Great Walks... with even better Gluten Free Food
If you’re anything like me and love a good walk followed by a really good meal, you’re in the right place. This page is where I’ll be documenting the wonderful walks I go on and the delicious meals that come afterwards. Most of these are easy day trips, with journeys around 1–2 hours from London — perfect for getting out, stretching your legs, and rewarding yourself properly at the end.
Dover to Folkstone
The walk between Dover and Folkestone is a great option if you want something scenic without it feeling like a huge expedition. You’re on the clifftops pretty quickly, with clear views out over the Channel (and France on a good day) and the classic white cliffs doing most of the heavy lifting. The path is well-marked and easy to follow, with a few ups and downs at the start before levelling out. At the midway point, you'll reach the Battle of Britain Memorial, and there are a few pubs around if you need to stop in for a drink.
As you head towards Folkestone, the walk starts to feel more relaxed and less dramatic, the last half hour will be through the city as you make your way to dinner. It’s a solid day walk: easy to get to from London, great views most of the way, and a proper finish at the end.
Start: Dover Priory
Depart from: Kings Cross St Pancreas
Hike Time: 4-5 hours
Finish Folkstone Central
Train Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Dinner at Pomus
Pomus Folkestone is a really tasty spot and 99% gluten free! The owner is a coeliac so they are all over it. It’s a neighbourhood restaurant-style wine bar and bottle shop right in a renovated old pub on Tontine Street. It's a great vibe with a focus on on seasonal, locally influenced share plates. However, they have just started doing a Sunday Roast, with gluten free yorkies included, and it's absolutely DELICIOUS!
They also have some great wine on offer, lovely friendly service, and great portions after a long walk. They also have a branch in Margate!
Location: 53 Tontine St, Folkestone CT20 1JR
Price: £35-£50 per person
Booking: Recommended
Other Dietary Requirements:
Vegetarian
Recommendation: The roast was amazing!
Link to video! (coming soon)
Charing, Kent
Charing, Kent is a lovely little spot that feels quietly special without trying too hard. Surrounded by rolling countryside, vineyards, and classic Kentish farmland, it’s a great place to slow down and get walking. The lanes and footpaths around the village take you past wineries, orchards, and wide open views. This walk will take you through farmland to a gorgeous winery, then up a hill to a pub with a banging Sunday roast and back down the hill to Charing Station.
Start: Charing Station
Depart from: London Victoria
Hike Time: 3 hours
Finish Charing Station
Train Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Wine & Cheese Tasting at Westwell Winery
About a 30-minute countryside walk from Charing Station, you’ll find Westwell Wine Estates. It’s well worth booking in for a wine and cheese tasting — and if you’re gluten free, just let them know in advance and they’ll happily swap out the crackers. The experience starts with a walk around the winery, learning about the grapes that thrive in the area, before sitting down to taste four wines paired with cheeses.
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Fair warning: the wine is very good. We all ended up buying bottles, which definitely made the rest of the walk a little heavier going - but honestly, it was too good not to.
Location: The Vyneyarde, Westwell Ln, Charing TN27 0BW
Price: £28 for tour and taste (cheese extra, but sometimes they have deals!)
Booking: Necessary
Other Dietary Requirements:
N/A
Recommendation: Their bubbles were my favourite.
Dinner at The Plough Inn, Stalisfield
This lovely pub is about an hour and a half's walk from Westwell (or a very sensible 10-minute taxi if you’ve had a few extra glasses) and sits right on a hilltop in Stalisfield, with great views over the surrounding countryside. It’s a proper, classic English pub - cosy, welcoming, and exactly what you want after a long walk.
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They serve a genuinely excellent Sunday roast, with generous portions and all the right trimmings, and they’re happy to cater for coeliacs if you let them know. It’s the perfect place to end the day: tired legs, good food, and that quiet satisfaction of having earned every bite.
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After this, it's a lovely 1 hour, mostly downhill countryside walk back to Charing Station to take you home.