Living in the part of Kent that we do, we are surrounded by orchards – mostly apples, but pears and cherries too – and many of our local walks take us through them. I think I like them most in the spring when the trees are smothered with delicate pink blossoms, but there is something very heart warming at harvest time when the branches are weighed down with juicy red apples, and this year’s sunshine seems to have produced a particularly bumper crop.

If we want a quick circular walk, we are lucky enough to be able to access footpaths through orchards in two different directions, but if we have a little more time, one of our favourite walks is to follow the North Downs Way from Canterbury to Chilham. After some smaller orchards, the path goes through Bigbury Wood, where there have been some fabulous toadstools, with these ones particularly perfect.

Then there are then great swathes of orchards with fabulous and far reaching views across the Kent Downs., with a handily placed bench where you can sit for a moment to take it all in.

A walk is always improved with a coffee stop, either as a pit stop half way round or as a reward at the end, and we usually make time for a drink at the cafe at Badgers Hill Farm in Chilham. If you sit outside, as we always do, you can enjoy watching the chickens who scratch around the tables. There are a variety of different breeds, but I especially like the ones with feathery feet who look as if they are sporting a pair of trousers. They also have a really good garden centre and were stocking such a fabulous array of pumpkin and squash on our last visit that we couldn’t resist carrying a couple home with us.

We have a collection of walks that start at Selling (a village near Faversham) that we love to do, but our favourite one for this time of year, passes not just through orchards, but vineyards as well.

There is an ever growing number of vineyards being planted in Kent, and this one is co-owned by Tattinger, who were the first champagne house to create a vineyard in the United Kingdom! There are both black and white grapes,

and the walk skirts right around the edge, taking you to the top of the slope that makes it such a great place to have planted the vines. We took a moment to pull out our seating mats and admire the view with a flask of drink, as a buzzard wheeled over head.

But the walk is mostly about the apple orchards – and just look at the colour! So vibrantly red!

And look how far they stretch! I really am just a little bit obsessed!

For variety, there is also a little bit of woodland walking, as part of the route joins the Big Blean Walk, a 25 mile circular through the ancient Blean woods between Canterbury, Faversham, Whitstable and Herne Bay. It wasn’t quite in its autumnal splendour at the point that we walked it, but acorns and sweet chestnuts were in abundance.

Depending on the day, there’s a good coffee stop at the end of this walk too – Sondes Tea House, conveniently situated right next to the train station in Selling. Their opening hours are variable – it used to be Tuesday to Saturday, at the moment it is Friday to Sunday. The service is variable too – always slightly chaotic, but usually very friendly. However, I can’t fault the food, which is vegetarian/vegan and absolutely delicious There isn’t a menu. What is available is what the talented chef has cooked that day, and when it’s gone, it’s gone – a concept which I really like, except for our first visit when we turned up ravenous after a long walk to find that there was only cake available. Having also once arrived for lunch, only to discover that the kitchen wasn’t open that day, we have now learned that if you are thinking of visiting, it is best to check their facebook page first!

The decor inside is quirky and there is a sweet little garden (also with chicken) which is open in the summer, and there is also a lovely little general store attached.

On our last visit the kitchen had only just opened for the day, and although we didn’t have time to wait until the hot options (stew, daal etc) were ready (my afternoon nap was calling), we were able to order a tasty brie and cranberry ‘pizza’ with a very generous salad.

I also increased my houseplant collection as on our visit, they happened to be selling trays of cuttings of a plant called Mother of Thousands. A very nice lady came out of the kitchen to tell me all about the plants, and how it gets its name from the babies that grow along the leaf edge. I loved the idea – and sold by the fact that it was a hardy succulent (I’m new to house plants and don’t have particularly green fingers), was compelled to buy one.

It has already produced at least half a dozen babies that have fallen off and re-rooted in the soil, and there’s another new one growing on the end of the right hand leaf. I wanted to increase my house plant collection, but now I am starting to wonder whether this is going to increase it too much – and as I have also recently discovered that they can start sprouting in all your other plant pots and even in the carpet, the purchase may be a decision I live to regret!