The A252 links the A20 (Maidstone to Ashford) with the A28 (Ashford to Canterbury). It was probably more important in the pre-motorway era as it provides part of the only rural route between Maidstone and Canterbury.
The A252 at Charing Hill with suicide lane, looking towards the A20
It begins at a roundabout on the A20 Charing western bypass and heads east along the northern bypass, complete with an 'S3 suicide lane' as it climbs gently. The North Downs escarpment steepens and the middle lane changes to a 'crawler lane' and the road becomes more winding. At the summit there are a few businesses (quite an unexpected location really!).
The road bears right and runs in a straight line through woods, slowly descending to Challock - a sprawling hamlet with a large green beside the road. There is a roundabout with the A251, and the A252 continues unremarkably to Molash (a tiny hamlet with pub). We then begin our descent to Chilham, a historic village with a square - well worth a detour; Chilham has always been bypassed by the A252. First a speeded up corner one way, then the other, the odd pretty view, and soon we are seamlessly upon the A28 courtesy of a TOTSO.