Teston, Yalding and the Medway

Distance:     7.5 Miles (3.5 Hours)

OS Map:      Explorer 136 & 148 (Start at grid reference TQ706533)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park at Teston Country Park (£2.50 and weekends and £1.50 on weekdays).
Head across meadow towards medieval stone bridge, climb up to road and cross bridge.  Take permissive path (extension to path KM21) on the left parallel to the road but just before metal gate turn right down steps past information board and cross road onto tarmac drive.

Follow drive, bearing first left and then right, then passing some cottages and going through gate past concrete pill box, onward to Tutsham Hall.  Bear left past Hall, heading uphill along another tarmac drive to lane (Hunt Street).
Turn right and take first path on the left along left hand edge of field.  At the top corner turn right and look for stile in hedge on left.  Over stile, turn right along right hand edge of field and at corner continue in same direction along edge of scrub.  At post (currently fallen and propped against tree on right) turn left uphill out of orchard, across scrubland and through chestnut coppice to lane (Small Profits).

Cross lane into orchard, bear left for a few metres over stile then turn right with hedge on your right.  Continue to lane (Yalding Hill).
Bear right to take footpath across middle of large field (in direction of Yalding church in valley bottom) and after about 200 metres, at right hand end of fence, turn left along path between fences to sunken track. Turn right downhill to Lughorse Lane.

Turn right and take path on left up bank through metal kissing gate.  Follow path through woods with fence on right to emerge through another kissing gate into street.  Turn right, at end turn left and at corner take path (Windmill Way) signposted Greensand Way past almshouses.  Follow Greensand Way signs to centre of Yalding.

Turn left down main street (street market on Saturday mornings) past church and over river to T-junction.  Turn right and when buildings end bear right across meadow (where there are seats for lunching) to bridge over Medway.  Cross bridge then walk between canal on left and Hampstead Road on right until road crosses canal.  Turn right onto canal towpath following both Greensand Way and Medway Valley Walk.

Follow towpath (Greensand Way soon leaves on left), becoming riverside path when canal joins the Medway, all the way to Wateringbury.  Cross the road and continue past signal box along riverside path with river on your right.  After passing Teston lock and with Teston Bridge in sight, bear left across meadow back to car park.

Public Transport

The walk could easily be started at either Yalding or Wateringbury stations on the Tonbridge to Maidstone West line which has a regular service including Sundays.

Points of Interest

Tea Pot Island

Nice café with splendid all-day breakfast but only open daily from April to October – winter opening very restricted.  There is a tea pot museum for those that are into that sort of thing at an additional charge.  The Boathouse just across the river offers a wide range of refreshment

Yalding Village Tea Rooms

Open Tuesday to Saturday 8:30 to 4:00 except for closing at 2:30 on Tuesday and opening at 9:00 on Saturday.

Wateringbury

Teston Lock

The current lock was built in 1911 to replace the original made of oak and constructed in the 1740s.

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.