Leigh to Sevenoaks walk

A gentle morning past fields and Oasthouses, then a steep climb to Knole Palace (NT) and its deer park

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sun, 17-Sep-23 Leigh to Sevenoaks 13
Wed, 12-Apr-23 Leigh to Sevenoaks 7 sun strong wind heavy rain showers thunder lightning and hail
Sat, 05-Feb-22 Leigh to Sevenoaks 8 brilliant sunshine and a cloudless blue sky
Wed, 05-Sep-18 Leigh to Sevenoaks - Kent's rolling landscape plus Knole Park 6 cloudy with a little rain
Sat, 02-Dec-17 Leigh to Sevenoaks 30 fair
Sat, 29-Oct-16 Saturday First Walk: Leigh to Sevenoaks 9
Sat, 05-Dec-15 Leigh to Sevenoaks 19 blowy and dry
Sun, 30-Nov-14 Leigh to Sevenoaks 15
Sat, 06-Jul-13 Leigh to Sevenoaks 0
Sat, 02-Mar-13 Leigh to Sevenoaks 10
Sat, 26-Jan-13 Leigh to Sevenoaks 5
Sun, 22-Jan-12 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 21-May-11 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 11-Dec-10 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sun, 29-Nov-09 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 23-May-09 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sun, 01-Feb-09 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 24-May-08 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sun, 12-Aug-07 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 26-May-07 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sun, 11-Feb-07 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sat, 07-Oct-06 Leigh to Sevenoaks
Sun, 17-Sep-23 : Leigh to Sevenoaks 13
Mr M Tiger
Mr M Tiger
I14.5km (9.0 miles), difficulty: 5 out of 10
The walk starts in Leigh with its old buildings, and continues past oasthouses through Kent's 'rolling, tidal landscape' to the lunch pub in Underriver. In the afternoon, an uphill bridleway, leads to the Greensand Way and a route through Knole Park, with its huge trees, breathtaking views, and deer.
Trains Take the 9:29 Ramsgate train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 09:38) to Tonbridge where you change onto the Redhill train (arr. 10:10 platform 3, dep. 10:26 platform 1) arriving at Leigh 10:30.
Trains back from Sevenoaks are frequent (about 4 an hour) and take 33 min back to Charing Cross.
Get a return to Leigh, Kent (pronounced "lie" – not “lee”).
Lunch: The White Rock pub (tel 01732 833 112), Underriver, some 9 km into the walk. Phoning ahead is advised.
Tea
Knole Park's Brewhouse Tearoom is open till 5. There are more places in Sevenoaks, the Malabar Coffee House (01732 743055) at 81 High Street being a favourite.
Walk directions here
t=1.21
  • Thu, 21-Sep-23

    13 of us gathered at Leigh station, and set off under cloudy_skies. We had a sharp shower of rain around 1pm, by which time most people were ensconsed either in the White Rock or the church. After everyone had either eaten or had a drink in the pub, we all set off together for the last leg of the walk through the vast parkland of Knole. I don’t think anyone stopped there for tea, but made our various ways out of the park to the station. A very pleasant Sunday outing.

Wed, 12-Apr-23 : Leigh to Sevenoaks 7
Sandy
Sandy

Length: 14.5 km (9 miles) 5/10

This is one of the few walks in Book 1 I haven't done so I thought we could give it a go today, after reports that the underfoot moisture quotient in the area has lessened in recent days. It looks like classic Kent scenery in the morning with woodland, the Greensand Way and a familiar finish through Knole Park in the afternoon.

Travel: 1001 from Charing Cross (London Bridge 1009, Sevenoaks 1033) to Tonbridge (1041) where you change on to the 1101 to Redhill, arriving Leigh 1105. If you feel like living dangerously you could get the 1008 - also from Charing Cross - giving you 8 minutes to change at Tonbridge.

Frequent returns from Sevenoaks. Get a return to Leigh and make sure it covers travel via Tonbridge.

Lunch: the White Rock pub (tel 01732 833 112), Underriver, some 8.7 km into the walk, serves food from midday to 3.00 pm on weekdays. According to the walk page, this pub "used to be one of the most unfriendly establishments on our SWC walks, but currently (2022) the staff and management are walker friendly and hospitable - and the quality of the food and choice of draught beer is good".

Tea: Numerous options in Sevenoaks. Malabar (tel 01732 743055) is recommended. There is also the recently refurbished Brewhouse Tearoom in Knole House (tel 01732 450 608) which has its own entrance in the north wall of the house, without the need to pay an entrance fee.

For walk directions, map and GPX click here

T=1.21

  • Mon, 10-Apr-23

    For tea, Sevenoaks now also has a Gails - great cakes and it stays open later than other places. Not far from the Malabar.

