Things to do in Rochester with Curious About Rochester

Rochester

Self-guided walks for the Curious...

Explore Rochester town centre with two self-guided heritage walks with a treasure hunt theme. Discover Rochester's "hidden treasures" whilst having a fun day out with family and friends!
Historic Rochester has a magnificent cathedral, a resplendent Castle, delightful parks, whilst sitting on the banks of the sweeping River Medway. No wonder Rochester inspired Dickens to include it in many of his novels, it's easy to imagine yourself back in the times of Victoria as you walk round its streets. Added to that are stories of martyrs burnt at the stake, Pie Powder Courts, Justice Trees, a man whose throat was cut by his protegee and then caused a miracle and became a saint, and a man put to death by boiling in water. Something for everyone!

EXPLOREDISCOVERENJOY

What's it all About?

An exploration of Rochester's town centre with two self-guided heritage walks with an optional treasure hunt. Completing the treasure hunt keeps everyone actively engaged, and urges you to look up, down and every which-way - so you won't miss out on any of the town's treasures.
Explore, Discover, and Enjoy!
Most clues are chosen for their historical value, so you'll learn about the diverse culture, significant people and extraordinary events which have influenced Rochester in becoming what it is today.
This is an outdoor, unsupervised activity - so you can go at a pace which suits you, whilst keeping you healthy!
A Curious About walk is a fun and social activity for all the family and friends. Different people can take on different roles - follow the map, identify picture clues, read directions, etc - it's ideal for children from the age of 6, and if you can walk/wheelchair it, you're young enough!
The two walks have been designed so that the second one follows on from where the first one ends. Do both, or have a breather and do the second one another day! They both start and finish in the heart of the town - so buses, trains and car parks are easily available to get you there and back.

Description of the Two Walks

1. Eastgate House to Castle Park - 1.5 miles / 2.4 kms
From Rochester’s remarkable Eastgate House, and Charles Dickens’ Swiss Chalet, this walk takes you down the historic High Street, past tales of martyrs burnt at the stake, and into a small park with a rich cultural history. See Rochester’s magnificent cathedral, a pilgrims’ passage, the fabulous Guildhall Museum and Clock House, before ending at the delightful Castle Park with spectacular views over the River Medway.
1.5 hoursOK but diversion maybe needed

2. Medway Pier to Historic Church - 1 mile / 1.6 kms
Start down by the river with sparkling views of a myriad of boats, before walking up the hill to Castle Park, and stunning views of the Castle Keep. Navigate yourself around the park before passing an historic school, and a place where civil justice was once executed under an elm tree. Off to the cathedral next, and a row of restored Victorian houses, before ending at an historic church with enduring scenes of the river.
1 hourOK but diversion maybe needed

What do I Get?

Each booklet has a page dedicated to the history of the town and 2 pages summarising each walk with suggestions on what to visit along the way. Walk 1 has 21 clues & walk 2 has 14 - both with detailed directions to follow. There are interesting stories about important people, places & events along the way; detailed instructions on how to find a clue if you're stuck; and a comprehensive map with the routes marked on.
Buy a booklet by clicking on the Add to Basket button, then either checkout, or continue shopping. Checkout takes you through payments via a quick & secure process managed by a third-party company called SendOwl. At the end of the payment process SendOwl will email you a confirmation email (inc download link if relevant).

Downloads
You have 14 days to complete your download, and up to 3 attempts are permitted. If you buy the print-at-home version you will need to print it on normal A4 paper and the email you receive, with the download link, explains how best to fold the pages to make it into an A5 booklet. If you buy the download to mobile version you will need pdf reading software on your phone or tablet, eg using the Adobe Acrobat App (free).

Printed Copy
The booklet has a flexible cover, which has been professionally printed. The inside pages are printed to order, to ensure that they are as up-to-date as possible. We post booklets out 1st class Royal Mail, usually the same, or next working day. A small postage & packing charge is added.

Reviews & Latest Revision

Latest Revision : May 2024