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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Wednesday 19 February 2020

Wednesday Walk Sevenoaks Circular

Sevenoaks Circular T=swc.21

Length: 16.3km (10.1 miles) with extension to Shipbourne: 18.5km (11.5 miles). 3 out of 10.

"This walk goes through a lovely slice of Kentish countryside, starting by passing through the deer park of Knole House and then carrying on into a gentle area of fields and woods.

You then descend through newly coppiced woodland to Ightham Mote (pronounced "I-tam"), a rare moated manor house. Then a wonderful stretch of the Greensand Way which slowly climbs the escarpment of the Kent Downs with superb views over the Weald to the south. Finally the walk finishes by passing through Knole Park once again."

Trains: Get the 1000 Tunbridge Wells train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 1009) arriving Sevenoaks 1035. There are frequent return trains to Charing Cross or Blackfriars , but some take around 35 mins & others nearer an hour.

Lunch: Lunch is at Ightham Mote (8.4km/5.2 miles into the walk), National Trust with cafe & picnic area (the house is closed). You can also go on from here to do an extra loop to the excellent Chaser Inn in Shipbourne (01732 810360), 9.7km (6 miles) into the walk, which serves food all afternoon. There is a churchyard nearby for picnics.

Tea: the Brewhouse Cafe at Knole House is open till 5pm, or plenty of choice in Sevenoaks.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hullo. Could it be a novel walk that does not include the overtrodden Knole Park, please?

PeteG said...

As far as I know, all the sevenoaks walks go through the park......

Gabriella Palmano said...

Knowle Park is the highlight I always thought !

Chris L said...

Anyone with an aversion to Knole Park should note that the main route of Hurst Green to Sevenoaks (SWC149) does not go through Knole Park, though a couple of alternative endings are suggested that do enter the park.

Gavin said...

I did this walk about three weeks ago and to Shipham (aka Shipbourne), and for about two thirds of the walk it was dreadful mud. So, Knole park is the best bit as far as that is concerned. welly boots are the best option.
Sorry might be criticised for putting people off, although there is not that much not covered in mud in any case. I have no intention of doing this.

Brian said...

It's pronounced "Shibburn." I'm hoping to make it - what's a bit of mud?

Gavin said...

I agree. I enjoyed the mud. However was trying to add to the conversation on the planned route. Shibburn, yes sorry.

Anonymous said...

First, 'dreadful mud', then you 'enjoyed the mud'. Where is the best mud?

Daisy Roots said...

Just to note that The Brewhouse Cafe in Knowle is only open until 4pm at present (It's open until 5pm from March).

I'm hoping to come along too.

PeteG said...

The NT website says 5pm,however rain may speed us to the train!

PeteG said...

14 got off the train and we met 1 more at lunch, so n=15 in total. We all ate or picnicked at Ightham Mote, which with the poor weather forecast wasn't too busy for half term week. Remarkably we all set off as a group, and even more so, all had tea at Knole Park. This couldn't continue, so we diverged on the route back to the station. w=cloud_with_some_slight_drizzle.

David M said...

n=14. w=overcast-with some-light-rain-in the afternoon. Despite prior prophecies of doom and gloom, Knole Park was delightful and while there was some mud on the afternoon section, it was no more than one gets on any other walk at this time of year. Perhaps the most astonishing feature of the walk was that such a large group stuck together virtually throughout (which dare I say was nothing to do with mud). We all lunched at Ightam Mote, the designated lunch stop, and all left together. All 14 stopped for tea at Knole House and again left together Only on leaving the park did we split with 7 following the morning route back to Sevenoaks station, while the other 7 walked via the town (and presumably the pub). My group of 7 took the 3.59 train back to the big smoke. Thanks to Pete G for posting.