From Rye, take the A268 (signed Tenterden and Peasmarsh, and after bridging the Hastings to Ashford railway line (one of only two diesel routes in the provincial Southeast), bear right onto the road towards Appledore.
      As you leave the town, you will see River Rother to your right. At Iden Lock, the road bridges the river and the Royal Military Canal takes over the route parallel to the road. Soon after this we pass into Kent.
      Beyond this, the hill on your left is the end of the Isle of Oxney – once a real island in the days when Romney Marsh was covered with water.
      You will eventually reach a T-junction with the B2080 at Appledore. Turn left, to pass through the village. The parish church is worth a visit as it contains a tapestry depicting the turbulent history of the village. The pub here is the Black Lion. Sadly The Swan met its demise in the early years of the 21st century.
      Continue ahead when the B2080 exits left, and at the next crossroads turn right towards Kenardington (just before the crossroads is the location of another deceased pub – The Victoria - now houses).
      A couple of miles later you will reach Kenardington and the B2067. Turn right towards Hamstreet, passing the World's Wonder pub, which is actually in Warehorne parish (a scattered hamlet with a second pub – The Woolpack).
      Hamstreet was once featured in map form on a series of stamps to commemorate 200 years of the Ordnance Survey who began their first countrywide survey near the village.
      Turn right at the crossroads by The Duke's Head to exit the village on Marsh Road. (If you are doing the route in two halves, the railway station can be reached by taking the Ashford road at the crossroads).
      We rejoin the canal after the bridge by the garden centre (café inside).
      Turning left, you will find a two-mile hard-surfaced trail to Ruckinge. The second half is designated as ‘footpath’ (see campaign in 'Ruckinge circular route') so our route turns right onto a grassy byway just before a pumping station. As you head south, you will encounter three right-angle bends – left, right and left again. Please close and fasten all gates. You will eventually reach Lord's Farm, where it becomes a concrete track with cattle grids. When you reach the lane, continue across it onto the lane to Bilsington, which eventually rejoins the canal. Note, the monumental obelisk to a local landowner, Richard Cosway, who died in a coaching accident.
      Turn right at the bridge to head back out onto the Marsh for around a mile, taking the first left turn. This lane will pass Honeywood Farm and you will reach a T-junction at the end - turn right.
      A few hundred yards later you will reach a T-junction with the Newchurch road - turn left. Shortly after this is a staggered junction - the building on the corner was once Bonnington’s pub.
      Turn left and then right onto Lower Wall Road, which runs along the bottom of the greensand hills (Noel Coward's former home can viewed upon the escarpment). Take the left turn towards the hills after a couple of miles (Aldergate Lane). After bridging the canal, turn right onto the gravel trail. As you ride, look left to view Lympne Castle and the remains of the Roman ‘Stutfall’ Castle further down the slope. The wooded area of the hills is spanned by Port Lympne Zoo.
      The trail continues across the lane when you reach West Hythe village. Further on there is a ‘listening ear’ dish upon the hillside, designed to detect incoming enemy aircraft from across the Channel in the days before RADAR. Upon reaching the road at Hythe, (nearest railway station = Sandling), the canal path swaps to the south bank. The main path returns to the north bank as it crosses the third of three more roads (Twiss Road). At the end of the canal in Seabrook you will reach the A259. Turn right and use the sea-wall and Cycleway 2 via Sandgate to reach Folkestone.

      To Tenterden: From Hamstreet crossroads, take the B2067 towards Tenterden. You will pass beneath two bridges and climb gently for a mile, before taking a right turn onto Malthouse Lane. You will soon enter Orlestone Forest. The Weald of Kent was once completely covered with thick woodlands of this kind. A mile later, we reach the T-junction with Birchett Lane. Turn left and then right a few hundred yards later onto the hard-surfaced trail heading northwest.
      Be warned, this route can be quite muddy in winter. After a mile, there are two ninety-degree bends. A quarter of a mile later, a byway exits left; do not take this - continue ahead. Shortly after this another trail exits right – again continue straight ahead.
      You will eventually emerge to open farmland and meet Shadoxhurst Road. Turn right.
      Cycleway 18 joins from the left at the next T-junction. Cyclists heading for Tenterden should turn left here and follow the blue signs (across two crossroads, left at the next T-junction, right at the next junction, then left onto Ox Lane at the top of the hill, and left again onto the A28 by the Fat Ox pub).

