The Augustine Camino starts at Rochester Cathedral, the second oldest in England founded in 604 AD by Justus, one of Augustine’s monks. Next to the welcome desk in the North Transept there is a modern fresco of the Baptism of Ethelbert – the moment when the English-speaking world joined Christendom. Augustine’s monks brought with them not just Christianity but also writing (our alphabet is Roman), music (Gregorian chant) and Law. In the crypt is the Textus Roffensis, the oldest copy of laws in the English language – Ethelbert’s Laws. Beside the welcome desk are the old pilgrim steps up to the site of the Shrine to William of Perth. The day is a gentle walk out of Rochester up onto the Downs with panoramic views over the Medway valley. Lunch is either in the Robin Hood pub or at a picnic site. Pilgrims usually spend the night at Aylesford Priory.

Aylesford Priory is a working Carmelite Priory founded in 1242. It was closed at the Reformation and granted to Thomas Wyatt (who had earlier spent time in the tower of London for writing love sonnets to Anne Boleyn!). The Carmelites bought it back in 1949. The buildings and artwork are an engaging mixture of medieval and modern with a particularly fine collection of ceramics by Adam Kossowski. Pilgrims have breakfast in the original medieval refectory. The walk today passes Tyland Barn, HQ of the Kent Wildlife Trust and the ruins of Boxley Abbey. The path threads through miles of vineyards producing grapes for Chapel Down. Lunch is at the King’s Arms in Boxley. Opposite, St Mary’s church has some fine stained glass. The day ends at Thurnham where there is the option to sleep the night at the 12th Century church or the Black Horse Inn, where the meals, and particularly the breakfasts, come highly recommended.

Today starts with a brisk walk up the Downs to Cold Blow Farm. A couple of miles across the fields we arrive at the Hook and Hatchet Inn with room outside to tie up your horse. Just in front is the entrance to the Woodland Trust’s Hucking Estate which is managed for native trees and plants. In the village of Hucking is the Church of St Margaret – a favourite for weddings. The path then heads down to Gorham and Admiral’s Wood tracing the bottom of a dry valley towards Bredgar. The Farm Tea Shop is opposite the village pond. The afternoon begins with a stroll to Bexon, where the manor house has a thatched garage that could have been made for Bilbo Baggins. The church of St Mary and the Holy Cross at Milstead is next. This was beautifully restored by the eminent Victorian architect William Butterfield. After this we have permission from the Torry Hill Estate to walk through their apple orchards and sweet chestnut coppice to St Catherine’s church Kingsdown and finally on to Palace Farm where we stay the night. Dinner is usually at the Chequers pub in the village (5 minute’s walk).

Day four is relatively short after the exertions of the day before. It starts with a visit to the church of the Beheading of John the Baptist with its unusual clapboard tower. Inside there is what is thought to be the oldest painting of St Francis in England. The route takes us through the beautifully manicured sheep pastures and woods of Doddington Place, which was built for the Croft Original Sherry family. After Newnham we head up out of the valley through woods and fields to Painter’s Forstal where a good lunch is to be had at the Alma pub (booking recommended). Then we head into Faversham, passing the Maison Dieu medieval pilgrim hostel. St Jude’s Shrine is another working Carmelite Shrine, dedicated to the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes (which makes him a great favourite). Normally pilgrims stay in the 14th century Sun Inn, which is right in the centre of the old town.

This is one of my favourite days on the Camino, being the entry into Canterbury. The walk starts passing through fields of blackcurrants, grapes and hops on the way to Boughton church – the first sight of which is a true Instagram moment. Shortly afterwards we enter the Blean – the great forest which nearly encircles Canterbury. The walking is easy and we usually have a picnic on one of the fallen oaks. After Chartham Hatch we share the last few miles with the Pilgrim’s Way, through No Man’s Orchard with its collection of old fruit varieties and past Bigbury Fort – which was reputedly attacked by Julius Caesar. Harbledown, mentioned in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is the last village before the city. There is an old leper hospital with a healing well visited by the Black Prince. On the way into town we pass St Dunstan’s where the head of Thomas More is interred. Then it is through the 13th Century Westgate, and up the High Street to the Cathedral for Evensong. Pilgrims usually stay in the Cathedral Gate hotel.

The distance this day depends on where we find accommodation. The villages are small so sometimes pilgrims stay at Stodmarsh, sometimes at Grove Ferry and sometimes at Pluck’s Gutter, which is 3.5 miles further along the route. Pilgrims usually start with a visit to St Thomas’s Catholic Church where there is a relic of Thomas Becket (one of his fingers). They then walk round the city walls to the statues of Ethelbert and Bertha. Ethelbert is depicted running out to meet Bertha from church with news that St Augustine has arrived in Thanet. Their clothes are modelled on finds at Sutton Hoo and are as accurate as possible. Next are the ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey, where were found the Shrine of St Augustine and tombs of Ethelbert and all the early Kings of Kent and Archbishops of Canterbury. Next is St Martin’s, the oldest church in the English-Speaking world – likely named by Bertha. St Martin is the Patron Saint of her home town, Tours in France. Leaving Canterbury we walk through the lovely Chequer’s Wood to Fordwich with its two welcoming pubs. The woods continue for another two miles, first beside the fishing lakes and then up towards Littlebourne. Lunch is normally had in the Ivy Barn Farm Shop. St Vincent’s church has a beautiful collection of Nathaniel Westlake stained glass, followed by St Andrew’s at Wickhambreaux with its Art Deco Annunciation window. Just opposite is the picture perfect Rose Inn. The final stretch to Stodmarsh is between polytunnels of soft fruit. The Red Lion is a traditional village pub with comfortable rooms. A mile and a half further on across the nature reserve is Grove Ferry Inn, right on the river. Another two miles after that is the Dog and Duck at Pluck’s Gutter. This is reached across the marshes via All Saint’s Church West Stourmouth.

The final day takes us across the marshes to Minster on the Isle of Thanet. At the time of St Augustine this was a real island. Augustine landed here to wait for King Ethelbert, who being pleased with what he heard, invited him to Canterbury. St Mary’s church in Minster is known as the Cathedral of the Marshes for its impressive Norman nave and stone vaulted chancel. Minster Abbey is a working Benedictine Convent. Pilgrims are welcome to visit the chapel which has a relic of the local patron saint, Mildred. Lunch is normally in the Bell Inn opposite St Mary’s. The path follows the line of the railway across the fields to St Augustine’s Cross where local legend has it that St Augustine first met Ethelbert. the path then continues down to the coast at Pegwell Bay where there is a “Viking Ship” commemorating the arrival of the first English leaders, Hengist and Horsa in 449. The last couple of miles are along the cliff tops to Pegwell where there are two pubs with views across the Channel. Then it is along the promenade to St Augustine’s – Augustus Pugin’s “Ideal Church” a treasure trove of Gothic Revival art and architecture and the site of the modern Shrine of St Augustine. Pilgrims receive their Compostelas and enjoy a well earned rest.