Length: 14.1 km (8.8 miles) Options to go long
Toughness: 5 out of 10 Two ascents, one descent - otherwise mostly flat and easy going
Car drivers: park at Otford station.
For those of you comfortable using public transport in these Covid times, your suggested train is:
London Victoria: 10-25 hrs Southeastern service to Canterbury West Bromley South: 10-42 hrs
Arrive Otford: 10-59 hrs
Return
Eynsford to Otford (for car drivers): 11 and 41 mins past the hour. Southeastern service to Sevenoaks
Eynsford to London Blackfriars: 05 and 35 mins past the hour. Thameslink service to Blackfriars Change at Bromley South for return to Victoria
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Otford
See our Covid Rules on This Week's Walk Page
We will assemble in the car park just outside the railway station and promptly separate into groups of six. Please exchange contact details with those in your group of six during the day. Groups will be asked to set off from the car park a few minutes apart, and not converge during the day. Everyone on the walk is responsible for complying with the Covid Rules, so please do so.
*********
Today's short walk packs a lot into its 8.8 miles and is far from uninteresting. Add in the lovely Kentish countryside and spells beside the River Darent, and you have a little gem of a walk.
Leaving Otford you walk through the town before heading over fields and over farmland to Filston Farm. On the way you can detour slightly to follow the scale model of the Solar System. On reaching Filston Farm please do not go through its entrance, per the original route, but instead, before the overhead hopper, bear left then head up the gravel track to the side of the farm's surfaced drive. Then its along Filston Lane before you have your first climb of the day - up into Meenfield Wood. Then its along a ridge path and steeply downhill to the village of Shoreham, passing on the way the Shoreham Cross, a memorial to Shoreham's men who fell in WW1, a 100 ft long cross cut into the chalk slopes below Meenfield Wood.
I suggest you stop in Shoreham for lunch. Either picnic beside the River Darent, or if you are prepared to go through the Covid procedures, you have a choice of four pubs, two cafes (open today) and a vineyard for wine buffs. Wednesday walkers recently found the King's Arms safe and very well organised for Covid security - and they served good value meals.
After lunch in Shoreham you have a stretch beside the River Darent before heading inland through a wood and over a golf course, then up into Lullingstone Park before dropping down to its Visitor's Centre. Now it's back beisde the River Darent on a lovely stretch before you come to Lullingstone Castle. Road walking follows to Lullingstone Roman Villa where you have the option of climbing up to Eagle Heights, for some more stunning views. On then into Eynsford for tea, and a walk to the railway station for your journey home.
T=1.23
Walk Directions are here: L=1.23
1 comment:
n=10 of us assembled in the car park outside Otford station, and promptly separated into groups of 5, 4 and 1 (me - book checking). Many thanks to everyone today for complying with our Covid rules and exchanging details for contact tracing, and sending them to me for safe keeping. If only Wednesday walkers were half as co-operative.
Our groups set off in sunshine, but by midday my weather report reads w=sunshine-at-start-but-turning-autumnal-with-showers-and-chilly. Fortunately I had stowed a fleece in my backpack which I needed when sitting outdoors for my lunch at the Kings Arms. Shoreham was busy, with walkers, cyclists and families out for the day - and good to see them enjoying the great outdoors even in Covid times. Pubs and cafes were doing good business on Shoreham - but I wonder for how much longer. In the afternoon I did not spot our two groups again but I did stop to chat with two separate young couples armed with TO Book 1 and following our walk. When I mentioned to one couple that they could download more up-to-date directions from our website, they replied they preferred carrying the TO Book and following it. This is not the first time I have heard this, so perhaps it is a shame the new owners of the Time Out guides have no intention of reprinting updated versions of the TO Books, 2011 editions.
The countryside looked lovely and lush - lots of flowers in meadows and red berries in bushes. I must learn to identify them !
On reaching Eynsford I skipped tea and headed for the railway station. The 16-05 hrs train home for me - I suspect our two groups might have been on the service before, unless they stopped for refreshments in Eynsford. I hope they enjoyed their day - I certainly did.
Post a Comment