      From Tenterden, head towards Ashford on the A28, turning right at the Fax Ox pub. Turn right at the end of Ox Lane following the blue cycleway signs. After descending through trees, bear left at the T-junction and turn right at the end of this lane. Continue ahead over two crossroads and at the end of the road turn right onto Cycleway 11, turning left onto the byway very soon after. Follow this byway into the woods and onward as a trail joins from the left and also when another byway exits right. At the end of the byway turn left onto Birchett Lane and then right at the T-junction onto Malthouse Lane. You will eventually descend to a T-junction with the B2067. Turn left to descend to Hamstreet crossroads for the eastbound canal route and local services.

Link to Ashford (10m)

      To Ashford: Follow the link to Tenterden as far as the Cycleway 18 junction on Shadoxhurst Road. At this point continue ahead to Shadoxhurst and follow the blue signs. Turn left by the Kings Head pub and then right onto Chart Road. Turn left at the end, then right to climb Chilmington Hill. Turn left at the top and right at the end of the road to descend to Singleton, heading straight on down at the roundabout. Continue across the staggered junction onto Bucksford Lane and right onto the cycleway beside Singleton Lake. Then right at Brookfield Road and left onto the cycleway again. After passing Victoria Park fountain, turn left for the town centre or continue ahead to eventually cross Beaver Road for the railway station.

      From Ashford, follow the blue cycleway signs south from the railway station domestic entrance to pass through a tunnel under the tracks (mind your heads!). Turn right, and bear left with the road, picking up the cycleway beside it which then passes to the left of a multi-storey car-park. Cross Beaver Road and continue ahead on the cycleway. At Victoria Park, continue ahead, passing the fountain and follow the cycleway to Brookfield Road. Turn right and then follow the cycleway on your left, passing Singleton Lake. Upon reaching Bucksford Lane, turn left. Continue ahead at the staggered junction and climb Singleton Hill, onward and upward at the roundabout.
      Turn left at the top of the hill and then right to descend to the hamlet of Chilmington. Turn left at the end of the road and then right onto Chart Road. At the end of this lane turn left to emerge by the Kings Head pub in Shadoxhurst. Turn right here and continue ahead out of the village. After Cycleway 18 exits right towards Tenterden, look for the byway on your left.
      Follow this byway into the woods and on ahead as a trail joins from the left and also when another byway exits right. At the end of the byway turn left onto Birchett Lane and then right at the T-junction onto Malthouse Lane. You will eventually descend to a T-junction with the B2067. Turn left to descend to Hamstreet crossroads for the eastbound canal route and local services.

Ruckinge circular route (5 miles)

      Head towards Hythe along the one-way street from the village crossroads and take the second turn left onto Bourne Lane (by the World War II pillbox). At the end of the lane, bear right, through the gate into Hamstreet Woods. Our bridleway bears immediately left, and at the next junction it bears right. Stay on the grassy path as the surfaced path on the left eventually deviates. At the top of the woods, go through the gate and then turn left at the T-junction with Gill Lane byway.
     Continue ahead where the Saxon Shore Way exits right along a farm track. 300 yards later you will reach a road junction; turn right. At the next junction continue straight ahead onto the byway and follow it all the way into the woods, around a sharp roght-hand bend and down to the B2067, where we turn right to Ruckinge.
      The Ruckinge end of the canal path is designated ‘footpath’, so the simplest route is to continue to Hamstreet on the B2067. There is a campaign to allow bikes but not larger vehicles/users on this canal track between Ruckinge to Hamstreet by emailing info@sustrans.org.uk as well as Kent County Council.

Shadoxhurst circular route (9 miles / 11 miles)
    

      Follow the woodland route towards Ashford as far as Shadoxhurst and turn right at the junction as you enter the village. Follow this lane back through the woods for three miles, turning left at the end and then right onto the old main road for the last mile to Hamstreet (short route).
      Alternatively, follow the lane past the church, and after the next right-hand bend, look for the byway on your left. Follow this byway through woodlands, eventually emerging onto Hornash Lane. Then turn right. Take great care crossing the old Ashford to Hamstreet Road and continue ahead via the scattered community of Bromley Green. Continue ahead at the next crossroads onto Poundhurst Road. When the lane bears sharply left, carry on ahead onto Gill Lane. This will eventually become a track. Bear right to follow the bridleway right down through Hamstreet Woods nature reserve. This can often be muddy. At the other end, follow Bourne Lane into the village. Turn left onto the one-way street (note the World War II pillbox), then turn right at the end onto Cock Lane, and right again into The Street.

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