Length: 21.5 km (13.4 miles) 7/10 but several shorter options
Last year this walk was posted on the Jubilee weekend and we spotted at least 5 kinds of orchid (partly thanks to a nature expert in the group). Hopefully it will be the same again. The rewilded former golf course crossed early in the walk is a particular highlight for me and there are numerous other attractions incluing castles, picturesque villages, a vineyard, lavender fields and if you walk fast enough to make the entry times, a birds of prey centre and a Roman villa.
Travel: the quickest option is the 0955 from Victoria, changing at Bromley South on to the 1023 to Sevenoaks, arriving Eynsford at 1041. This second train is a Thameslink stopping service so you could pick it up from St Pancras (0937), Blackfriars (0946), Denmark Hill (0958) or numerous other stops. Returns at 05 and 35 - there will be options to change on to quicker trains on the way back too.
Lunch: the suggested place to stop for lunch is Otford, after 8½ km. The route joins the High Street opposite The Bull (01959-523198); the alternative is a traditional village pub overlooking the pond, The Woodman (01959-522195). If you do a shorter route, there are several options in Shoreham.
Tea: in
Eynsford, the suggested place is the Riverside
Tea Room (01322-861551; open
to 4.30pm). If you get there too late or want stronger fare, The
Plough (01322-862281) has a
fine riverside location. A short detour along the main road will
reveal the Malt Shovel Inn (01322-862164),
the Five Bells (01322-863135)
and the Castle Hotel (01322-863162). [Sorry - I've just been informed the Riverside cafe is sadly closed]
If you take a shorter afternoon route, a convenient place for a break is the Lullingstone Café in the Country Park Visitor Centre (01322-865995; open to 5pm summer, 4pm weekends & 3pm weekdays in winter).
Short walk options: A shorter afternoon route, passing the Lullingstone Cafe, is described in the directions. Or you could drop out at Shoreham, cutting out the last 5.5km/3.5 miles. There are a number of other variations on the walk page.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
T=SWC.59
1 comment:
14 walkers arrived on the train and one started and finished at Shoreham making #15 on an #initially-overcast-then-sunny day. The non-stop wildflower meadows most of the way from Eynsford to Otford did not disappoint. The Shoreham starter lunched at the Bull and waited in vain for the rest of us who had picknicked in the park with the solar system. Having met up we decided to press on in the hope of refreshments later but somehow that didn't happen (one pub in Eynsford didn't appeal as it was next to loud road works; the next was closed). The group dispersed somewhat in the afternoon and those I finished with managed to miss the 1635 train by one minute; however we figured out we could change at Sevenoaks on to a fast London Bridge train so all was not lost.
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