This brief provides a short history of the ancient trackway that runs across southern England from Winchester in the west to Canterbury in the east, which has become popularly known as the 'Pilgrims' Way'. The trackway is 120 miles (192 km) in length and two thirds of the old trackway is still identifiable today.
A national trail running along the old trackway was first proposed by the Ramblers Association in their evidence to the Scott Committee. In 1978 the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Donald Coggan officially opened the North Downs Way National Trail. It is one of the few trails that coincides or runs close to the ancient trackway between Winchester and Canterbury. The National Trial is 156 miles in length and traces the North Downs ridge between Farnham and Dover via Canterbury. At Boughton Lees the North Downs Way divides into the circular 57-mile Canterbury loop. From here, one can either follow the loop clockwise along stretches of the ancient trackway to Dover via Canterbury and the Stour valley or one can take the loop anti-clockwise to Wye and onto Dover via Folkestone.
The old trackway was both a ridge walk and a terrace-way as it followed the North Downs escarpment. For the most part the ancient trackway keeps to the lower southern slopes, away from the exposed ridge of the Downs and just above the woods of the Weald and the claggy clay found on the lower ground. Much of the North Downs Way National Trail follows the more picturesque route along the ridge of the Downs. Nevertheless there are many stretches where the old trackway and the North Downs Way converge, especially along sections where the 'Pilgrims Way' has not been incorporated into a metalled lane.
