Eynsford Circular via Otford walk

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Walk Map

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Walk Options ( Main | Short )

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13. Main Walk (21½ km)

1. Main Walk, finishing in Shoreham (16 km)
2. Main Walk, with shorter afternoon (18¾ km)
3. Short Walk, omitting Otford (14 km)
4. Short Walk, with longer afternoon (15¾ km)

Walk Directions

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1. Eynsford Station to Romney Street (4¼ km)
• Turn right out of the station into Upper Austin Lodge Road. In 2 km pass through the hamlet and continue on a footpath which climbs up the eastern side of the valley to Romney Street Farm.
1. Leave the station through its small car park and turn sharp right into Upper Austin Lodge Road, initially heading S. You will be following this winding country lane through a secluded valley for just over 2 km. Halfway along it dips down and passes Lower Austin Lodge Farm. In a further 1 km fork left (ignoring the “No Entry” sign) and follow the lane through the hamlet of Upper Austin Lodge.
2. Bear left in front of a block of garages onto a track, passing a new building and continuing between high hedges. On this 400m stretch (across an abandoned golf course) there is a side path off to the right signposted to the Pilcher Monument?, about 300m away. On the main path you eventually come to a ‘Private’ notice and turn left in front of it, onto a path through a tree tunnel.
3. This rather gloomy path climbs steadily up the side of the valley, heading E. In 250m it goes past a broken stile and veers right. Follow the path for 1 km along the edge of the woodland on your left, at times just inside it.
4. At the end of this undulating section the path climbs to the top of the valley, with distant views of Canary Wharf and the City back over your right shoulder. After a level stretch of 100m, with a house behind the trees on your left, there is a stile on the left with a yellow footpath marker.

If you are doing the Short Walk (omitting Otford), go to §H.

2. Romney Street to Mount Farm (1¾ km)
• Turn left briefly towards Romney Street and take the bridleway heading south-west to a lane, Magpie Bottom. Turn right onto the lane for 150m and then take a permissive path on the left into a valley. Turn right onto a public footpath going up through Great Wood to Mount Farm on Rowdow Lane.
1. For the Main Walk turn left and go over the stile onto a potentially muddy path between fences. In 60m turn right and go along a narrow bridleway for 200m, also between fences. At the end bear left onto a farm track coming in from the right. Do not go over a stile beside a large metal fieldgate into the field ahead but go through a smaller metal gate to its right, staying on the bridleway.
2. Follow the bridleway into a wood, soon going steeply downhill and then swinging round to the left. It comes out onto a narrow lane where you turn right, gently downhill between hedges. In 150m, at a slight right-hand bend, turn left through a side gate next to a wooden fieldgate onto a permissive path into Magpie Bottom?.
3. In 200m go through another side gate in a belt of trees and fork right to stay on the valley floor. In a further 200m veer right to join a public footpath coming steeply down the bank on your left. Follow the grassy path towards a wood.
4. Go through a wooden gate into Great Wood, then steadily uphill on a clear woodland path. At the top go out through a small metal gate and across a field. On the far side follow a potentially muddy path alongside a screen of trees to a minor road (Rowdow Lane), coming out opposite the entrance to Mount Farm.
3. Mount Farm to Otford High Street (2½ km)
• Turn right onto the lane for 300m and keep ahead on a track where the road turns right. Go through trees and then along a ridge before going down the side of Fackenden Down to the A225. Turn left onto the main road for a short distance, then turn right onto a footpath which crosses the railway and goes along a field edge to a bridleway. Turn left and go through the large recreation ground on its right containing the Otford Solar System model to the High Street.
1. Turn right and go along this quiet lane for 300m. Where it turns right keep ahead through a metal kissing gate onto a broad track heading W, which soon goes into a strip of woodland. After 400m go through a metal gate into an open area, with views of Otford in the Darent valley below.
2. Inside the field bear left onto a grassy path going slightly downhill to the far corner. Leave the field by another metal gate and continue along the hillside, ignoring a stile on the right along the way. The path then goes downhill through some trees, swings left and emerges at the top of Fackenden Down?.
3. Go all the way down the hillside, at first on a broad grassy path between wire fences and then across a couple of wildflower meadows to reach the A225. Turn left and walk along the right-hand side of this busy road for 125m, taking care as there is no pavement. At “Stileways” turn right onto a signposted footpath to the left of its driveway. Follow this between garden fences to the railway line and cross the tracks carefully.
4. Go up to a new wooden gate and bear left as indicated to continue alongside a wire fence. At the far end go through a gate, across a farm track and through another gate to drop down onto a track between hedges. Turn left and go along this bridleway for 50m.
5. Opposite some stables turn right through a gap in the hedge into the corner of Otford's large recreation ground. Directly ahead there are four concrete pillars representing the sun and inner planets of the Otford Solar System?, with an information panel about the model ahead on the right.
6. Take any convenient route across the recreation ground to its large car park on the far side. Go through this to come out onto the High Street opposite the first of the village's two pubs and a possible lunch stop, The Bull.

