Sweet Surrender

ROUTE 1066 – Day 6: Saturday 7 November 2026 – DOVER to CANTERBURY (18 + 2 miles)

For all the recent talk of trees being confused by the dry summer into a ‘fake fall’, this multi-colour beech looks stunning!

I will start off today with my historical piece. As we saw yesterday, William (still ‘the Bastard’, and still a long way from becoming ‘the Conqueror’) was forced to leave Dover during mid-November 1066 – unwell, and with his army hungry – and with no sign of the Anglo-Saxon nobles in London surrendering. His quest for the Crown of England was still in considerable doubt. However, the size of his force, and the brutality of the legion’s actions was quite overwhelming to the local populace of southern England, and even the larger towns were loathe to put up resistance. Canterbury, like Dover, surrendered to the approaching Normans – and as an important and wealthy centre of the church this was a fine prize indeed, whilst offering William the supplies he needed on his march towards the capital. It is thought that the main force of the invaders did not linger too long in Canterbury, and the city was saved from the worst of the carnage wrought on the likes of Dover: a garrison was left in place, whilst the main force moved on westward, reserves replenished.

My walk today took me up and out of Dover, proceeding north-eastwards, inland, on minor tracks and country lanes . . .

. . . before continuing my direction and joining the North Downs Way over the rolling Kent Downs, and into the city of Canterbury

As for my walk, I left Dover in the half-light, but the early mist soon cleared and the forecast rain failed to materialise: instead the sun broke through and I had the most perfect cool autumn day for my seven-hour ramble through the fine Kent downlands. Without further ado, here are today’s pictures:

Leaving Dover in the murk of the early morning

. . . whilst others opted for a weekend lie-in

Chalky soil and beach trees – reminiscent of the Chilterns

. . . on the way to Woolage Village . . .

. . . where I found the perfect place for a late breakfast

From Woolage Village my path picked up the North Downs Way, a long-distance route from Dover to Farnham in Surrey that I have yet to attempt – and the path here also doubles as the first leg of the Via Francigena pilgrimage route, that runs all the way from Canterbury to Rome!

. . . to St Margaret’s of Antioch church in Womenswold . . .

. . . where I got my first pilgrim’s stamp of this **ROUTE 1066** walk

Not a bad way to spend a sunny Saturday morning

This short stretch of path looks perfect, although it actually runs along the top of the A2 embankment . . .

. . . but soon the ‘motorway’ branched off to bypass Canterbury . . .

. . . leaving my path in colour and solitude

The village church in Patrixbourne is another that offers stamps to Via Francigena pilgrims

A final climb – up the sunken Hode Lane . . .

. . . brought me to this host who boasts the most oasts . . .

. . . before, at last, a distant view of Canterbury

St Augustine’s Abbey was founded in 598 – almost half a millennium before the Norman conquest!

I contented myself with a peek through the Cathedral’s gift shop window – a full tour of the building can await my return, with Rachel on another day . . .

. . . as now my true destination was the ruins of Canterbury’s Norman castle

I arrived in Canterbury in good time – before my hotel was ready for check-in – and so, after seeing the sights, I set up camp in Tiny Tim’s Tearoom, where I rested awhile whilst demolishing their ‘Kent Cream Tea for One’ (that would easily feed two). Hence tonight I am having a quiet evening in with an M&S salad, whilst I recover and attend to some route and accommodation planning for the days ahead.

The Via Francigena route, from the notice-board in Womenswold – now there is an idea for a future walk!

Thank you for following my ROUTE 1066 journey – re-tracing the steps of William the Conqueror in 1066 on his 360-mile campaign trail from Pevensey Bay, via Berkhamsted, and on to Westminster Abbey. If you are following my Blog, enjoying the ramble, and would like to help us to SAVE CASTLE FIELDS for future generations by pledging £39 to sponsor a 3×3-metre square of the land, then please click on this link:

‘Sponsor A Square’ on the SAVE CASTLE FIELDS Website

THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING MY ROUTE 1066 WALK, AND FOR HELPING TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF CASTLE FIELDS

My Blog heading today ‘Sweet Surrender’ follows a popular song title that could have been taken from any of Rod Stewart, Harry Nilsson, John Denver or Wet, Wet, Wet, to name but a few: all different songs of the same title. But on my ROUTE 1066 playlist I have gone for ‘Sweet Surrender’ by Californian soft-rock band Bread, released in 1972 from their fifth studio album ‘Guitar Man. The number was penned by the group’s frontman David Gates, and became the last of their four No 1 hits on the US Easy Listening Chart.

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