Southern England: Higham Marshes, Kent

Distance: 7.5km/4.5 miles
Time: 2.5hrs
Type: Open marshland
Where: Circular walk from Higham Station via Church Street and Higham Marshes.
Start/End: Higham railway station (TQ716728). Limited parking adjacent to St Mary’s church (TQ706742).
Terrain: Some road, unsurfaced footpaths, stiles and gates.
Maps: OS Explorer 163; OS Landranger 178.

The atmospheric marshland adjacent to the Thames Estuary formed the backdrop to Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations. This walk takes in the landscape that inspired the great Victorian author, and is rich in both history and wildlife. Along the way is a Bronze Age barrow, the remains of a 19th-century fort, and the pretty church of St Mary’s. In spring and summer, listen out for the rapturous song of the skylark. Look out, also, for native plants such as coltsfoot, whose yellow flowers can be seen in February and March. It’s still used today by herbalists to cure respiratory complaints. For a step-by-step guide, download walk’s Routemaster as a PDF.

Click here to download a route card
Click here to download the GPS data for this route as an Anquet file
Click here to download the GPS data for this route as a GPX file