   While crossing the recreation ground you could try to find two more planets: Mars (a ground-level disc between two football pitches) and Jupiter (a pillar by the groundsman's hut on the left-hand boundary hedge).

4. Otford High Street to Millmead (1 • ¼ km)
• Head east along the High Street and skirt around the village pond onto a footpath going past the ruins of Otford Palace. Cross back over the A225 and take the footpath along the edge of water meadows back to the High Street. Turn left to come to the Darent Valley Path (DVP) at the driveway to Millmead.
  • Alternatively, head west along the High Street to reach Millmead directly.
    

If you do not want to try any of the other refreshment places and/or see more of the village, you could take the short cut in [?].

1. Main route (1 km)

1. If coming out of The Bull, turn right to head E along the High Street. You pass The Olive Tree bistro and tearoom on the right (at the back of the Hospices of Hope charity shop), opposite Sally's Cake Emporium.
2. The High Street ends at a large roundabout encircling the village pond?, with the Pond View Café and The Woodman pub ahead on your left. Make your way to a footpath signpost on the far side of the pond.
3. Unless you want to visit the parish church of St Bartholomew? (via the set of modern doors on its north side) take the right-hand of the two signposted footpaths away from the pond, heading S towards the Archbishop's Palace.
   • If you want to abandon the walk and return from Otford station (500m away), take the left-hand footpath past the south side of the church and head E through the churchyard, with a high brick wall on your left. At the far end go through a wooden gate and follow the enclosed path to the station car park. Platform 1 on the near side is for trains to London.
4. After passing Chantry Cottage on the left and the elegant Holmesdale? off to the right you come to a row of cottages built into the walls of the old Otford Palace?. Turn right to go past the ruined north-west tower and an information panel about the palace.
5. Follow the tarmac path to the far corner of Palace Field and continue past a small parade of shops. Cross the A225 at a traffic island and take the footpath opposite, alongside extensive water meadows.
6. The path eventually leads into Pickmoss Lane and back to the High Street, where you turn left. In 75m you pass the timber-framed Pickmoss? on the left where the road narrows. A little further on there is a signpost for the Darent Valley Path? (DVP), with one arm pointing ahead and the other to the right, along the driveway to Millmead and several other properties.

2. Short cut (¼ km)

1. If coming out of The Bull, turn left to head W along the High Street. In 200m …

If you are doing the shorter afternoon route (which for the most part follows the DVP through Shoreham and back to Eynsford), go to §M.


5. Otford (Millmead) to Polhill Bank (2¼ km)
• Head west along the High Street and its continuation, Pilgrims Way West. Opposite Rye Lane turn right onto a footpath heading north-west across meadows and fields towards Sepham Farm. Turn right and left to continue past the farm buildings and across Filston Lane to Polhill Bank.

For the next 1½ km (and intermittently thereafter) you will be following the Walk 1–23 route.

