Walks near Maidstone by train
Stations: Maidstone East · Maidstone West · Maidstone Barracks
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Maidstone and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Maidstone.
Otford Circular via Shoreham (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Maidstone East.
Highly recommended: Quiet country lanes, meadows, rolling wooded hills, and two very attractive villages.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 4h–7h30
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h30–2h30 in) — the Samuel Palmer, 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.
Eynsford Circular via Otford (Kent)
30 minutes from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Secluded valleys, chalk downland ridges, ancient woodland, golf course, chalk grassland nature reserves, riverside paths and farmland.
Time: 3h–6h
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h–2h in) — the Samuel Palmer, the Honey Pot, or the Kings Arms
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Castle Hotel, the Five Bells, or the Malt Shovel
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Sevenoaks Circular via Ightham Mote (Kent)
30 minutes from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Deer park, fields, woods, coppiced woodland, escarpment ridge, bluebell and wild garlic woods and Weald views.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Time: 5h–9h30
1 lunch spot: Ightham Mote café
1 end-of-walk reward: the Bucks Head
Warnings: Some mud inevitable.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Yalding to Sevenoaks (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Maidstone West.
Highly recommended: Undulating Kent farmland, orchards, bluebell woods, greensand escarpment and deer park.
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Time: 6h–12h
3 lunch spots: the Swan on the Green (1h30–3h in), the Kentish Rifleman (2h30–5h in), or Ightham Mote café (3h30–7h in)
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Borough Green & Wrotham to Sevenoaks (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Maidstone East.
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.
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Time: 4h30–9h
2 lunch spots: the Plough (2h–3h30 in), or Ightham Mote café (2h–4h in)
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.
Charing to Chilham (Kent)
30 minutes direct from Maidstone East.
Highly recommended
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 4h30–9h
2 lunch spots: the Flying Horse (2h–3h30 in), or Perry Court Tea Room (2h–3h30 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).
Sandling to Folkestone Central (Kent)
45 minutes from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Chalky escarpment ridge, steep climbs, open downland with Channel views, cliff top promenade, shingle beach and historic harbour.
Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Time: 5h30–10h30
1 lunch spot: the Gatekeeper Inn (1h30–3h in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: Valiant Sailor, the Lord Morris, or the Park Inn
Warnings: Steep climbs near start.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Chilham to Canterbury East (Kent)
45 minutes from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended
Time: 3h–6h
2 lunch spots: Chilham (30m–1h in) — the Chilham Square, or the Star Inn
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Monument, the Unicorn Inn, the West Gate Inn, the Carpenters Arms, or the Old Buttermarket
Warnings: A fifth urban.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Folkestone Central to Dover Priory (Kent)
1 hour from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Coastal cliffs, chalk downland, sea defences, wild landslip area, wartime installations, ridge between valley and sea and town crossing.
Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Coastal: four fifths along the coast.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 4h–8h30
1 lunch spot: Camping Café (1h–2h30 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Malvern, or the Priory Hotel
Warnings: Cracked sea defences.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).
Folkestone Central Circular via Castle Hill (Kent)
1 hour from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Verdant coastal cliffs, rolling hills and suburban streets.
Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Coastal: three fifths along the coast.
Time: 5h–9h30
2 lunch spots: Capel-le-Ferne (3h–5h30 in) — Cliff Top Café, or the Royal Oak
7 end-of-walk rewards: the Royal George, the Harbour Inn, the Kipps' Alehouse, the Samuel Peto, the Pullman, the East Kent Arms, or the Lord Morris
Warnings: Begins, necessarily, with a lengthy suburban segment, but then becomes very beautiful and surprisingly quiet. Particularly lovely on the walk along the cliffs east of Folkestone, where there are also a number of lunch spot choices. The narrow overgrown paths are best. But note that there is a LOT of steep ascents and descents on this walk.
Source: Trains2Green.
Hastings to Rye (Sussex)
1 hour from Maidstone East, with one change.
Highly recommended: Clifftop coastal path, steep climbs, remote naturist beach, flat marshland, ancient hilltop towns and panoramic viewpoints.
Coastal: three fifths along the coast.
Time: 5h30–11h30
Warnings: Crumbly cliff edges.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Reverse direction: Railwalks.
Yalding Circular via Yalding (Kent)
15 minutes direct from Maidstone West.
Flat riverside paths, farmland fields, orchards, quiet lanes and a floodplain.
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).