Walks from Tonbridge

Fairly flat walk along shaded paths through fields and riverside woodland alongside the River Medway.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

The Tonbridge Castle: A Norman motte-and-bailey castle with a 13th-century gatehouse beside the Medway.

The Haysden Country Park: A lakeside country park on the River Medway floodplain near Tonbridge.

River Medway at Ensfield Bridge: Meadow-set river spot suitable for wild swimming and picnics.

Penshurst Place

St John the Baptist Church, Penshurst: Historic village church next to Penshurst Place.

Time: 3h30–7h

1 lunch spot: Porcupine Pantry Café

Warnings: Can be muddy in places when wet.

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

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Parkland, farm fields, paddocks, orchards, country park, riverside paths, residential streets and fishing and sailing lakes.

Time: 4h30

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

Gentle farmland, orchards, river valleys, parkland, country park lakes and riverside paths into a market town.

Time: 3h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Recommended: More than two-thirds off-road, along footpaths through fields and a quiet lane, passing orchards, cornfields, hedgerows and a walk beside the River Medway into Tonbridge. Flat and sometimes muddy and but fine in boots; a short orchard section can get churned up by tractors. Passes the Grade I listed church of Thomas a Becket at Capel; the route can be left at Moat Farm for the shop and pub in Five Oak Green; good for orchard blossom in spring.

Time: 3h–6h30

2 lunch spots: the Poacher and Partridge, or the George and Dragon

Warnings: A short orchard section north of Five Oak Green can be deeply churned by tractors; the alternative road through Five Oak Green is fairly busy with a bend on an unpaved stretch.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

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.

Knole Park (Deer Park)

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.

A pleasant walk following the Eden Valley Walk and Wealdway through woodland, across fields and past streams, lakes and reservoirs, with gentle inclines and descents. Can be very muddy, sticky and slippery after wet weather; steps, stiles and narrow bridges and some sections are overgrown. Follows the Eden Valley Walk / Wealdway for most of its length. Passes Penshurst Place and Hever Castle (little of which is visible from the walk) and the Tonbridge miniature railway. Toilets are scarce, probably only at Penshurst.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Penshurst Place

Time: 5h–10h30

Lunch: A pub at Penshurst about halfway, and a pub at Hever.

Warnings: A short stretch approaching Hever requires walking up a relatively busy road; mind the barbed wire on narrow sections. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Town commons, woodland tracks, wild flower meadows, country park, river and lake paths and urban roads.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: An alternative variant of Tunbridge Wells to Hildenborough – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Parkland estate, river valley, country park lakes and riverside paths into a market town.

Time: 3h

Source: A shorter variant of Hever to Tonbridge – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Lakes, water meadows, riverside paths, parkland, playing fields and town centre.

Time: 4h

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: A variant of Tonbridge to Penshurst – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Parkland, farm fields, paddocks, orchards, low wooded hills, country lanes, country park, riverside paths and sailing lakes.

Time: 6h

Warnings: Tricky navigation, limited waymarking.

Source: A longer variant of Tonbridge Circular via Tudeley – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Roadside walking, fields, parkland, riverside paths, parkland, playing fields and town centre.

Time: 4h

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: An alternative variant of Tonbridge to Penshurst – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).