10 Day Count Down – Dartford
On 20th Sept, only 10 days away, we’ll be enjoying a 4.2 mile walk around Dartford and discovering the legacy from its pop culture past that still thrives in the town today.
Landing just west of the Dartford Bridge on the gravelly foreshore with 10 giant silk banners, we will meet local rangers to take us down the old tramway past the site of the old historic hospitals before arriving at Ruby Tuesday Avenue.
Read more, see the route map and book your place here: 20th Sept Dartford
Silk River is a journey of surprises from Kew to Southend, with speakers, music, performances and lots of walking!
The whole UK walking programme can be viewed here: UK Walks
There are still a few places left on the India Walks, for more info go here: India Walks
Thanks go to Livett’s Group/ Bennett’s Barges who will be proving safe passage for our link-walkers across the Thames from Purfleet to Dartford.
Thanks also go to Cobelfret and C.RO Ports London Ltd owners of both Purfleet and Dartford terminals, for their help in ensuring the crossing happens safely as planned.
Special thanks go to Dartford Borough Council, their staff and partners for the planning and facilitation of today’s walk.
Dartford Borough Council have been planning some real treats for Silk River with the following organisations:
- Dartford Town Centre Partnership
- Cohesion Plus
- Same Sky
- The What if Gallery
- The Dartford Arts Network
As the birthplace of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it’s not surprising that Dartford’s Silk River journey starts with a walk from the foreshore of the Thames, along the long path used by river-borne patients, arriving at the old Isolation Hospital into a thriving new community, featuring street names such as ‘Ruby Tuesday Drive’ and ‘Satisfaction Street’, in honour of our famous rock royalty.
From the shadow of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the walk celebrates Dartford’s rich industrial and manufacturing history including Sir Henry Wellcome’s former pharmaceutical works where the modern ‘Tablet’ form of medication was introduced to the world. Onward via marsh paths and the River Darent, walkers arrive at the splendour of Central Park – recently restored in grand Edwardian style. We gather at the Outdoor Theatre, fresh from hosting amazing performances of Hamlet and The Mikado for the people of Dartford.
On the way, we’ve celebrated a great riverside town’s extraordinary history with more than a nod to the modern NHS, the greatest rock band in the world and an unrivalled contribution to global industry and manufacturing. This is Dartford.
