The North Downs Way is one of the official UK National Trails, running from Farnham to Folkestone, following old routes and droveways along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the North Downs. The total length is just over 250 kilometres (160 miles).

The North Downs and South Downs are separate parallel chalk ridges running west to east and separated by around 50km. They are part of the chalk formation laid down in cretaceous period but uplifted probably as a side effect of the collision between what is now Italy and the western European landmass, which raised the Alps and a number of other geological features. The chalk top of the dome has been eroded, leaving parallel chalk ridges of the Downs, and exposed underlying Greensand ridges between a central Weald region. The rounded chalk hills are well drained and, as a result of extensive prehistoric clearances, excellent for walking. Both North and South Downs National Trails were put together from pre-existing drovers roads etc., animal movement tracks which took advantage of the drier more open hill tops for ease of transport.

The North Downs Way official site suggests a range, from easy walks (less than 5 miles) to challenging walks (more than 10 miles). We tend to go for shorter walks where the start and finish points are accessible by public transport. You can download a gpx track of each of our stages, to follow your own self-guided walk.