The next Walk will be on the
5th May 2025,
This Walk will be Clockwise
Some churches do have card readers for payments,
but do take cash as well.
Click desired page menu headings below:-
The Five Church Walk - Procedures
A certain amount of procedural control is necessary for a fundraising event involving hundreds of walkers starting and finishing at five widely separated places. Luckily these are sizeable buildings with toilet and refreshment facilities, and down the years a system of registration & andchecking in has proved to be not too onerous.
From 2016 the Five Church Walk website enables the necessary paperwork to be printed well in advance so that the sponsorship entry form can be used to record pledges by family and
friends. It is helpful if all money is collected in advance so that it can be handed over to the registrar at the start of the walk. Otherwise it should be all paid by cheque as directed on the form by end of May.
Awaiting starters orders, Chilham 2015
If wishing to walk without sponsorship, a donor’s entry form for each walker should preferably be printed from this website and completed ready to hand to the registrar inside their start church. (The forms are also available at the churches). Please do not try to submit anything before 10 am. on the day itself, but smooth running is dependent on registering just before starting & also on arrival at every subsequent church (including whether terminating there).
Before setting out all adult walkers are asked to register by handing in a completed entry or multi-sponsorship form, having ticked the boxes for how their donation (which can be gift aided) is to be allocated to one or more of the churches and/or charities. A minimum donation of £5 for each is suggested, of which £1 is for expenses (with any excess then divided between the churches providing the facilities).
The total route is about 16 miles, and those wishing to complete the circuit (so as to arrive back at their cars) should register at any of the five churches at the start time of 10.00 am or soon after. The entry form (plus donation) is exchanged for a numbered card which is presented on arrival at each church to have the time recorded. Entering departure times is optional.
Fit walkers should have no difficulty completing the whole walk within six hours allowing for refreshment & comfort breaks at each church visited. Slower walkers should be sure they are able to complete 16 miles over varying terrain in no more than seven hours, as the walk ends promptly at 6.00 pm after which registration ceases.
Many such people opt to shorten the route by checking off at earlier churches, which means they must make arrangements to get back to their cars, either by phoning friends or walking back over the route they came on. Some families even arrange to walk in opposite directions, handing keys over halfway to drive each other’s cars home.
There’s no need to carry a packed lunch or tea as each church has a wide range of savory rolls sandwiches, homemade cakes & fruit for sale. Allow enough time to enjoy these refreshments & to admire the historic buildings. This is a chance to spend a relaxing day in the country far from noise & bank holiday bustle. You may well find yourself doing it year after year!
