East Kent

Members: 151

We are a friendly group and you're very welcome to join us, step this way ... !

Hello and welcome, my name is Gary Taylor and I am the East Kent group coordinator for GOC.  The East Kent group generally walk on the last Sunday of each month 8 -10 miles all day walks.  We generally start at 1030, but the walk leader for the day will determine the date and time.  We tend to get between 4 and 20 walkers each month.  To avoid confusion you should bring your own packed lunch, though we do have occasional pub/cafe stops for drinks.  We are a friendly group who like to welcome newcomers and are open to other events such as social parties or other outdoor activities.  Some people may be nervous about joining us, but we will do our very best to help you engage, at your own pace.  You can join as a trial member for four months initially at no cost, to see if the group is for you.  A reasonable level of fitness will be needed as we have a lot of undulating landscape and stiles.  But do remember, the current group regulars also started with variable fitness levels.

We do our best to welcome all members of the LGBTQ+ community and people who are friendly to these people.

What will you need to bring?

The main thing you need is a pair of stout walking boots with good grips on the soles.  It helps if they are waterproof and they are not too smart to get muddy.  They don’t need to be expensive, it’s far more important that they are comfortable.  Trainers would be ok in the summer but be warned that there can always be mud and cow pats. Some people wear wellies but remember that they would have to be comfortable for 8-10 miles.  Other essentials are some kind of waterproof and a pullover or fleece if it is cold.

Things which are nice to have, include walking trousers in a quick-drying material, rather than jeans which get very heavy when wet and take ages to dry.  An extendable walking pole (or two) is a help when climbing hills and trying to get down slippery slopes.

Don’t forget you’ll have to drink as much liquid as you would normally do in a day plus extra because of the exercise, about one litre in winter, more in summer.  You’ll also need something like a rucksack to carry your stuff in.  Some sun screen may help in the summer as we get quite a few dry hot days.

We are not restricted to walking events though.  If you wish to organise another event be it outdoor activity or social, then we would welcome any additional alternatives.

Thank you for vising our page, we look forward to welcoming you to our group.

Uniquely, East Kent has coast around three sides which gives us many varied coastal walks from the dramatic and iconic White Cliffs of Dover, through to the contrasting wilderness of the Romney Marshes and Dungeness, for example. We are fortunate to have river valleys and woodlands all in relatively easy reach and which never fail to bring new delights, changing with every season. The geology of Kent also gives us the North Downs with some moderate climbs where at the top they deliver spectacular views, some across to other counties, some across to near-by France. Not forgetting Kent is also The Garden of England, we have orchards and hop fields with pathways through and oast houses to pass near-by. Additionally, we occasionally do walks on the islands and former islands of Kent including Harty, Oxney, Sheppey, Thanet.

Historically we have many castles and old Tumuli around the county.  In recent times a lot of the Battle of Britain took place above our skies.

We believe East Kent has a rich variety of landscape and terrain, perhaps some of the most varied in the country, generally all in close proximity whilst retaining a feel of space and openness. Do come and experience these delights for yourself!

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