Kent Ramblers: Walk 11

Chevening and Turvin's Farm

Distance:   2.8 Miles (1h 15m)

OS Map:   Explorer 147 (Start at grid reference TQ489577)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

 Park near church at Chevening.

Leave road along track to left of church and just past some garages take path between hedges.  Emerging through gate into open field, follow left hand edge uphill.  Pass gate on the left at lowest point of field and another (marked “Private Keep Out”) just as you reach start of woodland on your left.  Continue uphill with woodland on your left, climbing bank to keep close to fence until you reach stile.  Go over stile and up steep path between fences through wood to field.

Go to top left corner of the field, turn right along top of field and go left through gate.  Turn right along broad ride between woods.  At end of ride, bear right.  Do not take path immediately on right into wood continue parallel to edge of wood until you reach kissing gate by larger gate offering fine views towards Sevenoaks to left and Chevening to right.

Go through gate and keep left following top of grassland with wood on your left.  At end of woodland, ignore gate on left but bear right downhill, through gate and along left hand edge of field to road.

Turn right and follow road very carefully to first bend.  Half way round bend, take signposted path on right (can be muddy after heavy rain) just before house.  Follow path in more or less the same direction towards Chevening church, into churchyard and back to starting point.

Points of Interest

Chevening House…

… was designed by Inigo Jones and built in the early 17th century.  It was owned for many years by the Stanhope family and was given to the nation in 1959 to become the official country residence of a Government Minister selected by the Prime Minister, usually the Foreign Secretary.

The fourth Earl of Stanhope was a mathematician who studied maze design and introduced the “island maze” in order to defeat people who navigate mazes by keeping one hand on the wall.  He built a maze at Chevening in 1820.

Public Transport

Chevening is not easily reached by public transport.  However, the north west corner of the walk can be accessed from the southern end Chevening Lane which is 550 metres from Main Road in Knockholt Pound which can be reached by the R10 bus service from Orpington station.

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.