Here you’ll find the digital support for planning your own long distance walk along The Pilgrims’ Way from London to Canterbury. Once you get a taste for route mapping and walk planning it’ll never be easier to find yourself seeking more adventures outdoors.
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This page will guide you....

How to use 
Google Maps


Here is the complete map of The Pilgrims’ Way from Southwark to Canterbury. This was my pre-walk aid to look for accommodation. At the end of each night it helped me plan interesting things to see and places to eat while on route.



What's on the map
Everything. From stages to food stops, to stamp stops to accommodation and local hospitals. This is the full digital go-to map of the route. You can toggle what  you want to see through the map legend. There are more accommodations and campsites available which Google Map will show, but are not included in the legend.

Saving the map
  • Open the map in a new window by selecting the full screen icon on the right
  • Select the in the map legend

Accessing the map
To open the map again from Google Maps select the hamburger dropdown on the left hand side
  • Select 'Saved'
  • Just under the search bar on the right is a tab called Maps
  • The Southwark to Canterbury map should appear there


This app will lead you

Get going 
with komoot


If you haven’t used a hiking app before then you’ll love Komoot. I’ve prepared step by step instructions on how to break down your version of this walk. This is to be used on a desktop because the mobile app is fairly clunky when routing.



First things first, download the full GPX route onto your desktop and set up a free account on komoot.

GPX File

Upload the route to komoot

  1. Login to komoot
  2. Click the + in the top right corner
  3. Select Import GPS file 
  4. Drag and drop the downloaded GPX file into komoot
  5. Re-name it Pilgrims Way Full Route



Breaking down daily tours
  1. Open the full tour
  2. On the right hand side select ‘Replan tour’ then ‘Open 
    in Planner’
  3. This will save as a new route.
  4. On the left in a green panel is the waypoint section. 
  5. Expand this by clicking ‘ Show All Waypoints’
  6. For Day 1 scroll to the bottom and start clicking the rubbish bin icon next to Waypoint B.
  7. Do this until you get to your resting point for the night

    This will shorten the route, the old route will be shown in red on the map while editing. You can use the search bar and the postcode for your accommodation for accurate routing.

  8. When you’re finished, click Save Tour on the top 
    right corner
  9. Rename your route ‘Pilgrims Way - Day #’
  10. Repeat this process for however many days you’re 
    planning to walk

You now have your day by day breakdown as well as a full map of your route.
For more inspiration

Resources


I’m not the first and won’t be the last explorer of The Pilgrims’ Way. During my planning and adventure I found everything here to be incredibly useful and informative.


Other adventurers



Adventure support

Communities




Support reading


The Pilgrims WayCicerone Guide

Buy here
A Philsophy of Walking
Frédéric Gros

LocalAlastair Humphreys

Buy here

The book of trespassNick Hayes

Buy here

What’s all this then

About



The day after my 35th birthday I began a six day walk from London to Canterbury. I had no formal training in long distance hiking just a thirst for adventure, an unwaivering desire to complete a challenge and a desperate need for slowing down.  From this adventure a project and mission was formed. 

The missionHow can we find calm and nurture a connection to nature through slow adventures? 

The projectIdle Guides: informative and inspiring action to feel more grounded. To readjust from busy lives and find pockets of regeneration, delight and curiosity through big and small adventures.

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