Kent Ramblers: Walk 24

Keston & Nash

Distance:   4.2 Miles (1hr 50 mins) or 2.5 miles (1hr 15mins)

OS Map:   Explorer 161 and 147 (Start at grid reference TQ415637)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park in the free car park just off Heathfield Road, open 9am to dusk daily.  If approaching from Keston Mark, drive past the car park in Westerham Road, take the first right turn into Heathfield Road and the car park is the first turn on the left.  The entrance is badly pot-holed, so drive slowly and carefully.

Leave car park at far south (highest) corner and emerge at junction between Heathfield Road and Westerham Road.  Turn right along Westerham Road in southerly direction past several large houses.  When road bends left, take footpath on right, immediately before railings, down steps which may be slippery if wet.  Follow path down to Jackass Lane, along which turn sharp right.  At first bend take footpath on left signposted to Nash.  Follow path, between hedge and fence, downhill.  At valley bottom follow path right and after 400m left to climb round edge of the field and reach broader track that you follow uphill to farm.  When track ends at stables, carry straight on over stile and along path, soon emerging into Nash Lane.

At this point you can have a choice between doing the full walk or taking a shortcut back.  For shortcut (marked in orange on the map), turn right and, after passing a couple of houses, take footpath on right between hedges to Jackass Lane.  Bear very slightly left across lane and go up Fox Lane.  After passing a few houses, take footpath on right between fences, leading eventually to Heathfield Road.  Turn right to rejoin main route at war memorial.

For full walk, bear right across Nash Lane and go down North Pole Lane.  Half way around first bend take footpath on right and follow uphill between fences.  At T-junction at top turn right to corner of field and turn left along track into Well Wood.  Path soon forks – bear left but thereafter keep right at all junctions until you reach edge of wood at corner of field.  Here ignore right turn along edge of the wood but instead bear left so that wood is on left and hedge at edge of wood on right.  Continue to street (Queensway) at some houses.

Bear right across Queensway and along broad track bending first left, then right to emerge into Gates Green Road.  Turn right and when houses on left come to an end carry on, ignoring first footpath on left (signposted Hayes),  instead taking next footpath on left (signposted Hayes Common) steeply uphill to emerge on Baston Manor Road.

Turn right and follow path first past Baston Manor and then bearing right away from road through woodland.  Emerge at Keston opposite Greyhound public house.  Turn right and cross top of Fox Lane to Fox public house.  Cross Heathfield Road and go down Lakes Road.  At end, go straight forward into woodland with children’s playground on left and school on right.  At bottom, cross stream and turn right uphill.  Follow path, with school grounds initially visible on right, climbing to emerge at top of Fishponds Road.

Bear right across top of Fishponds Road to war memorial, cross Heathfield Road and turn left uphill past Keston Village Hall to car park.

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

Points of Interest

Keston Windmill

Built in 1716, the mill ceased operation following severe storm damage in 1878.  The body is supported by a massive wooden post above a round brick base enabling the whole mill to be rotated to face the wind.  The mill is privately owned with no public access.

Public Transport

Bus 146 from Bromley North and Bromley South passes the starting point of the walk at stop KD on its way to Downe.  The service is hourly every day.

Bus 246 from Bromley North and Bromley South to Biggin Hill and Westerham also passes stop KD.  The service is half-hourly from Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sunday.

Bus R2 from Orpington High Street or station passes the junction of Westerham Road and Heathfield Road (half-hourly, not Sundays).

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.