January: One Tree Hill and
Bitchet Green
Distance:
3.3 miles (1h 20m)
OS Map: Explorer 147 (Start at TQ558532)
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again to enlarge further
Start from the car park at One Tree Hill.
Leave through gap in fence at top of car park past
information board. Follow broad track to
T-junction. Turn right downhill to lane.
Turn left and take path on right just a few metres
along drive to Shepherds Meade. Follow path
between fences (glorious bluebells in wood on right in
spring) to junction. Turn right uphill through
woodland to lane. Take path opposite through
woodland to next lane.
Take path opposite, bearing initially right and left
then gently descending and avoiding all side paths, down
to a stream. On far side bear right uphill and
left then take first distinct turn on right (there is an
indistinct path just after the main path bears left and
levels out and the correct turn is a few metres after
that) through bracken to lane (where there is a finger
post). Take short section of path opposite to next
lane.
Go down driveway for Nether Fawke opposite, bearing
right then left at end. Continue to farmyard and
take path over stile at far left corner. Bear
right around farm building to second stile then left
downhill over third stile in corner of field and through
band of trees into large field. Turn left along
valley parallel with trees on left to a stile.
Over stile continue downhill to valley bottom then up
far other side, over stile and over yet another stile
onto uphill path leading to track past house. At
T-junction turn right along drive to lane.
Bear left across lane, along right-hand edge of
triangular green and after 50 metres turn right along
lane. Follow lane for around two thirds of a mile,
then becoming a rough track and descending steeply.
Immediately on reaching an asphalt track by Rooks Hill
Cottage take path up bank into woodland on right.
Follow path through woodland to re-enter National Trust
land at One Tree Hill. There are many paths that
will take you back to the car park but for a fine view
keep left to reach stone seat. When rested cross
track running a few metres behind seat, cross low bank
and bear half left along track on far side of clearing
back to car park.
In addition to the walking routes on our web site we
have published four popular walking guides:
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Points of Interest
Sevenoaks Greensand Commons
Project
The hatched areas on the map are
common land. The Greensand ridge has a long
history of human activity. The poor, acid soils
meant that the post-glacial woodland was easy to clear
but the cleared land very difficult to farm.
Instead lowland heath developed and was prevented by
grazing animals from reverting to scrub and then
woodland. However, in recent times grazing has
reduced considerably and scrub was becoming widespread
(picture above), putting at risk the rare lowland heath
habitat. The Sevenoaks Greensand Commons Project
was started in 2018 with lottery funding and has
significantly increased local awareness and
understanding of the history and ecology of the commons.
However, apart from some clearance of rhododendron and
birch and some turning over of soil to expose seeds, it
is not very clear what has actually been achieved on the
ground. It seems that early aspirations of
reintroducing grazing have come to nothing.
The Greensand ridge has been a
useful route for communication since the Stone Age,
providing dry ground in stark contrast with the muddy
Wealden clays to the south and the Gault clay to the
north. Bitchet Common lies between two iron age
forts, Squerryes to the west (walk 12 in our
2022 Annual Review)
and Oldbury Hill to the east (walk
10).
Public Transport
This walk is not conveniently
accessible by public transport.
Please report any problems with this walk to
info@kentramblers.org.uk.
Ramblers' volunteers in Kent work tirelessly to
ensure that our paths are as well protected and
maintained as possible. Of course we also organise
led walks but most of our members are independent
walkers who simply want to support our footpath work.
Please
join us and become a supporter too. You need
us and we really need you.
Map contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright
and database rights 2024. Some paths on map are based
on data provided by Kent County Council but do not
constitute legal evidence of the line of a right of way.
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