  • Thu, 13-Apr-23

    7 at the station plus one catching us up so8 in total. It started sunny, and although rain threatened as we approached Underiver, it remained dry until mid afternoon by which time most were at the end of the walk.

    As expected there was plenty of mud, but we were treated to bluebells as we made our way through a series of small woods. As the morning wore on it became quite windy, and thunder rumbled ominously. 5 of us took refuge in the church for our picnics, and 2 lunched in the pub at Underiver. After lunch we trudged up a steep muddy bridleway up onto the Greensand way and then into Knole Park.

    2 of us had cake and hot drinks in the Malabar Coffee house when we arrived in Sevenoaks before dashing through the rain to catch a fast train back to London Bridge.

    A good day out with better than expected weather, thanks to Sandy for posting.

  • Thu, 13-Apr-23

    The two of us who enjoyed an excellent lunch at the White Rock pub in Underriver timed our arrival in Knole Park to perfection, having fought our way up that revoltingly muddy bridleway which sucked up one of my.walking boots at one point. The heavens opened, hail then thunder and lightning - we got the best soaking ever, out in the open parkland with no shelter ! We skipped tea and arrived sodden at Sevenoaks railway station. Apologies to South Eastern Rail for our leaving puddles on the train..........

    But as Boonster has mentioned, it was a good day out !

  • Thu, 13-Apr-23

    sun strong wind heavy rain showers thunder lightning and hail !

Sat, 05-Feb-22 : Leigh to Sevenoaks 8
HollieB
HollieB
9 miles / 14.5 km
A walk through the Kentish countryside - a lowland morning with an afternoon ascent up to Knole Park for tea.
Trains: London Victoria 10:12, Bromley South 10:30, Tonbridge 10:54 - from here take the 11:01 to Leigh (Kent), arriving 11:05.
Frequent return trains from Sevenoaks, but today serving London Victoria rather than London Bridge/Charing X.
Buy a day return to Leigh (Kent).
Lunch: White Rock Inn, Underriver (01732 833112) - lunch served til 4pm.
T=1.21
  • Sat, 05-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Sat, 05-Feb-22

    This is the second time I've written a walk report which has ended up in "Comments." What am I doing wrong?

  • Sat, 05-Feb-22

    @Brian: You need to write numbers and weather as (say) nEQ8 and wEQbrilliant-sunshine (or whatever), but replacing my EQ with = so that it displays as 8 and brilliant sunshine . I think that's what our webmaster's software uses to determine that it's a walk report.

  • Sat, 05-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    Hi Brian you just need an "=" character between the octothorpe and the walk attendee number or weather description.

    The #= is simply a replacement for both w­= or the n­=

    Hope this helps

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    7 off the train and 1 at the lunchtime pub, so8 on this gentle walk under brilliant sunshine and a cloudless blue sky . (Okay, it clouded over later, but let's not split hairs.) Crossing bare fields and through woodland, the first signs of spring soon appeared in the form of crocuses and snowdrops - can the first lambs be far behind? A young couple who started off behind us mysteriously appeared in front as we approached Underriver, but we never found out how they managed it. We did, however, at the suggestion of a sharp-eyed map-bearer, take a slight detour via field paths instead of the road between Oak Tree Farm and Watts Cross.

    Arriving at Underriver (the name "Underriver" is derived from the Old English sub le ryver which translates into modern English as "under the hill" so, nothing to do with rivers at all) four picnickers found conveniently placed tables outside the village hall, while three elected to lunch at the White Rock pub. They were just being served as the picnickers left, so perhaps one of them will report on the food?

    Up a steep and very muddy hollow way, obviously much used by horses, we emerged on the Greensand Way which we followed into Knole Park and then into Sevenoaks for tea and cakes at the Malabar Cafe before a short stroll down London Road to the station. As always with the SWC, a good day out in very convivial company.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    Yes, trial and error (mainly error) established that just using the hash sign does the trick.

  • Sun, 06-Feb-22

    Fixed now.

    (the bit that splits the TWW comments feed into before-a-walk and trip-reports looks for a post's first comment with a numbers or weather tag - but it was only looked "N" and "W" tags, not "hash" ones [Thanks Sean]

Book 1, Walk 21 - Leigh to Sevenoaks

Length: 14.5 km (9 miles)
Toughness: 5 out of 10 - just one long steep(ish) incline after lunch

London Charing Cross:10-10 hrs Ramsgate service. Waterloo East 10-13 hrs, London Bridge 10-19 hrs
Arrive Tonbridge: 10-51 hrs Change trains
Leave Tonbridge: 11-01 hrs Redhill service
Arrive Leigh: 11-05 hrs

Return Sevenoaks to London (mostly Charing Cross); 7 trains an hour

Rail ticket: Buy a day return to Leigh (Kent)


It is 5 years since this pleasant stroll in Kent had a summer outing - and over 12 years since its last mid-week posting, so perhaps it is overdue an outing in dry conditions (the walk tends to be horribly muddy in winter).

