncil nor its servants or agents can accept any liability whatsoever forany incorrect statement contained herein, nor any omission.
G2238 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Teamwww.medway.gov.uk/communications
Key to maps
CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE
Hoo Peninsula
Car parking
Viewpoint
Toilet
Refreshments
Point of interest
Public house
Caution
Further information
Medway Council has a duty to protect, maintain and record rights of wayand any problems encountered on them should be reported to:Medway Council, Rights of Way Team, Frontline Services, Regeneration,Community and Culture, Annex B, Civic Centre, Rochester, Kent ME2 4AUPhone: 01634 333333. Minicom: 01634 333111Email: [email protected]
All maps in this publication are reproduced/based upon theOrdnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s StationeryOffice © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes CrownCopyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. MedwayCouncil 2008. Copyright licence no: 100024225, 2008
Text: Medway Swale Estuary PartnershipPhotography: Mark Loos, David Wise, www.davewise.bizMaps: Sue Meheux, Medway Council
DisclaimerWhile every care is taken in compiling this publication, neither MedwayCouncil nor its servants or agents can accept any liability whatsoever forany incorrect statement contained herein, nor any omission.
G2238 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Teamwww.medway.gov.uk/communications
Key to maps
CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE
Hoo Peninsula
Car parking
Viewpoint
Toilet
Refreshments
Point of interest
Public house
Caution