1. Continue along the High Street (which becomes Pilgrims Way West) for a further 250m, crossing several branches of the River Darent and passing Broughton Manor? on the left. Just past a bus shelter (and a Solar System pillar representing the planet Uranus) turn right onto a signposted public footpath, going through a metal gate into a meadow.
2. For the next 1¼ km you will be heading NW on this footpath towards the oast houses of Sepham Farm, initially across the meadow and then on enclosed paths. In 750m the path swerves left and right and crosses a brook on a concrete slab; keep right as indicated to stay on the public footpath.
3. In a further 200m ignore a footpath off to the right (which leads to a Solar System pillar representing the minor planet Pluto). Continue on a broad grassy track towards the farm buildings, which comes to a T-junction in front of an enclosure.
4. Turn right onto another broad grassy track between fences. In 100m turn left onto a narrow path with a footpath waymarker, leaving the Walk 1–23 route and heading NW again. Follow the path alongside several enclosures, passing the farm buildings off to the left.
5. At the far end take great care as the path comes out directly onto a narrow winding lane with limited visibility for drivers. Cross Filston Lane carefully and go up a few steps onto the continuation of the footpath, climbing steadily. In 250m go through a wooden kissing gate onto Polhill Bank?.
6. Polhill Bank to Darenthdale (2½ km)
• Either climb the bank and turn right onto a path along the top of this small nature reserve, or simply take the path along its bottom edge. At the far end turn left into Pilots Wood, staying near its eastern boundary. Go across an open patch of grassland and continue on a footpath all the way along the bottom of Meenfield Wood to the hamlet of Darenthdale.
1. You will be leaving this small nature reserve in its right-hand corner, and there are grassy paths along both its top and bottom edges. For the best views, climb steeply up the hillside in front of you to the bench at the top and then descend gently on the upper path; alternatively, simply turn right onto the lower path.
2. The two paths merge at the far end where you leave the reserve through a wooden kissing gate. Go down a slope towards a second gate but turn left before reaching it onto an unmarked path into Pilots Wood.
3. The path meanders along the bottom edge of the wood, passing a picnic table as it curves left. After a right-hand bend the path straightens out to head N, climbing gently with a field behind the fence on your right.
4. The next turning is easy to miss. Where the main path bears slightly left away from the fence and before it starts to climb more steeply, veer right onto a side path to stay alongside the fence. Follow this narrow path to the edge of the wood, still climbing gently.
5. Leave the wood via a stile and keep ahead on a grassy path across a steeply-sloping field. On the far side go through a metal kissing gate to the right of a fieldgate onto a broad woodland path, briefly rejoining the Walk 1–23 route. After a while there are views on the right of Shoreham in the Darent valley below.
6. In 600m keep ahead at a path crossing by a sign for Meenfield Wood (leaving the Walk 1–23 route, which has to negotiate a potentially slippery flight of steps at the top of this path into Shoreham). In a further 200m you reach a small enclosure on the right with an information panel about the Shoreham Cross? on the hillside below, and benches to enjoy the view.
   • If you are finishing in Shoreham you could head for the village by taking a new footpath slanting back down the hillside from this enclosure. This merges with the main path into the village, at first between hedges and then along a narrow tree-lined track (The Landway) past a recreation ground. If you take this short cut (saving 750m), turn right onto the High Street and resume the directions at [?] in §G.
7. For the main route carry on past the Shoreham Cross on the broad path. In 300m it merges with a track from the left and you continue along a straight tree-lined path for a further 200m, passing the large Darenth House up on the left. At the end of the path there is a minor road (Shacklands Road) just off to the left.

If you are doing the Main Walk (returning to Eynsford), go to §K.

7. Darenthdale to Shoreham Station (1¾ km)
• Turn right and follow a grassy path downhill to Shoreham's High Street, opposite Mill Lane. For a wide choice of refreshment places go through the village on the High Street and then Church Street, crossing over the River Darent. At the top of Church Street continue through the churchyard and along Station Road to the station.
  
1. To finish the walk in Shoreham turn right (away from the road). Go through a metal kissing gate and follow a line of wooden posts curving round the edge of the field, gently downhill. At the end go through another kissing gate and along an enclosed footpath to come out onto the High Street, opposite Mill Lane. Turn right onto the road through the village, soon passing The Crown on the left.
2. In a further 400m the tearoom for the Shoreham Aircraft Museum? is up a track on the right (The Landway). Carry on along the High Street, soon passing the Honey Pot Café on the left.
3. At the next junction turn left into Church Street, in 175m passing the Kings Arms? on the right. After crossing the River Darent stay on Church Street as it swings right, alongside a branch of the river.
4. Shortly after the road has curved round to the left and started to climb, there is a driveway on the left leading to The Mount Vineyard? (which has a restaurant and a coffee shop). At the top of the slope the road turns sharply right by The Samuel Palmer pub / restaurant.
5. Although you could stay on this street (now Station Road), the suggested route is to go through the lychgate ahead. Follow the tree-lined path past the church of Ss Peter and Paul?, which is well worth visiting. At the far end go out through a wooden swing gate and turn right to go along the edge of a large field.
6. In the field corner veer left onto a new permissive path alongside the boundary hedge, parallel to Station Road. In the next corner rejoin the road to go under the railway bridge and turn left up steps to the station forecourt. Cross the footbridge to Platform 1 for trains to London.
   
