Syndale Valley Nature Trail (6-11 miles)
Peace and solitude - a rural way of life. Escape to a land that time forgot, where farming, food and rural traditions remain the cornerstones of community life among the unspoilt and picturesque scenery of the Syndale Valley.
Running through the mid Kent Downs – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the chalk valley remains one of the few timeless landscapes in this busy corner of Kent.
Not without its own share of historic highlights and notoriety, your walk begins in the ancient settlement of Newnham, nestled in the Syndale Valley since at least the 12th century. Here the Romans grew grapes and James Pimm was born – creator of one of Britain’s best-loved summer drinks, the eponymous Pimm’s.
Many of the woods on your route are still hunted by wildfowlers who sell their game to local butchers and restaurants, while others support the rural craft of coppicing - common in this area. Traditional coppicing of sweet chestnut shoots for fence stakes extends the life of the trees and floods the woodland floor with light in spring and summer, promoting an abundance of flowers and food for wildlife.
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Syndale Valley Nature Trail Download the itinerary for suggested start and finish points
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