Walks you can reach from Hither Green by train

Recommended

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Down House: home of Charles Darwin.

Time: 4h30–9h

4 lunch spots: Downe (3h–6h in) — Down House café, the George and Dragon, or Rajdoot of Downe; plus the Blacksmith's Arms (2h–4h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Rose and Crown, the Royal Oak, the Queens Head, or the Chelsfield

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Wooded hills, steep ridges, hidden downland valley, bluebell woods, beech and sweet chestnut woodland and fields.

Warnings: Descents can be slippery.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

A walk through London's history around the square mile, past the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral and the Guildhall.

Time: 2h30–5h

Warnings: Two thirds urban. Several sets of steps, cobbled streets and narrow alleys.

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Suburban woodlands, wide woodland tracks, heathland, valleys, moated manor ruins and open green spaces.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Circular around Dartford Marshes beside the meandering River Darent towards the Thames, with wading birds and the ruins of the Wells fireworks factory.

Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).

Rural fields with wildflowers, bluebell woods and several village churches.

Time: 5h30

Warnings: Numerous stiles throughout.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat riverside paths, flood defences, marshland, industrial edge-land and wide Thames estuary views.

Time: 1h30–3h

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a fifth of the walk. Flood risk — check warnings.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Fields, woods, valleys, heathland, commons and London Green Belt countryside.

Warnings: Can be waterlogged.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

North Downs escarpment, woods carpeted with wild garlic and bluebells, open pasture, arable fields, fine southward views and some M25 road noise early on.

Warnings: Can be slippery.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

An excellent, mostly off-road and very green route through suburban Sidcup, the lovely Foots Cray Meadows (crossing the River Cray at Five Arches Bridge), on into rural country towards Swanley. It crosses Joyden's Wood and field-edge paths past a golf course; the bridleway section of Parsonage Lane and Joyden's Wood can be extremely muddy in winter and with a couple of quiet narrow lanes. Foots Cray Meadows has Five Arches Bridge over the River Cray. Wood-ant nests and bluebells in Joyden's Wood. Birchwood Park golf course restaurant is open to the public.

Time: 2h30–4h30

Lunch: A small parade of shops about half a mile south on the A223, and a farm shop, campsite and pub about the same distance north.

Warnings: The bridleway along Parsonage Lane and the southern edge of Joyden's Wood can be extremely muddy and challenging in winter. A couple of quiet narrow lanes where you may need to squeeze into a nettly verge. At least one stile and small gates. Crossing the busy A223/North Cray Road (a pelican crossing is nearby).

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Wide open views. An off-road route following the Darent Valley Path along the river, then footpaths across rolling fields and through woodland and with some quiet lane walking. A few gentle to slightly steeper climbs; ploughed fields can be hard to follow. Can be muddy after rain. There is a bus service at Hawley; the route can be picked up or left at intermediate points along the Darent Valley Path.

Time: 3h–6h

Lunch: A garden centre with a cafe and a bakery lie a short detour south of the route at Hawley.

Warnings: Some lane walking on Canada Farm Road, Rabbits Road and Wilson Lane with no verge; Rabbit Road has blind bends and fast traffic for a single-lane road.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A reworked route: the first third is pavement, sometimes residential but mostly the fast multi-lane B255; from Bean onwards it is mostly off-road, with very lovely sections across rolling chalk hills used for sheep and arable, scattered woodlands, field footpaths. Steep slopes, stairs, kissing gates but no stiles; limited mud and with one uneven path near Bean hiding animal holes. Detours through Beacon Woods Country Park to decompress after the B255, with a long flight of earth and plank steps to leave. Follows field footpaths through rolling chalk countryside. Buses are infrequent with none on Sundays.

Time: 2h30–5h30

Lunch: A pub, shop and bus stop at Bean; a McDonald's and Asda at Greenhithe; cafes, a pub and bakery at Longfield.

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a fifth of the walk. The first third runs along the dreary, fast, multi-lane B255. A short permissive path on a bank beside Hook Green Road, and a 200m section with no pavement, though it felt safe with good sightlines.

Walk details: Slow Ways.