You have a choice of lunchtime pubs, depending on which route you take. The White Rock pub is on the main route. When I last book checked this walk I found the current management walker friendly, whereas in bygone years walkers had not been welcomed. The food is usually good to excellent. The Cock Horse pub in Hildenborough on the alternative route is also pleasant and its management made a fuss of me on my visit last year.

After lunch you have to negotiate the steep incline on this walk, with sections of the slope being in narrow gullies - but which should be bone dry today (not the case in winter). You then find yourselves in Knole Park which most of you will be familiar with - its grand house, its tearoom, its deer park. As you will arrive at the house within an hour of leaving The White Rock pub (circa 90 mins from the Cock Horse pub) you might find it a bit early to take tea in the Park's Brewhouse Tearoom (otherwise recommended). From the Park it is a short walk into the heart of Sevenoaks, where you can find several pubs and tea rooms, plus a branch of Bills. The walk downhill to Sevenoaks railway station is less than exciting, but by then you should have had a most enjoyable day's walk.
T=1.21
Walk Directions here: L=1.21
  • Wed, 05-Sep-18

    Five off the train and one "local" who we met en route so 6 in all. Most walkers appeared in rain-proof garb - except me- and the (half)day was generally cloudy with a little rain so some mud was picked up on boots and the bottom of trousers: essentially the first walk of autumn. We took our boots off for the White Rock pub which served exellent food of sizeable portions in quick time.

    After lunch the group soon reached Knole Park where 2 decided to visit its grand house. Speedily back to London and back through the frnt door by 5pm. Not a bad walk but not a Book 1 classic.

Sat, 02-Dec-17 : Leigh to Sevenoaks 30
Dirk
Dirk
t=1.21

Distance: 15km / 9m
Toughness: 5 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:39 train from London Victoria arriving in Leigh at 10:34. There is an alternative train from London Charing Cross leaving at 9:15 with a change in Tonbridge arriving in Leigh at 10:23. Those who take the CharingX train should wait for the Victoria train. Trains back from Sevenoaks are aplently. A day return to Leigh should cover the journey.

This is a lovely walk through rolling Kentish hills before lunch. After lunch the route climbs up to onto the North Downs before entering Knole Park to finish in Sevenoaks.

  • Anonymous
    Sat, 02-Dec-17

    30 on this walk so I am told and the weather was fair

    The walk was very nice as was expected of this area of Kent though two heavily ploughed dried muddy fields made it hard work for those who went across them ( I went round )

    Lunch was had by about 15 of us at The White Rock Inn though one poor chap didn’t get fed as they lost his order but he got his money back and a heartfelt apology from the barman who said that after he took the order he lost it and it never reached the kitchen. Crisps seemed to make up for the shortfall and the hungry man didn’t seem too upset not hungry.

    After lunch there was the long slow climb with a bit of mud but not too bad and it did blow away the relaxation of lunch just in time for ……..

    Afternoon tea which was taken in the NT tea rooms at Knole house - a very nicely refurbished area though the tea and cake were as poor as ever - a few apparently had tea in Sevenoaks at the Malabar Tea room which is supposed to be very good - we will all know for next time.

    Then on to Sevenoaks where the train was caught by most of us, tawdry Sevenoaks as I heard a fellow walker say - not sure why, maybe it is the Christmas lights but that should be Tawdry Great Britain then - don’t you just hate Christmas and all those interminable Christmas tunes ? - ‘ I wish it could be Christmas everyday ' - oh NO I don’t.

    All the best

    Audrey Humbug

  • Anonymous
    Sat, 02-Dec-17

    I noticed a branch of \bills ha opened, opposite the theatre in Sevenoaks. It looks to be sizeable enough to cater for a large group of walkers.

PeteG
PeteG
Saturday First Walk: Leigh to Sevenoaks T=1.21

Walk: 9 miles (14.5km) 5 out of 10

A leisurely start, gives a late lunch, but the pub is open for food all afternoon, and you should still have time for tea at the much improved Knole Park Brewhouse Café.

Travel: There are two train options to start the walk at 1134. London Victoria train to Tonbridge at 1039 arriving 1134, Clapham 1045. Alternatively Charing Cross 1015 Hastings train (1022 London Bridge) , changing at Tonbridge (1058) to the 1119 Southern train (platform 1) arriving 1123. Buy a day return to Leigh (Kent) pronounced 'Lie'.

