Kent Ramblers Walk 21

Toy's Hill and Ide Hill

Distance:   4.7 Miles (2h)

OS Map:   Explorer 147 (Start at grid reference TQ469517)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park in the free car park at Toy’s Hill.

Leave car park by entrance and cross road to footpath opposite.  Pass information board and take left fork.  At junction of five paths with two waymark posts, take path just right of straight on (second right).  Just a few metres down path, turn sharp right onto path that descends quite steeply, leading to steps down to Scords Lane.  Go straight across, down drive that leads to Scords Farm.  When drive bends sharp left, take footpath on right at corner downhill between fences.

On emerging in another drive with metal gates opposite, go through right hand gate.  Carry straight on to metal gate ahead and go through into field.  Follow path across field and into another field.  Half way across, on passing corner of wood that sticks out into field on left, bear slightly right and climb up to kissing gate adjacent to field gate in hedge.  Go through gate into Toy’s Hill Road.

Turn left downhill.  As soon as road bends slightly right, take track on left just before house (Drovers).  Pass one field gate and just before another, go through kissing gate on right.  Bear diagonally left downhill across clearing to gate at lowest corner.  Go through gate and cross left hand edges of two fields.

Through next gate bear along track (stony at first, then concrete) bearing right uphill towards Henden Manor.  Track forks.  Left fork leads to where you want to go, but right of way goes down right fork and then turns left in front of pair of houses, so that you go along two sides of triangle.  Follow track through farm, keeping left past Henden Manor behind tall hedge and continue, passing Keepers House, until you reach Ide Hill Road (B2042).  Turn left up road for 100 metres then turn right along track.

When you reach Chains Farm, keep left and go through (or past) a couple of kissing gates into large field.  Don’t go through gateway immediately on left but a few metres further on bear left for 50m then right, climbing steadily with hedge on left and falling ground and panoramic views including Bough Beech Reservoir on right.  Keep climbing past small pond to Boarhill Cottage.  Go through gate into lane and turn left up hill.  When lane bends sharp left, take path (SR243) on right that goes steeply uphill through Hanging Bank wood with several sections of steps and handrails; ignore right turn.  When you reach broader, more level path at T-junction, turn left and follow to grass mini-roundabout.  Take farthest track on right along fence and follow downhill to Wheatsheaf Hill (B2042).

Turn left along road, getting fine view of Bough Beech Reservoir on left.  Cross to car park on right and keep to left of toilets (there is a 40p charge for toilets and Community Shop above toilets serves refreshments) to cross side road and enter National Trust woodland of Ide Hill.  Keep left and follow path that runs parallel with road, initially climbing, next descending and then climbing again to stone seat commemorating Octavia Hill.  Carry straight on past  seat to triple fork in path.  Right fork carries the Greensand Way, but you should take left fork.  Descend through wood, cross two streams and then ascend along edge of wood (which should be on your right).  When wood finishes go through gate and turn sharp left downhill.  Initially hedge is on your left but near bottom, after section with no hedge, it is on your right.

Cross footbridge over stream and go straight uphill across middle of field, through gate (installed by Sevenoaks Ramblers in memory of John Charles) between two copses and on to gateposts at top of field.  Turn left along field edge until you reach bench offering more fine views of Ide Hill and glimpses of Bough Beech Reservoir.  Just past bench, go through gate into the wood.  Follow path (Greensand Way) uphill, ignoring any side paths, until you return to junction of five paths that you passed at beginning of walk.  Take second path on left to return to car park the way you came.

Points of Interest

Henden Manor

Henry VIII stayed at Henden when visiting Anne Boleyn at Hever Castle.

The current house is 16th century (the date 1577 is carved on a panel in an upstairs room) and much restored.  The estate used to have a large dairy herd but this was unprofitable and has gone.

Ide Hill

This pleasant village was first mentioned in records in 1258, although its then name Edythshyll is of Saxon origin suggesting that the village pre-dated the Norman conquest.  The village had no church until one was built in 1807 and replaced with the present St Mary’s church in 1865.  It seems that no one from the village has ever made their mark on history.  There is a pub, the Cock Inn beside the large village green, and a community shop with a café, the latter close to the route of this walk.

Octavia Hill (1838-1912)

A campaigner for better housing for the London poor, Octavia Hill had a cottage at nearby Crockham Hill and was involved in founding both the Commons Protection Society (now the Open Spaces Society) and the National Trust.

Public Transport

Unfortunately there are no bus or rail services convenient for this walk.

In addition to the walking routes on our web site we have published three popular walking guides:

Guide to Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk and other walks in the area

Guide to the Kent Coast Path: Part 1, Camber to Ramsgate

Guide to Three River Valley Walks in West Kent: Darent Valley Path, Eden Valley Walk and Medway Valley Walk

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.