9.22 train from Victoria to Paddock Wood, arriving 10.17, changing there for the 10.30 to Yalding, arriving 10.37. Note that trains are a bit different today due to engineering works between Hither Green and Orpington.
Buy a day return to Yalding, which is valid for return from Sevenoaks
This gentle walk through Kent has a bit of everything - several nice bluebell woods, a stretch through commercial apple orchards (which may just be coming into blossom), some cute villages, the occasional grand house, pretty churchyards, and a lovely stretch that slowly climbs the escarpment of the Greensand Ridge, with fine views. You are following the Greensand Way throughout and it is mostly well waymarked.
There are three lunch pubs, all of which have nice al fresco dining options (or "gardens" as they are commonly known - Ed). The Swan in East Peckham is fairly gastro and a bit too early in the walk at 3.5 miles. The Kentish Rifleman in Dunks Green is a more traditional pub and reached after a respectable 6.1 miles: it serves food until 3pm. Lastly the capacious Chaser Inn (7.5 miles) is always busy but has the advantage that it serves food all afternoon.
For tea I find it hard to get past the Natural Trust tea rooms at Ightham Mote (8.4 miles into the walk). That way you are not rushing the next stretch of the walk, which is really lovely. Otherwise the National Trust Brewhouse at Knole Park, near Sevenoaks, closes at 5pm. In Sevenoaks itself your best bet is probably Gails Bakery, open till 6pm: it is not mentioned in the directions but is not far off the walk route: google it.
Trains back from Sevenoaks are normally too frequent to list, but the situation is more complex this week due to engineering work:
- The two fastest trains are the 16 and 46 past to Victoria, taking 29 minutes.
- A 20 and 55 past go to London Bridge and Charing Cross, but by a diversionary route between Orpington and London Bridge and so take 41 minutes to London Bridge and 49 minutes to Charing Cross.
- The 07 train to Victoria stops everywhere and so do the 22 and 52 past Thameslink services to Blackfriars. But some in South London may find these trains give them a quicker journey home.
** There no longer seem to be Saturday buses from the Chaser Inn in Shipbourne, as described in the walk details, so you have to do the whole walk or nothing: but this is delightful territory and the miles fly by...
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N=17 on this walk. W=A-warm-sunny-day at last. Somebody obviously slipped up in the Weather Gods department. I am sure normal grey cloud and easterly wind service will be resumed shortly.
The sun had not yet had time to dry all the mud and puddles. In places there were some whoppers and at one point half the group even declined to wade through one and did some diversionary route. But that was the only negative of the day. Otherwise all was idyllic.
Bluebells were out aplenty. Maybe not always at their best, but certainly very good. At one point there were early purple orchids, and there were a few butterflies (though not enough!!!), including lovely orange tips and a holly blue or two. A bit of apple blossom in the commercial orchards, though it is not yet at its best. Dandelions, buttercups, and various species of flower that should have been out two weeks ago.
We aimed for the Kentish Rifleman for lunch. It was busy, but had plenty of room in its garden. How nice to eat outside again! The staff were super friendly and efficient, and food definitely of superior quality.
After lunch the group fragmented. Hares stretched out towards the finish line. Most of us stopped for tea at Ightham Mote but we left at different times. Two got a taxi from this point. Towards the end I fell behind, beguiled by the loveliness of the evening and the fine escarpment views, but I later met four others in the Chequers Inn in Sevenoaks. We got the 19.46 train to Victoria, via the Bickley Interconnector.
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