8. Romney Street to Shoreham Bridge (3 km)
• Turn right down the valley and go across the abandoned golf course at the bottom. Climb up the other side and follow the footpath through a wood and fields to Dunstall Farm. Continue steeply down through a wood to reach the A225. Cross over and go down Station Road. After passing under the railway bridge by Shoreham station veer right into a large field and continue on a new permissive path parallel to the road. On the far side go through the churchyard, joining the Darent Valley Path (DVP). Continue down Church Street to the River Darent.
  

This section follows the Walk 1–43 route.

1. For the Short Walk turn right, away from the stile. Follow a broad grassy path through the field, passing to the right of a clump of trees in a crater and going downhill. On the far side of the field go over a stile and across a track into the top of a meadow. Go down its right-hand side to the bottom corner, along a path between tall hedges (crossing the old golf course) and then steeply up the other side of the valley.
2. At the top go over a stile onto a path through a small wood. On the far side bear left to cut across the corner of a field, heading SW, and continue in much the same direction across the next field on a broad path. At the far end turn half-right onto a farm track which goes through a dip and back up into Dunstall Farm. Go more or less straight on through the muddy farmyard, veering to the right of a barn on the far side.
3. Continue in the same direction across a field. On the far side go down into a wood, soon crossing a path to descend a long flight of earth steps. In a further 350m the path merges with a bridleway coming in from the left, which leads out to the A225.
4. Cross this main road carefully (slightly to the right) and go down Station Road. After passing under the railway bridge by Shoreham station veer right into a large field and take a new permissive path along its edge, parallel to the road.
5. In the next corner follow the field edge briefly round to the right, joining the Darent Valley Path? (DVP), then turn left through a kissing gate in a low flint wall into the churchyard, the starting point of the Samuel Palmer Trail? (SPT). Follow the tree-lined path past the church of Ss Peter and Paul?, which is well worth visiting.
6. Go out through its lychgate, with The Samuel Palmer pub / restaurant opposite. Follow the road (now Church Street) gently downhill, passing a driveway leading to The Mount Vineyard? (which has a restaurant and a coffee shop) on the right. At the bottom the road bends right to run alongside a branch of the River Darent for a short distance.

If you are doing the longer afternoon route, go to §J.


9. Shoreham Bridge to Mill Lane (1 • ½ km)
• For a choice of refreshment places follow Church Street across the river and up to a T-junction. Turn right and go along the High Street to its junction with Mill Lane. Turn right down Mill Lane to return to the DVP.
  • Alternatively, simply follow the riverside path directly to the bottom of Mill Lane.

If you do not want to visit any of the other refreshment places in the village you can take the more attractive riverside route in [?].

1. Main route (1 km)

1. Follow Church Street across the river (leaving the DVP & SPT) to come to the Kings Arms? on the left. At the T-junction at the top turn right onto the High Street.
2. The Honey Pot Café is on the right and a little further on the small Shoreham Aircraft Museum? (which has a tearoom) is on the left.
3. The Crown is on the right near the end of the village. In a further 100m turn right down Mill Lane, back towards the river.
4. In 125m (where the lane turns half-right towards the entrance to Mill House) bear left onto a footpath, rejoining the waymarked routes.

2. Riverside route (½ km)

1. Do not cross the river on the road bridge but keep ahead on Darenth Way, passing the War Memorial? on the riverbank. Pass to the left of Water House? and follow the tree-lined riverside path.
2. After passing a few properties the vineyard is visible off to the right, beyond an orchard. At the far end cross the river on a footbridge and follow the path alongside the garden fence for Mill House.
3. Shortly after passing its entrance, ignore Mill Lane up to the left and turn right at a footpath signpost to continue on the DVP & SPT.

