Saturday Walk 1 Hever to Leigh

Length 14.2km (8.8 miles)

Toughness 2 out of 10

This is a beautiful walk through the Garden of England. It includes two castles, a stately home, rivers, ponds, woods, undulating hills and three lovely villages: the National Trust village of Chiddingstone; Penshurst, with its half-timbered houses; and Leigh , with its large cricket green, dominated by the Church of St Mary. The Medway Valley is prone to flooding, and it is possible that parts of this walk may not be passable in extreme conditions, but hopefully that won't be a problem this weekend. If you want to visit Penshurst Place, last admission is 4pm, closing at 5pm

Travel

Get the 1008 London Bridge Uckfield train (East Croydon 1023) arrives Hever 1050. 

Return from Leigh 1723, 1823 (platform 1) are direct to London Bridge (change East Croydon for Victoria). 1643, 1743, 1843 (platform 2) are via Tonbridge  to London Bridge & Cannon Street. There are later trains back.

Buy a return to Leigh (pronounced 'lie') "This is valid for both return routes, but on the way out it is only valid as far as Edenbridge Town (on a different line, but tickets via the two Edenbridge stations are interchangeable). In practice a Leigh ticket is usually accepted to Hever, the next stop, but you might be asked to pay a small supplement.

Lunch

The Castle Inn (tel 01892 870 247) in Chiddingstone, after just over a third of the walk.

Further on (two thirds?), The Leicester Arms Hotel (12-3pm) in Penshurst (tel 01892-871617),  is up-market and "serving excellent food".

Tea
There are tea shops in Penshurst closing at 5pm, or the Fleurs-deLis pub in Leigh near the station.

L=1.19