For the return, there are frequent fast (and slow) trains to Charing Cross. If you prefer Cannon Street, get a train to Orpington, where there is a half hour direct service xx03 and xx33.

Lunch: is the White Rock pub (tel 01732 833 112), Underriver, some 9 km into the walk.

Directions are here L=1.21








  • Anonymous
    Thu, 27-Oct-16

    If easier, you could start in Hildenborough, which would knock about 3 km off of the walk but allows you to pick up the route.

    Upon leaving the station via the car park go north along Rings Hill and then Watt’s Cross Rd until you reach a T junction with the London Rd where you turn left and then next right into Mill Lane

    This lines up with half way through Point 16 & then Point 17 from the online text of the walk

    Continue ahead for 500 metres, passing a house called Oak Trees on your left to reach the B245.

    Turn left and in 70 metres turn right on to Mill Lane.

  • Thu, 03-Nov-16

    Enjoyable walk with mild autumn weather. 9/10. Charing cross trains delayed, causing one person to be an hour behind. Friendly pub. Forgot to check on the instructions where a previous walker got lost. We didn't, but that might just be familiarity with some of the route.

Sat, 05-Dec-15 : Leigh to Sevenoaks 19
Dirk
Dirk
Length: 14.5km (9m)
Toughness: 5/10
Transport: Take the 9:18 from London Cannon Street changing at Tonbridge, arriving at Leigh at 10:23. There are frequent trains from Sevenoaks back to London T=1.21

From the walk description:

You need to start this lovely walk in good time as the bulk of it is before lunch. The route is through what Laurie Lee described as the 'rolling, tidal landscape' of Kent. The walk starts in the village of Leigh (pronounced 'Lie' from the Anglo-Saxon for 'forest clearing') with its many fine old buildings, goes through the churchyard and past the parkland of Hall Place, and carries on through a few too many potentially muddy fields and past many an oasthouse (the conically roofed buildings used for drying hops) to the church and pub in Underriver, the suggested lunchtime stop. After lunch, it is sharply uphill to then follow the Greensand Way into magnificent Knole Park, passing the front entrance of Knole and leaving the park on a footpath to arrive in the centre of Sevenoaks.

  • Anonymous
    Mon, 30-Nov-15

    Thank you :-)

  • Anonymous
    Fri, 04-Dec-15

    It is the CHRISTMAS PARTY on Thursday - don't forget!! See listing below

  • Anonymous
    Fri, 04-Dec-15

    London Bridge at 09.22 I think - please someone confirm or deny

  • Fri, 04-Dec-15

    Just booked a table for 6 for lunch at 12.30

  • Anonymous
    Fri, 04-Dec-15

    I'll be coming via East Croydon, arriving at 10.43 and will try to catch the group up.

  • Anonymous
    Sat, 05-Dec-15

    blowy and dry About 16 on this walk which featured death and difficult styles but little mud

    The White Rock at Underriver served us well with 14 or so of us ordering a meal and though it wasn't very busy they were turning away people who hadn't booked, so well done the person who had booked a table for us.

    We finished in Sevenoaks with some making a beeline for the train but the more stalwart making a beeline for tea and cake in a little café called Malabar

    Body count for the day was 3 (road kill hedgehog and squirrel) and a partridge not quite dead in the woods after the shooters had brought it down. It is bloody dangerous out there if you are a wild animal though the deer that we saw during the day were noticeably chill – they didn't expect to be attacked and killed though nor for that matter I doubt if the three that we saw earlier expected such carnage

  • Anonymous
    Sat, 05-Dec-15

    Plus a few more on a later train:3 regulars and a group of about 10 friends doing the same walk independently.

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 06-Dec-15

    This walk could be improved by cutting out some of the road walking in the morning. Looking at the OS map, a potential alternative route might be:

    - Instead of turning right at point 15 carry on north after Lower Street Farm, along the footpath.

    - Turn left on a minor road (Philpotts on right) and pick up the footpath on your right (heading north)

    - The path crosses the railway. Turn left along the country lane and pick up the footpath again on your right. This eventually takes you across the A21 by a footbridge and to the pub.

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 06-Dec-15

    re last comment, the pub in that case is the one in Cock Wood and you'd need to follow a map from there to Underriver or for directions see the note from Chris in the updates section for this walk.

  • David Colver
    Mon, 07-Dec-15

    I want to express happiness with

    - the pub, the White Rock at Underriver, which delivered food quality out of proportion to the price

    - the early start and finish to this walk.

  • Anonymous
    Tue, 02-Jan-18

    Historical duplicate/misleading attendance numbers cleanup project: 19