Continue the directions at §N.

10. Shoreham Bridge to Darenthdale (1¼ km)
• …
  • Alternatively, simply follow the riverside path directly to Mill Lane and go up this lane to the High Street.
  Either way, take a new footpath from this junction up field edges to the hamlet of Darenthdale.

… [?].

1. Main route

1. …
2. …
3. … turn left off the road onto the footpath opposite Mill Lane.

2. Riverside route

1. …
2. …
3. After passing its entrance leave the DVP & SPT (a footpath off to the right) and go up Mill Lane to its T-junction with the High Street. Cross the road carefully onto the footpath opposite.
3. Follow the enclosed footpath alongside the main road. In 100m go through a metal kissing gate and turn right to follow a line of wooden posts curving round the edge of a large field, climbing steadily. At the top go through another kissing gate and keep ahead on a short track through a belt of trees, where the longer route from Otford joins from a path on the left.
11. Darenthdale to Upper Beechen Wood (2 km)
• Go out onto Shacklands Road and turn right onto it, downhill. At the second road junction turn left into Cockerhurst Road. In 350m take a footpath on the right leading past Homewood Farm to Redmans Lane. Turn left briefly onto the road, then take a footpath on the right along a field edge and into Upper Beechen Wood.

For the next 1½ km you will be following the Walk 1–23 route.

1. Go past a vehicle barrier onto Shacklands Road and turn right to go downhill, taking care as there is no pavement. You will be turning left at the second road junction, into Cockerhurst Road.
   • Just before this junction, up a few steps in the bank on the left, there is a curious memorial stone? which is worth a look.
2. Go along the tree-lined Cockerhurst Road for 350m, through a small dip and then steadily uphill. Opposite the first house on the left (Coombe Vale) turn right through a gap in the trees onto a signposted footpath, which winds through a scrubby area and then broadens out to continue climbing between a wire fence and shrubs.
3. At the top follow the path round to the right and go through a gate to head N along the left-hand edge of a large field, towards the buildings of Homewood Farm. On the far side bear left onto a narrow path beside a wooden fence and continue along the farm's concrete driveway to a narrow road with high hedges (Redmans Lane).
4. Turn left onto the lane (leaving the Walk 1–23 route), taking care as there is no pavement. In 100m turn right up steps in the bank onto a signposted footpath along the left-hand edge of a field, then past farm sheds. At the end go through a metal gate into Upper Beechen Wood, part of Lullingstone Country Park?. Almost immediately you come to a path crossing with a wooden signpost.
12. Upper Beechen Wood to Eynsford (Riverside) (3¾ km)
• Keep ahead at a crosspaths just inside the wood. Follow the waymarked Lullingstone Loop through woodland and then north-east along the edge of the country park. Continue in the same direction across farm fields past Eagle Heights, then downhill across the railway line. Turn left onto Lullingstone Lane and keep ahead on Riverside at the junction with Sparepenny Lane.

Most of this section follows the waymarked Lullingstone Loop (and in some places also a horse route) on part of a clockwise circuit around this country park.

1. For the suggested route keep ahead at the crosspaths, initially following a black arrow waymarker for the Lullingstone Loop (LL). The woodland path winds downhill for 200m, turning right at a marker post near the bottom to come to a golf fairway. Cross this carefully, watching out for golfers playing from left to right. Head for a gap in the trees opposite and continue on a path climbing gently through a copse.
2. At the top keep to the left of a golf green and follow a line of tall trees to meet a surfaced path by a footpath signpost. Turn right onto the path, now also on a horse route (blue arrows). Follow it round a left-hand bend to the corner of a small wood. Veer left as indicated onto a path through the trees and keep ahead at a path crossing in the middle of the wood.
3. On the far side you come to a golfers' track with a long narrow strip of woodland ahead. The suggested route is to take the right-hand path into the trees, staying on the LL.
   • If it does not look too muddy you could take the parallel horse route along the left-hand side of the wood, but it gets slightly more road noise from the M25 (in a cutting 1 km away).

   Near the start of this strip of woodland both routes pass some ancient oak trees; one on its right-hand edge is thought to be the oldest in the park.

