Or, for a simple alternative, take the 09:25 from Charing Cross (London Bridge 10:33) to Paddock Wood, arriving 10:20, and cross the platform for the 10:30 Paddock Wood to Strood service, arriving Aylesford at 11:07.

The high speed train option seems to cost £16 with rail card against £8.70 from Swanley or Abbey Wood travel route options. There are no trains at all from suburban West London into Waterloo so I’m opting for the Elizabeth line to Abbey Wood all being well!! for the Strood train and onward to Aylesford.

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16 on this walk - 5 on the high speed train, 3 on Thameslink, 5 via Paddock Wood, 2 by car, and one starting from Halling because he did not think the walk long enough.

The Halling starter apart (we met him later), we all set off along the river (woodland snowdrops here) to Aylesford village, where we inspected the church (it has a nice organ and that is about it). From there to lunch we crossed a vineyard and arable fields, and saw a paper recycling mill.

There was discussion about whether to stop at the Butcher’s Block or other pubs. The Block seemed full and to have a rather fancy dress code, but six managed to squeeze in. Warned that the Windmill was not doing food, seven of us made the steep climb to the Robin Hood, who were very welcoming. Five of us lunched there: the other two evaporated and were never seen again.

My Robin Hood chums inveigled me into having pudding, and then all but one announced they were getting in their cars and going home. I could not entirely blame them as the weather had become disappointingly drizzly . Two of us continued alone and only belatedly realised we had missed the best bit of the walk - a downland section along a ridge.

We will draw a veil over the walk alongside a dual carriageway that followed - not the finest stretch on the SWC walks. At the end of it we came across five other walkers who had kindly waited for us at Kit’s Coty House. From there we descended - with one final encounter with the dual carriageway - to a park that was once a zoo and had snowdrops in it. Also the first cherry plum blossom I have seen this year.

The last section of this walk I recall as a pleasant stroll along a river. But the river path is now blocked part way and one is decanted onto a rather industrial main road. After this, Aylesford looked a bit drab in the grey fading light, and it did not help that the Chequers was entirely laid for dinner, and seemed a bit unsure whether they wanted drinks custom. But they had a heated terrace overlooking the river that was not too bad, where we had tea, coffee and wine. We then got the 18.49 to Maidstone Barracks and the 19.13 from Maidstone East to Charing Cross (a new Southeastern service, only introduced in December), fortified with “supplies“.

In fact, four other arrivals at the Robin Hood were not allowed to eat our sandwiches outside the pub. Evaporation might have been an option, but instead we walked on to the bleak and wind-blasted viewpoint about a km further along the North Downs Way. Then down to Kit's Coty which we stopped to admire in the drizzle; through the park (probably not following the route exactly) as the weather brightened; and on to Aylesford, where some of the group (not me, I was behind) met the car party who had been having a look at the Priory. We caught the 1637 to Strood and then divided between different trains to London.

The Butchers Block kindly squeezed in 6 walkers and the food was excellent and swiftly served at prices no more than any other pub today. Needless to say the ambiance and decor were upscale but no dress code enforcement prevailed as I sat in my boots on a wooden floor. Given the lack of food at the Windmill I really must recommend booking lunches especially on a Saturday to avoid the uncertainty of pub lunch availability. A quick show of hands at the station and a phone call is all it takes to know if you’re going to get fed!! Some of us don’t have the time or energy to shop for picnic food and need to sit down in the warm to rest at lunch time.

18 on this walk. Six came on the high speed train, to find two habitual car drivers waiting for them, and to hear that ten who had come on the normal train via Tonbridge had already left. It was a perfect sunny day : not only no cloud, but no wind either.

A walk around a car park would probably have seemed idyllic on such a day, but even so the start of this walk along the river to the old centre of Aylesford was an unexpected delight. We popped into the church to find the vicar approaching with a beaming smile and a cup of tea. The ungodly among us (including me) beat a hasty retreat from this, but three stayed, and their reward was to be shown a shorter route. So despite us leaving before them we all met up in the fields later.

At the risk of overdoing the religious allusions, we then all got to the Butcher’s Block to be told there was no room at the inn. The slow train lot were ensconced inside, but there was some tale of woe from the bar staff about how they could not serve more despite having oodles of empty tables. So five of us repaired to the Windmill, very much a locals pub, where we received a friendly enough welcome and coaxed fish and chips and baked potatoes out of a slightly harassed lady in the kitchen.

The section after lunch was glorious - a fabulous climb up to the alpine heights of the North Downs, from the top of which it felt like you could see to Land’s End. Who knew such viewpoints existed in this area? We then had the necessary kilometre long trek alongside a dual carriageway (the particulates in my lungs needed topping up, thanks), followed by the surreal sight of the ancient stones of the Kitty Cat House (or whatever it is called) standing in a field.

Our exploration of the other ancient monuments was curtailed by the fact that the sun was getting rather low. We pressed on, getting back to the Medway at dusk. Here earnest intentions to carry on into Maidstone melted away for many of us. Or rather two went that way (and possibly lots of others in the group earlier) but five of us turned instead to do the pretty walk into Aylesford in the gloaming (the time after sunset and before dark, to save you googling it). Aylesford high street was dead as a door nail, but the Chequers was quite busy. We had drinks here, with pots of tea arriving, then milk, and eventually, much later, cups. Or rather two had pots and we then exhausted the pub’s supply and the third had to have a tea bag in a cup. (I don’t get the impression they are asked to do tea often.)

On to the station, walking the river in torchlight to get the 18.10 (?) to Strood. One poor soul was left to get the 18.20 via Tonbridge.

10 , cloudy then sunny , Interesting and varied walk from the Medway riverside in Aylesbury up on to the North downs. The Butchers Block bar and restaurant in Burham was welcoming, provided good food and is not too expensive. In the afternoon there were panoramic views across Kent and the impressive remains of a long barrow. The tea room in Cobtree Manor Park stays open until 17:00 for tea and cake. Six went on to Maidstone for real ale at the Flower Pot while the rest of us walked back along the river to Aylesford. All agreed this is an enjoyable new walk.

Aylesford not Aylesbury