Canterbury to Chartham Great Stour Way riverside path opens 21st May 2011

This weekend will be a time for messing about by the river - as the new pedestrian, cycle and disabled access path between Chartham and Canterbury officially opens.

And if the prospect of a pretty new way in and out of town isn't already exciting enough - there's also a family fun day to launch it being held this Saturday (May 21st). Click here for more details.

The event will mark the end of cyclists having to use the previously signed route between Chartham and Canterbury, which followed the busy Cockering Road and the heavily trafficked A28 through Thanington and Wincheap.

The new Great Stour Way will be signed National Cycle Route 18 which then continues towards Ashford, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells.  It is hoped that this path will eventually continue towards Wye, following as much of the River Great Stour as possible.

Full information about the route can be found on the Canterbury City Council website, but here's a bit of info to wet the appetite of any keen walkers and cyclists.

Where does it go?

The route starts at Chartham next to the Village Hall and follows the existing public footpath that goes alongside the river.

At the Milton Manor embankment it leave the public footpath and goes under the A28 towards Thanington Lakes, and follows the river towards Tonford.  It is hoped that the Tonford bridge will eventually be ramped to improve access from the Thanington area.

The path continues along the riverside through Hambrook Marsh and Whitehall Meadow.  It emerges at Toddler's Cove and joins the lightly trafficked Whitehall Road, linking up with existing National Cycle Route 1 (towards Canterbury city centre and the Crab & Winkle Way towards Whitstable).

The construction of a new bridge near Staples (next to Wincheap Park and Ride) provides another link into Canterbury. The route goes through Wincheap Industrial Estate, and will soon link up with the recently constructed new cycle paths through the Telephone House and Tannery residential areas (and link up with the city centre cycle route network) via the 'Horses & Goats' Tunnel.  The works to unblock this historic tunnel are currently under way and will be open for use by summer 2011.