Walk Programme News
17/10/2026 - Postcode Correction Sunday 18th Oct ...
For tomorrow, the postcode for the start point outside Straymarsh Farm is ME12 3RN and not the published ME12 3NR. The grid ref of TQ927704 is unchanged.
14/10/2026 - Two Walks Cancelled Wed 28th Oct & Wed 4th Nov 6th...
Unfortunately the walks from Batemans, on October 28th, and Bluebell Hill on the 4th November have been cancelled as the leader is no longer available. For full details please go to the walks page .
09/10/2026 - November Walk Programme Now Available...
Our November walk programme is now available. There are fifteen walks this month. Walks every Wednesday and Sunday, plus the usual Thursdays. The programme has all the details you need to know so you can join our walks and it can be found on the walks page .
23/09/2026 - Change of Walk Leader October 7th...
On Wednesday October 7th Bob will be leading Graham's walk at Bodium. As the pub now closed, bring a packed lunch. Bob also requests you text him to book. The programme has all the details you need to know so you can join our walks and it can be found on the walks page .
13/09/2026 - Change of Walk Leader September 24th...
On Thursday 24th September Bob will now lead Joan's walk at Barming.
08/09/2026 - October Walk Programme Now Available...
Our October walk programme is now available. There are eighteen walks this month. Walks every Wednesday and Sunday, plus the usual Thursdays. There is also a walk on Saturday the 3rd. The programme has all the details you need to know so you can join our walks and it can be found on the walks page .
31/08/2026 - Two Evening Walks Cancelled Monday 31st August & Sunday September 6th...
Unfortunately Wendy has had to cancel her evening walks from Bearsted and Sutton Valence. For full details please go to the walks page .
24/08/2026 - Extra Walk Added to the Programme Sunday September 6th...
Michael has provided a half-day walk for Sunday 6th September at Appledore. For full details please go to the walks page .
12/08/2026 - September Walk Programme Now Available...
Our September walk programme is now available. There are Seventeen walks this month. Walks every Wednesday and Sunday, plus the usual Thursdays. There are two memorial walks at the end the month for our dear friend and fellow walker Barry. The programme has all the details you need to know so you can join our walks and it can be found on the walks page .
Maidstone Group News
05/10/2026 - Forthcoming AGM Sat 24th October...
Our Annual General Meeting will this year be on the 24th October at Tovil Community Centre, Barfreston Close, Tovil, ME15 6FG (Grid. ref. 756546). This is your opportunity to support and contribute to the running of our Group and it would be great to see you there!
The community centre is just off Courtney Road near the junction of Courtney Road and Tovil Road on the left hand side. There’s ample free parking at the Centre.
Coffee and tea will be available from 10am with the meeting starting at 10.30am.
If you would like to put forward any motions or submit any questions, Please contact the Secretary (info@maidstoneramblers.org.uk)by the 10th October, to allow the committee to review them and give you an answer or at least give you a considered opinion.
Committee Vacancy
We still have a vacancy for the role of Membership Secretary, which we were unable to fill at our last AGM. We need your help in filling this role. If you would like to nominate anyone for this position, please complete a nomination form which must be returned to the Secretary by the 10th October.
Other Vacancy
We are also seeking a volunteer to be one of our representatives at Kent Area as David Law who has served as our representative for a number of years is standing down this year.
If you would like the agenda, a nomination form or last year’s minutes please contact the Secretary (info@maidstoneramblers.org.uk). If you would like to nominate anyone for the above positions, please complete and return a nomination form no later than 2 weeks before the meeting.
05/10/2026 - Christmas Meal - Wednesday December 9th...
We are pleased to announce that this year's Christmas lunch is being held at the Orida Hotel, Bearsted Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5AA, on Wednesday, 9th December, 2026, at 12.30 p.m. for a 1.00 p.m. sit down. Sue Waters will be leading a short walk of approximately 5 miles before the meal and the Hotel has given permission for us to use the car park. Anyone using the hotel car park will need to go into Reception, state that they are attending the Maidstone Ramblers lunch and enter their car registration number.