4. The two routes rejoin at the far end where they come out into the corner of a field. Go along its left-hand edge and then a track going through a dip in a wooded area. At the end of the trees leave the horse route (which branches off to the right) to continue climbing on a broad grassy strip between fields.
5. On the brow of the hill there is a bench inviting you to “Rest here a while” by an isolated tree, the Hart Dyke Sycamore?. On the far side you pass an information panel for the Lullingstone Tree Acrostic? at the start of a line of young trees.
6. Follow the path through a belt of trees and turn right downhill along the field edge for 75m. After passing the end of a hedge turn left to go alongside it, leaving the LL and finally joining the Darent Valley Path (DVP). Where the hedge turns left keep ahead across the field, passing Eagle Heights off to your left.

   If your walk coincides with a flying display you might see eagles and other exotic large birds overhead. They are not supposed to attack walkers who stay on the public footpath.

7. Go across the centre's access road and through a gap in the fence opposite. Take the footpath sloping downhill across more large fields, heading towards Eynsford in the valley below and crossing the railway tracks near the left-hand end of Eynsford Viaduct?.
8. The path eventually drops down to a minor road. Bear left onto Lullingstone Lane, which curves around a water meadow dotted with trees. At the road junction with Sparepenny Lane keep ahead on Riverside.

Complete the directions at §O.

13. Otford (Millmead) to Shoreham (Mill Lane) (3½ km)
• Turn right off the High Street onto the DVP and follow it across fields and then a golf course. At a T-junction turn right onto a driveway for 250m, then turn left at the next path junction. At the end of the golf course turn left briefly onto Station Road, then zig-zag right and left onto a path through the churchyard. Go down Church Street to the River Darent and follow the riverside path to the bottom of Mill Lane, at the other end of the village.
1. Turn right off the High Street onto the driveway, joining the DVP as it runs alongside an old mill-stream. At the end keep to the right of “The Chalet” to go past allotments and continue through a wooden swing gate into a meadow.
2. Follow a grassy path alongside the tree-lined river for 300m, then go through a metal kissing gate to continue alongside a fence. Go through more kissing gates on either side of the track to Lower Barn Farm and head N for a further 1 km, at first along the right-hand edge of a field and then on an enclosed path through a golf course.
3. At a major path junction go past a metal fieldgate and turn right onto a driveway. At the next path crossing in 250m, turn left onto a path and head N again for a further 700m, passing a cricket pitch on your left and continuing across the golf course. The path eventually comes out onto Station Road on the outskirts of Shoreham.
   • If you want to abandon the walk, Shoreham station is 200m off to the right.
4. Turn left briefly onto the road, then in 75m turn right up a slope into the corner of a large field. Go along the field edge for just 50m, …
5. …
6. …
7. … …
14. Mill Lane to Eynsford (Riverside) (4¼ km)
• Follow the waymarked DVP beside the river, through fields and alongside Castle Road to Lullingstone Park Visitor Centre. Continue northwards along a riverside path to Lullingstone Castle, then along Lullingstone Lane. Leave the DVP (which takes a higher route into Eynsford, rejoining the lane near the end) and follow the lane past Lullingstone Roman Villa and under the railway viaduct. Keep ahead on Riverside into the village.
1. Go along the footpath, with a mill stream and then the river on your right. In 150m go through a wooden kissing gate and continue on a fenced path along the right-hand edge of several fields. The path leads into the corner of another field and bears left to go diagonally across it, towards the centre of a line of poplars 400m away.
2. Go across an access road, up a slope and through the line of trees to continue on a broad grassy path, later with a hop field on your right. The path comes out onto a lane (Castle Road) at a bend. Cross the road carefully (slightly to the left) and go up a few steps onto a permissive path running alongside it, with a large lavender field beyond the fence on your left. In 250m there is a wide gap in the hedge on your right.
   • You could detour through this gap and go across the road into Castle Farm, whose Hop Shop sells local farm produce and snacks.
3. At the end of the permissive path go through a gate to return to Castle Road by the entrance to Lullingstone Country Park?, where you will be leaving the SPT but continuing on the DVP. The straightforward route is to keep ahead through a kissing gate onto the riverside path, passing a wooden sculpture? by a footbridge over the river.
   • If you want to break for refreshment veer left instead into the car park and go round to the right to the Visitor Centre, which has a café. Afterwards, make your way round a children's playground and turn left onto the riverside path.

