Best walks near Tonbridge by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Tonbridge and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Tonbridge.
Sevenoaks Circular via Ightham Mote (Kent)
8 minutes direct from Tonbridge.
Highly recommended: Pleasantly rolling hills and dales, fields and vales, oast houses and hay bails. Beautiful expansive views to the South, which make you appreciate well preserved the wooded hills of the Kent Downs are. Wandering through Knole Park is idyllic, especially toward the evening when the humans are gone and the deer are in force. 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 (National Trust; 45 mins in; 3h to visit).
Knole Park (National Trust; 45 mins in; 3h to visit)
One Tree Hill: A beautiful slice of Kent countryside (National Trust; 1h30 in).
Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (National Trust; 2h15 in; 2h30 to visit).
Deer in Kent Downs National Landscape (National Trust; 3h45 in; 3h to visit)
3 lunch spots: Knole House café (45 mins in), Ightham Mote café (2h15 in), or the Bucks Head (3h30 in)
Warnings: Some mud inevitable.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Penshurst Circular via Chiddingstone (Kent)
8 minutes direct from Tonbridge.
Highly recommended: Stately home.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Chiddingstone Village: One of the most beautiful and oldest villages in Kent (National Trust; 45 mins in; 30 mins to visit).
Penshurst Place (2h in)
Chiddingstone: One of the most beautiful and oldest villages in Kent (National Trust; 45 mins in; 30 mins to visit).
Penshurst (2h in)
4 lunch spots: Chiddingstone (45 mins in) — the Tulip Tree, or the Castle Inn; Penshurst (2h in) — the Leicester Arms Pub, or Penshurst Place café
1 end-of-walk reward: the Little Brown Jug
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Tunbridge Wells Circular via Groombridge (Kent)
9 minutes direct from Tonbridge.
Highly recommended: Escarpments.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
2 lunch spots: Frant (1h30 in) — the Abergavenny Arms, or the George
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Crown Inn, the High Rocks, or the Pantiles
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Wadhurst Circular via Bewl Water (Sussex)
15 minutes direct from Tonbridge.
Highly recommended: Quiet fields and country lanes running through rolling wooded hills. Mostly secluded.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Wadhurst: Quaint little village (1h45 in).
Bewl Water: An aqua park, and the largest body of water in South East England.
2 lunch spots: the Old Vine (1h30 in; excellent), or La Petite France (3h45 in)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 2.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Otford Circular via Shoreham (Kent)
15 minutes from Tonbridge, with one change.
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)
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h15 in) — the Samuel Palmer (plenty of seating, including outdoors), 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 Tonbridge, with one change.
Highly recommended: Secluded valleys, chalk downland ridges, ancient woodland, golf course, chalk grassland nature reserves, riverside paths and farmland.
Shoreham (45 mins in)
3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h30 in) — the Samuel Palmer (plenty of seating, including outdoors), 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.
Gomshall Circular via Shere (Surrey)
1 hour from Tonbridge, with one change.
Highly recommended
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Abinger Roughs and Netley Park: Hidden woods with ancient trees and flower-sprinkled grasslands, just off the North Downs and Pilgrims Ways (National Trust).
Saint James's Church: see the remains of where a devout anchorite was encased within the church walls (30 mins in).
Shere (45 mins in)
7 lunch spots: Shere (30 mins in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, the William Bray, or the White Horse; plus the Drummond Arms (1h in), Mandira's Kitchen at Silent Pool (1h15 in), or Carb Up and Go (1h45 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Compasses Inn, or the Gomshall Mill
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Sandling to Folkestone (Kent)
45 minutes direct from Tonbridge.
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.
1 lunch spot: the Gatekeeper Inn (1h30 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.
Yalding to Sevenoaks (Kent)
15 minutes from Tonbridge, with one change.
Highly recommended: Undulating Kent farmland, orchards, bluebell woods, greensand escarpment and deer park.
Ightham Mote: Immaculately preserved medieval manor house with idyllic gardens. Touring the house thoroughly takes an hour, and the gardens another 30 minutes (National Trust; 3h30 in; 2h30 to visit).
One Tree Hill: A beautiful slice of Kent countryside (National Trust; 4h15 in).
Knole House: enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself (National Trust; 5h in; 3h to visit).
4 lunch spots: the Swan on the Green (1h30 in), the Kentish Rifleman (2h30 in), Ightham Mote café (3h30 in), or Knole House café (5h in)
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Charing to Chilham (Kent)
45 minutes from Tonbridge, with one change.
Highly recommended
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Canterbury (4h15 in)
Chilham (4h15 in)
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).
Dorking to Box Hill & Westhumble (Surrey)
45 minutes from Tonbridge, with one change.
Highly recommended: Vineyard, wooded hills, chalk downland, open grassland. Very beautiful. Magnificent views at Box Hill. Begins fairly quiet, but anticipate a constant Londoner horde near Box Hill itself.
Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Salomons Memorial Viewpoint (3h45 in)
Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre (National Trust; 3h45 in)
3 lunch spots: Mickleham (2h15 in) — the King William IV (excellent; reservations recommended), or the Running Horses; plus Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre (3h45 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Stepping Stones
Warnings: Relatively busy. Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Folkestone to Dover Priory (Kent)
1 hour from Tonbridge, 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.
Western Heights (3h30 in)
Knights Templar Church Ruins (3h45 in)
1 lunch spot: Camping Café (1h15 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).