The prices and menus are as follows:- £30.95p. for a 2 course meal £33.95p. for a 3 course meal
Starters
Spiced carrot and Butternut Squash Soup (VE, GFA)
Smoked Salmon with mixed leaves, buttered bread and lemon (GFA)
Chicken Terrine with onion chutney, crostini and mixed leaves (GFA)
Main Courses
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey with roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables, pigs in blankets, stuffing and jus (GFA)
Sea Bass Fillet with crushed new potatoes, roasted fennel and peppers and caper butter (GF)
Roast Vegetable Wellington with roast potatoes, cauliflower puree and kale crisp (VE)
Desserts
Traditional Christmas Pudding with brandy sauce (GFA)
Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart with Chantilly cream (GF, VE)
Lemon Cheesecake with citrus compote (GFA)
To finish: Tea, Coffee and Mince Pies VE - Vegan GF - Gluten Free GFA - Gluten free available
It will be possible to select a starter and main course, or main course and dessert if choosing the 2 course option. These prices include a tip. The menu can be adapted for allergies and intolerances.
Booking and payment in full is required by Wednesday, 4th November, 2026, and should, by bank transfer.
Please email me with the menu choices and we will provide details of the payment transfer: xmaslunch@maidstoneramblers.org.uk.
30/06/2026 - Medway Ramblers Bat and Trap Challenge with Maidstone Ramblers 2026...
Come and join us on Thursday 23rd July 2026, 6.30 pm at Penenden Heath Park ME14 2DH all welcome!
Access via Penenden Heath Road or Boxley Road.
Car park and roadside parking. Public toilets
Pop into the Bull at Penenden Health after the challenge.
Equipment provided by Medway Ramblers, instruction provided.
Are Maidstone Ramblers up for the challenge!
Please let me know if you are still able to attend as part of the Maidstone team or if you just want to come and watch is fine as well. Sue
socialevents@maidstoneramblers.org.uk
27/06/2026 - Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex Heli Hike Kent - Saturday 19th September...
The Air Ambulance charity is running a Heli Hike again this year which starts and finishes at Aylesford Priory.
The walk event consists of a choice of three distances, Approx 10, 7.5 and 3 miles, and previously we had 330 supporters taking part and raising funds for our life-saving charity. The Hike also starts and finishes at our KSS Fun Day event, which attracted 2500 supporting families last year.
Our group is assisting this event and we are looking for volunteers, particularly for marshalling on the day but also helping with signage on previous Wednesday and Thursday. KSS Air Ambulance are very grateful for this help. If you can assist please contact Des on 07729584260 or e-mail
chairman@maidstoneramblers.org.uk
09/10/2025 - Forthcoming AGM...
Our Annual General Meeting will this year be on 25th October at Aylesford Community Centre, 25, Forstal Road, Aylesford, ME20 7AU.
Coffee and tea will be available from 10am with the meeting starting at 10.30.
09/10/2025 - Committee Opportunities - from October...
After being an important part of our Committee for a number of years, Linda Hooker, Robert Hooker and Sue Bennett have decided to stand down from their positions. The positions of Membership Secretary and Secretary, will therefore become vacant at the AGM in October.
We are now looking for two volunteers to come forward and join us to help keep the group running smoothly. Linda and Sue will be happy to discuss their positions with anyone that is interested.
If either position interests you and you have a little spare time to help the group, then please contact any Committee member for more information. info@maidstoneramblers.org.uk
09/10/2025 - Christmas Meal - Wednesday December 10th...
We pleased to announce that this year's Christmas lunch is once again being held at Bearsted Golf Club, Ware Street, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4PQ, on Wednesday, 10th December, 2025, at 12.30 p.m. for a 1.00 p.m. sit down. Sue Waters will be leading a short walk of approximately 5-6 miles before the meal and the Golf Club has given permission for us to use the bottom car park.
