Wend your way through the undulating landscape of the High Weald. Visit remote valleys, woods and tiny settlements. Descend into the beautiful villages of Penshurst and Chiddingstone before finally reaching Hever. Each village has an interesting church, as well as a historic house open to the public. The walk can be shortened by up to 5km (3 miles) but the shortcuts bypass the villages.
TrainsGet the 9:51 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 9:58, East Croydon 10:09). Change at Oxted onto the 10:38 Uckfield train. Arrive Cowden 10:55.
Return from Hever at xx:07, changing at Hurst Green or Oxted.
Get a return to Cowden.
Lunch
The attractive Rock Inn (01892-870296) in Hoath Corner is an early option.
The suggested lunch place in Penshurst is the Leicester Arms Hotel (01892-871617).
Nearby, just outside the main entrance to Penshurst Place, the Porcupine Pantry (01892-870307) serves light lunches and afternoon teas.
Later in the walk, you have the Castle Inn (01892-870371) at Chiddingstone.
Tea
In Chiddingstone you got The Tulip Tree (01892-871504), behind the Chiddingstone Stores, open to 5pm. You also got the Chiddingstone Castle Tea Room (01892-872746) in the castle grounds (it's accessible without paying).
Last up, you got the King Henry Ⅷ (01732-862457) in Hever village. The station is still 1½ km away and trains are hourly so allow enough time (say, 20-25 minutes).
Optional Features
Penshurst Place is a medieval manor house with an attractive formal garden, admission is £11.50, or £9.50 for the gardens only.
Chiddingstone Castle is a castellated manor house rebuilt in the 19thC, admission is £9.50.
Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, has spectacular gardens, admission is £17.25, or £14.50 for the gardens only.
Walk directions here
We are doing the Main Walk.
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1 comment:
I counted n=18 names at the station roll call and we all set off in w=fine-and-sunny wather although this phrase hardly does justice to the beautiful "last of the summer wine" autumnal glow that we enjoyed all day.
About 6 peeled off to lunch at the Rock in Hoath Corner whilst the rest of us ambled along the gentle trails to Penshurst where most ate outdoors at the Leicester Arms, a couple at the Pantry and a further 2 lunched in a sunny seat in the churchyard.
After lunch the group fragmented a bit and after a short break at Chiddingstone where a small group detoured for a brief "chiding" at the stone we continued on to Hever wher 6 of us stopped for refreshments at the excellent King Henry V111 whose gardens were packed. It looks a great place for a meal. The final short section back to the station ended a superb day out with lots of anarchic chat; a perfect way to spend a sunny and warm autunmnal Sunday.
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