Length: 13¼ km (8.2 miles) to Hadlow, or 20¼ km (12.6 miles) to Tonbridge. Toughness: 2 or 3/10
10:16 Tunbridge Wells train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 10:19, London Bridge 10:25, Orpington 10:41, Sevenoaks 10:51), arriving Hildenborough at 10:57. Buy a return to Tonbridge.
If you finish the walk in Hadlow you'll need to catch an Arriva 7 bus for the 20-minute journey to Tonbridge. This runs half-hourly at xx:25 & xx:55 until 17:25. There are four trains an hour from Tonbridge to London Bridge and Charing Cross, at xx:07, xx:23, xx:37 & xx:51.
As there's no direct bus route between Hadlow and Hildenborough, car drivers might find it more convenient to park in Tonbridge; the 10:51 train gets to Hildenborough just before the one from London.
This is an undemanding walk in the Low Weald, with two places en route if you want a pub lunch: the Chaser Inn in Shipbourne (familiar from other walks) and the smaller and quieter Kentish Rifleman in the hamlet of Dunk's Green, half an hour further on. As usual, call ahead if you want to be sure of a table inside.
On the way into Hadlow the route goes past Broadview Gardens (free entry), but sadly the adjoining garden centre has closed so there's no convenient tea option here. If you need something to revive you before the train journey home, get off the bus in Tonbridge High Street and take your pick from the coffee shops and pubs there.
† If you want a longer walk there's a 7 km optional extension from Hadlow to Tonbridge, half of it alongside the River Medway.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.219 page.
1 comment:
N=16 assembled on a w=sunny day - T shirt weather, surprising for late October. Not entirely perfect, though. Water had fallen from the sky and, in some fields, it had interacted with the ground to form what is called ‘mud’. Not too bad, but Mr Tiger’s boots are pristine no more.
Some ate in Shipbourne churchyard. The Chaser had said they were ‘fully booked’ to those who rang but the spacious garden had empty tables and orders were taken. The food looked sumptuous and, by all accounts, it was. Mr Tiger got himself a pint of ‘Bonkers Conkers’ and sat next to someone with chips. It wasn’t long before they turned into a kindly benefactor.
Service was a bit erratic.One person’s meal arrived just as we were fixing to go.We left him there cos that’s the kind of people we are.
One or two, maybe three, were heading for Tonbridge and were never seen again. About six paid a second pub visit to the Kentish Rifleman. Mr Tiger realised to his horror that the group he’d joined were taking a shortcut that avoided that establishment.
Eventually, Hadlow was reached. Some went straight for the bus. Others took a stroll round Broadview Gardens. Interesting despite having an air of neglect.
A glimpse at the tower, now sealed off from the public, then home. All agreed, a grand day out.
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