We am delighted to confirm that we have secured the same prices as last year, and this includes a welcome drink of Prosecco (or alcohol-free alternative of Elderflower Fizz) on arrival. Prices are as follows:-
2 course meal £26.95p.
3 course meal £31.50p.
It will be possible to select a starter and main course, or main course and dessert if choosing the 2 course option. These prices include tea or coffee and a tip. It will also be possible to order cheese and biscuits instead of dessert at a supplementary charge of £3.95p. The menu can be adapted for allergies and intolerances.
Payment in full is required by Wednesday, 5th November, 2025, and should, by bank transfer.
Please email me for the menu and details of the payment transfer: xmaslunch@maidstoneramblers.org.uk.
13/05/2024 Annual Holiday Announced…
A trip to Porthcawl has just been announced for April 2025.
Date of holiday: Sunday 6th to Saturday 12th April 2025
Staying at: The Seabank Hotel - Porthcawl
Bed, breakfast and evening meal
Evening entertainment
A coach will pick up Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Rochester and stay with us all week as usual
There will be a long and a short walk Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri with one optional walk on Wed, the coach drivers day off.
The cost is: £410 per person with a £50 deposit on booking.
If you are interested contact: info@maidstoneramblers.org.uk
20/02/2024 - Walking Holiday discount, plus a donation to our Group...
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays have announced a rebranding and are now called Ramble Worldwide.
As part of “The Walking Partnership” they offer a donation to our Group if you mention you are a Maidstone Rambler when you book.
A further, special member discount is available off any of their holidays for all departures in April and May 2024.
On offer is £50 off per person on any holiday, with a minimum 7 nights duration, with holidays starting either in April and May 2024 (other Terms and Conditions may apply). This is in addition to any current offer, and is valid for bookings made up to 15th March, subject to availability. Please see following link to our website for details of all our holidays: rambleworldwide.co.uk
To redeem this offer, please quote TWP50 at time of booking. Our team will then add the discount on to the booking. Call 01707 331133 or book via our website and enter TWP50 in ‘comments’.
26/02/2023 - Jubilee Celebration Tree Planted...
Our Group have provided a tree to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Her wish had been that the jubilee be celebrated by planting trees. After a few delays, our tree, a disease resistant elm, was planted in Mote Park on 4th January by Mote Park volunteers, under the supervision of Karen Thorpe, the Ranger. Unfortunately, there is no identification on the tree as all tags, etc, are banned.
Our Chairman, Carol, can be see here visiting the location. For anyone wishing to see the tree themselves it can be found by using the What3words app under the code: rail – rang – slave. For those who do not have a smartphone, take the path with the cafeteria on your right. You will come to a group of newly planted trees and our tree is the first on the right nearest the footpath.
28/07/2022 - Recent trip to Eastbourne…
On the first weekend in July some members of the group travelled to Eastbourne to walk the Seven Sisters. Lovely views and excellent weather. What more could a walker want....
18/07/2022 - 2023 Annual Holiday Announced…
A trip to Weston-super-Mare has just been announced for April 2023. All you need to know can be found here.
15/07/2022 - Our Annual Holiday in Pictures…
Maidstone Ramblers finally made the trip to Scarborough planned for 2020 in April. If you were not able to go, this is what you missed! The pictures.
21/05/2022 - Our Walk Programme in Pictures…
See what our walk programme offers in pictures. What have group members seen so far in 2022? Take a look at the the work of our keen photographers who keep busy on most of the walks on offer. All on show in the gallery!
29/03/2022 - In memory of David Hooker…
Last Autumn Carol lead a walk in memory of Dave from Linton. Sadly, we lost Dave in October 2020. Carol is photographed overlooking Boughton Monchelsea deer park, just off the Greensand Way, as the group paused for a moment of reflection. A keen photographer and naturalist Dave and Carol liked to enjoy walking holidays together, like the one to Italy’s Garfagnana in 2014. As you can see Dave was also able to turn his hand to poetry. The walk may have ended but the memories linger on.
