Walks from Sevenoaks
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Sevenoaks Station.
Alternatively, view walks near Sevenoaks by train.
Sevenoaks Circular via Ightham Mote
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.
Borough Green & Wrotham to Sevenoaks
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.
Yalding to Sevenoaks
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.
Sevenoaks to Kemsing
A National Trust extravaganza; Knole House and deer park, the Greensand Way, moated Ightham Mote, bluebell woods.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself.
Ightham Mote: A medieval moated manor house dating to 1340, cared for by the National Trust.
Time: 4h–8h
Warnings: Steep drops and climbs through the woodland sections.
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Leigh to Sevenoaks
Rolling Kentish farmland, fields, oasthouses, bluebell woods, steep greensand hillside and deer park.
Time: 4h30
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Swanley to Sevenoaks
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: 4h30–9h30
Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).
Hurst Green to Sevenoaks
Greensand ridge, chart hills, undulating woodland, commons, deer park, historic estates and suburban old town.
Warnings: Steep climbs.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Sevenoaks to Sole Street
Recommended: A long route that climbs onto the North Downs early at Shore Hill for uninterrupted views, following the North Downs Way for a few miles before crossing remote countryside between Kemsing and Meopham Green. There are two long steep ascents/descents and one longer gentler one, with cows, sheep and horses, stiles, gates, steps and a fair chance of mud; most road walking is on pavements through villages and with two short care-needed lanes. Follows the North Downs Way for a few miles. Crosses the M26, M20 and A20 on foot/hoof bridges. Reasonable rural bus services from Kemsing, Meopham Green and Culverstone Green.
Time: 6h30–13h
3 lunch spots: the Rising Sun, the Black Horse, or the Bell Inn
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Cricketers Inn, or Whitefinch Bakery and Tea Room
Warnings: Two short road sections need extra care: 150m on Exedown Road where you leave the North Downs Way, and 325m of Whitehill Road in Meopham. Two long steep ascents/descents. Cows, sheep and horses, plus stiles, gates and steps, with a fair chance of mud.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Sevenoaks to Tonbridge
The views across Kent are beautiful when you get to Carter's Hill and Rook's Hill. A largely off-road route through Knole Park and along the Greensand Way, on a mix of tracks and grassy paths over hilly terrain with some steep climbs and narrow paths with steep drops. Heavy clay soil means it can be very muddy after wet weather and with a number of gates and stiles. Follows the Greensand Way for a long stretch through the Kent Downs; there is a bench with a pleasant view in Shipbourne churchyard.
Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.
Ightham Mote: A medieval moated manor house dating to 1340, cared for by the National Trust.
Time: 4h30–9h
2 lunch spots: the Chaser Inn, or Ightham Mote cafe
1 end-of-walk reward: Fuggles Beer Cafe
Warnings: Plenty of mud after wet weather, especially across the ploughed fields around Shipbourne; some downhill paths near Ightham can be slippery; a number of gates and stiles.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Sevenoaks to Longfield
Pretty countryside. A walk through pretty countryside starting on residential roads, then a long valley-floor path, a steep climb up the North Downs escarpment, a series of small steep-sided valleys through pasture and woodland with steep stepped paths. A fair amount of road walking and mostly quiet but with some busier stretches; the going can be soggy and muddy in wet weather. Follows the Darenth Valley Path for much of the early section. Passes alongside Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve. Can be split using Otford station.
Time: 6h–11h30
Lunch: Otford, midway, has tea rooms and refreshment spots.
Warnings: A steep, stepped climb up the North Downs escarpment and steep stepped descents/ascents at Knatts Valley. Two long road sections are busier than ideal; the road through Hartley is a long grind but has pavements. The route crosses fields with horses near the equestrian centre and across a golf course. Can be muddy.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Sevenoaks to West Malling
A varied walk through parkland, woodland and farmland with some urban walking. The wooded sections near Seal Chart and over Oldbury Hill can be extremely muddy or wet and at least in winter.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 5h–10h
Warnings: A safer crossing of the Ightham Bypass is included. Woodland sections near Seal Chart and over Oldbury Hill can be extremely muddy in winter.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Orpington to Sevenoaks
A commuter-belt rural walk over the North Downs through woodland, chalky fields and rolling downland, with a fair amount of up-and-down and a long road-walking section. Mixed underfoot with gates, kissing gates, stiles, earth steps, tree roots and rutted paths and moderately steep for short stretches. Knockholt station is about 1 km off route, allowing the walk to be split.
Time: 4h30–8h30
Lunch: Pubs on the route at Pratts Bottom and Knockholt Pound, with a shop and a garden centre cafe at Knockholt Pound.
End-of-walk reward: A pub on the route at Riverhead, near the end.
Warnings: Several busy road crossings where traffic moves fast, though most have crossings or a central island. A stretch of road walking begins with no verges and high hedges on a tight bend. Pay attention to flying golf balls when crossing Chelsfield Lakes Golf Course. The footpath at Fairtrough Farm has been diverted and the OS maps are out of date.
Walk details: Slow Ways.