The rest of the walk essentially follows the Walk 1–23 route.

4. Continue along this tree-lined path for 600m, with glimpses of a large fishing lake beyond the river on your right. At the far end go through a small parking area and keep ahead on a tarmac lane to reach the imposing entrance to Lullingstone Castle on the right.
   • It is worth detouring through the Tudor Gatehouse? to visit the unusual parish church of St Botolph?. This “Church on the Lawn” is open to the public at all times, even though you might have to unhook a chain before walking across the manor house's private lawn to reach it.
5. To resume the walk continue along the lane past the grounds of Lullingstone Castle (with its World Garden behind a high brick wall). In 700m the DVP goes up steps on the left to join the longer afternoon route into Eynsford, but you continue along the lane to come to a large shed on the left housing Lullingstone Roman Villa.
6. Unless you want to cut out the last part of the walk, ignore a private road off to the right and continue along Lullingstone Lane.
   • To go directly to Eynsford station (1¼ km away) without passing any refreshment places, turn right onto this private road (which is also a public footpath), crossing the river on a bridge. At the end of the road turn left onto the narrow path alongside the A225. After going under the railway bridge cross the main road carefully and turn sharp right up the station approach road. Cross the footbridge to Platform 1 for trains to London.
7. For the main route carry on along Lullingstone Lane for a further 1 km, with the river meandering away in the valley on your right. You pass a turning on the left for Eagle Heights and later go under Eynsford Viaduct?.
8. In 250m the DVP rejoins from a footpath on the left and the lane …
15. Riverside to Eynsford Station (1½ km)
• Follow Riverside alongside and then across the river to the A225. To avoid a long walk up this main road to the station, go through the churchyard and along an alleyway to Pollyhaugh. Turn right and follow this residential street (which becomes St Martins Drive) to a T-junction. Turn right down Eynsford Rise for the station.
  
1. In 150m Riverside justifies its name by going right alongside the river. On this attractive stretch you soon come to the Plough Inn, the suggested tea place.
2. Carry on along Riverside, crossing the River Darent on a narrow road bridge by a ford (with refuges to avoid the traffic if necessary). You pass the (closed) Riverside Tea Room and come to a T-junction with the A225, with the church of St Martin of Tours? opposite.

Follow the directions below if you want to visit the ruins of Eynsford Castle.

3. Detour to Eynsford Castle (+800m)

1. Turn left onto the main road (away from the station) to go through the village. In 250m you pass the Five Bells pub on your right, then the Castle Hotel.
2. Turn left into the lane opposite the hotel, signposted to the Village Hall. The lane zig-zags right and left and a broad wooden bridge takes you through a gap in the curtain wall into the site. Return the same way.
4. The suggested route to the station is a quiet route away from the main road. Take a tarmac path up the left-hand side of the churchyard to an exit in its top corner. Bear right across a small parking area and go up a short alleyway (with vehicle barriers at both ends) to a residential street.
5. Turn right and follow this quiet street (Pollyhaugh, later St Martins Drive) for 700m, climbing steadily. At the far end turn right and go down Eynsford Rise to the station. Cross the footbridge to Platform 1 for trains to London.
   