22/02/2022 - Maidstone Leader Wins Poetry Award…
Following his success in publishing his own book of twenty-four poems, Andrew Hider has now won the National Mammal Week Poetry Competition 2021.
The judge of the competition said the standard of entries was so high that it made it very difficult to choose the winners. However, after reading each poem several times, she managed to whittle them down to a longlist, and then a shortlist. Finally, she picked the three that stood out most to me, and decided which should be awarded first, second and third.
I have chosen ‘Snip, Snip, Snip’ by Andrew Hider as this competition’s winner. This poem sat in my mind for a long time after I first read it, and each time I returned to it, I found more to enjoy and feel moved by. The repeated ‘Snip, snip, snip’ at regular intervals was cleverly used to guide the reader through different eras and scenes, and link them all together: the past, when the image of a cornfield is cut out of a magazine by a little girl, who imagines looking ‘through the eyes of a mouse’ from within the picture; later on, when sadly ‘most wildflower meadows disappear’ and the ‘number of wild mammals is cut down’; and a century later, when the picture is on the girl’s granddaughter’s wall, still inspiring those who look at it to see through the eyes of a harvest mouse, despite all that has been lost. Overall, the poem effectively enforces the importance of imagination and how vital being connected to nature is to us (and has been throughout history) and therefore what we stand to lose if we don’t work to protect our environment and its wildlife.
Snip, Snip, Snip
A rabbit sits in a cornfield
That is filled with poppies,
With her two babies.
A cornflower watches,
With eye of blue.
Snip, snip, snip,
A little girl cuts out this picture from a magazine,
And puts it in a frame.
Snip, snip, snip,
The little girl cuts out a story from her mind,
And she looks through the eyes of a mouse,
And daydreams that she says good morning to the rabbits,
To set off on a day of adventures,
Ending with a climb back up to her cosy nest to sleep the night.
*
Snip, snip, snip,
The little girl’s daydreams are cut away.
Snip, snip, snip,
Cornflowers no longer grow in cornfields,
As most wildflower meadows disappear.
Snip, snip, snip,
The number of wild mammals is cut down,
As the countryside is tidied up.
Snip, snip, snip,
A century is cut out of time;
The picture hangs upon the bedroom wall
Of the little girl’s granddaughter,
Who she never met,
And is now grown up.
The story was lost long ago,
Before I was born;
But,
Snip, snip, snip,
I can cut it out of my imagination,
And look through the eyes, of a harvest mouse.
Andrew Hider
In memory of Phyllis Hider, born Phyllis Rose, 1911-1982.
06/10/2021 - And Finally, The 40th Anniversary Celebration…
After a delay of 18 months the lunch to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Maidstone Ramblers’ Group has been held. Peter Royall set up the Group on March 23rd 1980 with just 33 members. So, on Monday 4th October over 70 members past and present enjoyed a lunch at Bearsted Golf Club. Peter Royall and the current Chairman, Carol Davis, both made speeches on the day.
Any member wanting to see more photographs of the event should contact info@maidstoneramblers.org.uk
13/09/2021 - A walk on the Wealdside…
Congratulations, to a select few of our members who have completed the Wealdway last week, inspired by the Weald Way 40th anniversary. A few others joined them for part of the way. After some 83 miles over six days they have earnt a well earned rest. Some of the towns and villages visited on the route, from the beginning in Gravesend, include Sole Street, Vigo Village, Wrotham Heath, Platt, West Peckham, Tonbridge, Bidborough, Speldhurst, Fordcombe, Withyham, Fairwarp, Uckfield, East Hoathly, Hailsham and Upper Dicker before reaching the finish in Eastbourne. To see evidence of their trip, see here.
