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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Saturday, 12 July 2025

Saturday Walk - Tonbridge Circular via Tudeley Walk

Length: 19¼ km (12.0 miles). Four hours 20 minutes walking time. 3 out of 10
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This varied walk takes in a low-lying area of parkland, farm fields, paddocks, orchards and a country park of historical interest in the Medway Valley around Tonbridge (pronounced Tunbridge: see Walk Notes). 

There is nothing remarkable about the exterior of All Saints, Tudeley: an old guidebook described it as “obscure and unfrequented”. Nowadays the reverse is true, because its twelve stained glass windows were all designed by the great 20thC Russian artist, Marc Chagall, commissioned by Sir Henry and Lady d'Avigdor-Goldsmid to create a single memorial window after the death of their daughter Sarah in 1963.


Note: This walk is a figure of eight shape and is easily shortened. For gpx fans, take care to go in the right direction!

Trains: Get the 0945 Hastings train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 0954) arriving 1030. Frequent return trains (4 per hour).

Lunch: The suggested lunch pub on the Main Walk is the Poacher & Partridge (01732-358934) in the hamlet of Tudeley Hale, after 8 km. This ‘Country Pub & Dining’ establishment has a large back garden as well as a patio area at the front, and serves good food all day.

Tea:  Finch House Café & Bakery, open to 5pm at the front of the Pavilion Shopping Centre, or The Humphrey Bean, a JD Wetherspoon's pub in the old Post Office building

2 comments:

Austen said...

Given the late start, and the modest extension, I am minded to take an earlier train, 30 or 60 minutes before.

Austen

Thomas G said...

As per my field reporter: 1 doing the full walk and "about 5" doing a short walk, so let's call it n=6