Length: 14.1 km (8.8 miles) Options to lengthen and shorten
Toughness: 5 out of 10 two steady uphill sections to keep you awake
London Victoria: 10-25 hrs Southeastern service to Ramsgate Bromley South: 10-42 hrs
Arrive Otford: 11-01 hrs
Return
Eynsford: 05 & 35 mins past the hour Thameslink service to London Blackfriars Change at Bromley South for Southeastern service back to Victoria
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Otford
This lovely short walk packs a punch beyond its length and is full of interesting sights and features - water et al. These are outlined in the Walk Directions below which I ask you to read, please.
I suggest we stop for luncheon in the village of Shoreham where, post Covid, I believe at least three of its four pubs have survived to tell the tale - and possibly serve us lunch today. A SWC stalwart is the King's Arms.
After lunch, so long as the River Darent has not flooded our onward journey, we walk through a series of woods and along quiet roads to Lullingstone Park, where we cross its golf course and head up the Park before dropping down to its Visitor Centre. We then enjoy a leg beside the River Darent which takes us to Lullingstone Castle. A section of road walking then takes us to Lullingstone Roman Villa. From here if you wish you can leave the main route and head up to Eagle Heights to enjoy the views from above. Otherwise, you continue along the quiet road to go under Eynsford Viaduct and on into Eynsford village itself. The railway station is a bit of a hike from the village centre, but an alternative route is included in the Directions which avoids the trudge along the main road.
If perchance it has been muddy and your boots are in need of a clean, as you enter Eynsford you come to a ford beside the main bridge which in the past I have often used as a darn good, impromptu boot wash.
T=1.23
Walk Directions are here: L=1.23
1 comment:
N=21 of us assembled outside Otford Railway station in its car park, including one mid-week first timer: I hope he enjoyed his day with us. Last week we enjoyed lovely sunshine all day. Today, it was w=overcast-and-cloudy-all-day, with not even a glimpse of the sun. But although chilly (9 degrees C) there was no breeze and the temperature was fine for a late autumn walk, if one kept on the move. Today's walk can be very muddy in winter but today there was little mud to bother us or slow us down.
Leaf colour should be over by now but there was still plenty of colour to enjoy in the woods, which added to our enjoyment of this lovely short walk with plenty of variety.
On reaching Shoreham some 10 of us stopped at the first pub, the King's Arms and managed to find tables inside the pub and outside in its heated covered area. The pub was more than busy when we arrived (local pensioners attracted by the excellent value pensioners special menu) but the pub's staff managed very well - and meals when served were very good. 3 others went to the Crown and on their return to us at the King's Arms they reported their lunches were fine.
My two luncheon colleagues and I were the last to set out on the afternoon leg of the walk - and we did not see any of the other eighteen walkers again. I just hope they all enjoyed their afternoon as much as we did. On reaching Eynsford, after washing our boots in the ford, we went in search of post-walk refreshments. Alas, we were five minutes late for the Riverside Tea Room (which had closed at tea time ! ) and we had passed by the Plough pub before realising it was the only pub open at 4-15 pm in Eynsford. No matter - we headed for the railway station and we did not have long to wait before our Thameslink train arrived to take us back to London. I changed trains at Bromley South and managed to buy a cup of tea at its on-platform coffee shop before continuing my journey to Victoria.
'Twas not a bad way to spend a Wednesday in late November.
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