Joining them on the route from St. Nicholas Church Sandhurst via Bodiam to Ewhurst Green and back were thirteen others including Kris Lovell who had her own hip replacement operation just seven months ago.
Geoff led the walk to “The White Dog” and Ray took over for the return leg after lunch. Kris completed the whole walk. She is also a keen cyclist and has already done forty miles in a day and seventy miles over a weekend. Several stiles had to be overcome as well as crossing the Kent and East Sussex Railway line so it was not just a walk in the park but a serious ramble involving reasonable amounts of ascent and descent. The weather was fine and the views across Kent and East Sussex were very rewarding.
Having enjoyed it so much the leaders debated at the end whether to organise another walk and they are seriously considering another joint venture in the future.
Earlier this year Andrew Hider self-published a collection of twenty-four poems entitled “Amazing Maisie”. He sent one to OCD Action, a charity for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and they chose the poem “Behind Maisie’s Door” to publish in their national newsletter. They asked for a description, and because of their choice of poem, He decided to describe how Joining Maidstone Ramblers has helped him. The poem is shown below, illustrated with an open door, which Andrew says represents the freedom people get from rambling - in his case partial freedom from OCD. He goes on to say that the poems are not just about what’s wrong with Maisie, but what’s right with her as well. She is very bold, and stands up to OCD in the way that people with the disorder, such as him, would like to. She has a sense of adventure and a love of nature. The description of the poem explains why Andrew felt it necessary to write about the subject:
“I had become increasingly frustrated with the way Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is misrepresented so I decided to produce this booklet. Throughout the booklet OCD is there but it is not apparent in all the poems, because the aim is for Maisie to be a typical children’s character, despite having OCD. In “Behind Maisie’s Door” a simplified way of looking at it is that OCD is trapping her in her room so Maisie defies OCD and goes out for a walk. There is a lot of me in Maisie but perhaps Maisie is somewhat bolder than me. For most of the booklet Maisie is around eight years old, the age at which I developed the condition in 1963. Walking is something that has helped me fend off OCD to an extent and it made a great difference to me when I joined Maidstone Ramblers in 1982, of which I am still a member and through which I met my wife Claire who has helped me run the Maidstone OCD Support Group for the past eleven years. It’s possible to think that if I had not joined the Ramblers Association to further my interest in walking and to get out and meet people I may have become increasingly reclusive. I had an interest in walking by the time I was seven, so I have always had the benefit of it as some release from OCD.”
Andrew explains that a little booklet like this cannot hope to fully describe a condition as complex as OCD ... the aim of “Amazing Maisie” is to try to challenge the misconceptions of the disorder. So you are strongly recommended to visit www.ocdaction.org.uk . On there can be found details of all the OCD support groups in the country, including the Maidstone group. Andrew has some free copies of his booklet available, which you can ask for if you see him on a walk. Alternatively, you can download the booklet as a PDF file.
Maisie awakes in the dark in her bed,
She wonders if behind her door, there are ghosties of dread;
She wonders if behind the light through the crack round the door,
There are messages flooding onto her bedroom floor.
To what is behind the door Maisie is blind,
She wonders that if she opens it what she might find.
She bravely pushes the door to see what is there,
And finds there is nothing, nothing to scare;
The big monster behind the door is no longer there,
He will go away if Maisie does dare.
Maisie hears the breath of the wind,
The songs of the birds,
And the crash of distant waves.
She smells the scent of sweet violets,
Of soft primroses and fragrant blossom.
She feels the warmth of the sun...
She forgets her cares and walks as me,
Where woodland trails meander free;
And summer grass flows like the sea,
To cliff tops where the ocean be.
She hears music on the dancing waves,
Being played by fingertips of land,
As she gently sings upon soft magical sand.
Upon these rainbows of magical sands,
In these nearby faraway lands,
Where the scary monster cannot reach,
Maisie dances with white horses on the beach.