Walks you can reach from Bearsted by train
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Otford Circular via Shoreham (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Highly recommended: Quiet country lanes, meadows, rolling wooded hills, and two very attractive villages.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Shoreham (1h30 in)
Otford (3h30 in)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h15 in) — the Samuel Palmer (Plenty of seating, including outdoors; excellent), the Kings Arms, or the Mount Vineyard
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Charing to Chilham (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Highly recommended
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Canterbury (4h15 in)
Chilham (4h15 in)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Flying Horse (1h45 in), or Perry Court Tea Room (2h15 in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Chilham Square, the White Horse, Chilham, or the Woolpack Inn, Chilham
Warnings: Penultimate section of the Pilgrim's Way to Canterbury.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Borough Green & Wrotham to Sevenoaks (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Highly recommended: Greensand hills, apple orchards, woodland paths, streams, deer park, open parkland and historic manor grounds. Mostly secluded.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (2h in).
One Tree Hill (National Trust; 2h45 in)
The Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio (National Trust; 3h30 in)
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Knole Park (National Trust)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Plough (45m in), or Ightham Mote café (2h in; not bad)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Chequers, the Restoration, or the Sennockian
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Lenham to Charing (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Bearsted.
North Downs footpaths, little-used field paths, rape seed fields and woods.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be overgrown.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Otford to Eynsford (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
River valley, open fields, orchards, beech woods, golf course, ridge path and historic villages.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Reverse direction: Kent Downs National Landscape.
Otford to Snodland (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
North Downs ridge, southern escarpment, fields, woods, open views south, forest, country park, open countryside and urban streets.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Swanley to Sevenoaks (Kent)
45 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Linear Darent valley sides on the North Downs Way and Darent Valley Path: three nature reserves including Lullingstone Country Park and Polhill Bank, panoramic Kent Downs views.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).
Swanley to Eynsford (Kent)
45 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Linear walk into the Darent Valley countryside, with breathtaking views, Lullingstone Roman Villa, the Eynsford Viaduct and the village's humpback bridge and ford.
Time: 3h30 (2h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).
Yalding to Borough Green & Wrotham (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
River Medway start, open fields, deer-fenced woodland, Kentish Weald countryside, vast managed woods, bluebell woodland valleys, orchard edges and small villages.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Sevenoaks to Kemsing (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
A National Trust extravaganza; Knole House and deer park, the Greensand Way, moated Ightham Mote, bluebell woods.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
The Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio (National Trust)
One Tree Hill (National Trust)
Oldbury Hill (National Trust)
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Ightham Mote (National Trust)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steep drops and climbs through the woodland sections.
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Knockholt to Otford (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Wooded hills, steep ridges, hidden downland valley, bluebell woods, beech and sweet chestnut woodland and fields.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Descents can be slippery.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Farningham Road to Otford (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Bearsted.
Ancient woodland, field edges, riverside Darent Valley Path, low hills, chalk downland, quaint villages, golf course and nature reserves.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Motocross path closures possible.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).