Walk Notes

1. Percy Pilcher (1867-1899) was a British aviation pioneer who tested his Hawk glider in the area in the 1890s. He also designed and built a powered triplane but was fatally injured when his glider crashed and it was never flown.
2. Magpie Bottom, Fackenden Down and Polhill Bank are Local Nature Reserves managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust. These areas of chalk grassland support many varieties of orchid.
3. The Otford Solar System is a scale model showing the relative position of the sun and planets at the start of the millennium. The pillars representing the outer planets are scattered around the village, the furthest over 1 km away at the 1:5 billion scale used.
4. Otford Pond is one of many protected structures in the village, which has led to claims that its duckhouse is Britain's smallest listed building.
5. St Bartholomew, Otford dates from the 11^thC; construction began in 1060 with the tower added in around 1185. It contains a large marble memorial to Charles and David Polhill, descendants of Oliver Cromwell.
6. Holmesdale was converted to a pair of semi-detached homes in the 1720s. The original property was built in the 1600s and its large width suggests that it might have had some industrial purpose.
7. Otford Palace was created by Archbishop Warham in 1514, a year before Cardinal Wolsey (his rival and successor as Lord Chancellor) began the construction of Hampton Court Palace. Both were subsequently taken over by Henry Ⅷ but Otford (in its unfavourable marshy location) fell into ruins while Hampton Court expanded into a major royal palace.
8. Pickmoss resembles a genuine medieval hall house but is actually the result of an extensive refurbishment in the 1950s. A small Elizabethan house and a pair of unrelated cottages were amalgamated and a typical Elizabethan frontage added to give the appearance of a single large property.
9. The Darent Valley Path follows the course of the river for 31 km, from Sevenoaks (near its source in the Greensand Hills) to the River Thames at Dartford.
10. The 16^thC Broughton Manor was originally a Crown property housing part of the retinue at Otford Palace.
11. The Shoreham Cross was cut into the chalk hillside above the village in 1920, to commemorate those who lost their lives in World War Ⅰ.
12. The Shoreham Aircraft Museum was founded by volunteers in 1978 and holds donated items and aviation relics from the crash sites of local British and German aircraft in World War Ⅱ.
13. The Kings Arms still has its ostler box, a shelter at the front of the pub for the person who used to attend to horses at coaching inns.
14. The Mount Vineyard was planted in 2004 and produced its first harvest in 2008. Eight grape varieties are now grown on the 10 acre site, producing award-winning red, white, rosé and sparkling wines.
15. Ss Peter and Paul, Shoreham dates from Norman times and has many interesting features, all described in an informative Visitor's Guide. They include an outstanding wooden rood screen spanning the width of the building and some fine stained glass windows, including one by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Burne-Jones.
16. The Samuel Palmer Trail is an 8½ km circular walk around Shoreham and Lullingstone Park, exploring the landscapes of this “valley of vision” painted by the artist. A free audio-visual guide is available from the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme.
17. The War Memorial in Darenth Way is inscribed Remember as you look at the cross on the hill those who gave their lives for their country 1914-1919.
18. Water House is associated with Samuel Palmer (1805-1881), one of the group of artists influenced by William Blake who called themselves The Ancients. He lived in the village from 1826 to 1835, for some of the time with his father (also called Samuel) who had rented Water House.
19. The memorial stone was erected in 1928 by a local Catholic woman (Miss Maud Berkeley) in memory of her late father, Dr EJG Berkeley; she also erected a large crucifix but this was vandalised and later removed to a monastery. The inscription Behold therefore I will allure her and will lead her into the Wilderness and there I will speak to her heart is from Hosea 2:14.
20. Lullingstone Country Park was a medieval deer park in the estate of Lullingstone Castle. Some of its veteran trees (notably oak, hornbeam, beech and sweet chestnut) are over 500 years old. The park was used as a decoy airfield in World War Ⅱ and as a result Shoreham was dubbed “the most heavily bombed village in Britain”.
21. The wooden fish sculpture was unveiled in 2004 “to celebrate the restoration of the River Darent”.
22. The Tudor Gatehouse of Lullingstone Castle was one of the earliest all-brick buildings in Britain.
23. St Botolph, Lullingstone dates from the 14^thC and contains some impressive memorials to ancestors of the Hart Dyke family, the owners of Lullingstone Castle. It also has an elaborately carved wooden rood screen and some particularly fine stained glass windows, the oldest dating back to the 14^thC.
24. The Hart Dyke Sycamore was planted in 1871 by the owners of Lullingstone Castle to celebrate the birth of their son and heir, Percival Hart Dyke.
25. The Lullingstone Tree Acrostic is one of the Queen's Green Canopy projects commemorating Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The first letters of the 13 tree names spell out SAVE THE PLANET.
26. Eynsford Viaduct was built in 1862 to take the railway over the Darent valley, with nine high brick arches and a stone parapet. In the past some repairs have been made with poorly-matched bricks and it has been given listed building status to maintain its original appearance.
27. St Martin of Tours, Eynsford was built by one of William the Conqueror's knights in the 11^thC on the site of a Saxon church. It has retained its Norman ground plan with apsidal chancel.

» Last updated: October 28, 2024

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