Kent Ramblers: Walk 51

Sevenoaks Weald and Bore Place

Distance:   5.6 Miles (2 hrs 45 mins)

OS Map:   Explorer 147 (Start at grid reference TQ527508)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park in Sevenoaks Weald.  There is usually room to park on the road alongside the village green near the school.  The village is easily approached from the A21 – drive straight through the village to reach the village green on the other side.

From school, walk back towards pub and take first turn on left –track along Wickhurst Road.  Follow track for almost a kilometre past large houses and farms to Wickhurst Manor.  Just before the Manor, turn left on track that passes in front of house (actually second left, past drive leading to Cedar House on left) and after just a few metres go through metal gate on the left.  Cross field diagonally to pedestrian gate a few metres right of corner, go through and bear left to gate in corner.  Follow left hand edge of next field to corner and cross track through two gates.  Follow the left hand edge of next field uphill to another gate then continue straight on still climbing across next field to gate to left of house and into lane.

Turn right past house and then take footpath on opposite side of road.  Make for gap in hedge opposite (slightly to right of straight on).  Once through hedge bear about 45º right across next field.  Once over brow of hill you will see ahead and below row of large oaks bridging gap between two woods.  Make for left hand end of row (at lowest point of field) where there is waymark post. Turn right and follow row of oaks uphill to hedge around wood.  Turn left and at the corner of the wood, soon reached, bear right across field to footbridge in far corner.  Over bridge, turn left, following stream until you to junction of several paths at corner of wood.  Bear left across bridge, climb stile into field and go diagonally across to edge of wood at top left of field.  Bear right and walk full length of field parallel to left hand edge.

At far end of field a fence bridges gap between two woods.  Go through gate towards left hand end of fence.  Follow edge of wood on left briefly until it turns left at corner.  Carry straight on down field.  Line of path is often not well marked in this field, so if it is not planted with crops walk roughly down middle, passing just to right of electricity pole, to gate near right hand end of far side.  If field is planted with crops, you may have to follow right hand edge of field to corner and then turn left to gate.

Through tgate follow right hand edge of field until you come to gate on right.  Go over stile by gate onto track and turn left along it.  Follow lane through Bore Place and down drive to road.  Turn left along road.

At first bend (sharp left) there is a drive on right leading to Bushy Wood Place.  Just left of drive, in hedge up bank, is a stile.  Climb bank, go over stile and diagonally across field to another stile at left hand end of copse.  Over stile, maintain direction diagonally across corner of field.  Enter another field at corner and continue at 45° across field to gate on far side (if field is cropped and path not reinstated you my prefer to go along right hand edge then turn left at corner to find gate on right).  Don’t go through gate but continue along right hand edge of field to corner.

Go through gate and across middle of field, over stile and down to meet lane at corner.

Go past house on right and take footpath along farm track the right.  At top bear left between farm buildings into field.  Face field as if to go straight across then turn 45º to right.  Now walk diagonally across to far corner of field (mainly downhill).  (If ploughing or crops make this impossible, go right and follow the field edges to the far corner instead.)  At corner cross footbridge, turn sharp left soon reaching track.  Turn right.

At first gateway on left, enter field and bear half right to corner of hedge then half right along edge of woodland.  Follow edge of field with woodland on left.  When, after stile, edge of woodland turns sharp left, go straight across to meet edge of woodland where it resumes original line.  When woodland on left finally ends, go over bridge and stile on left then through chain gate and cross field to copse on top of ridge.  Pass to left of copse and descend to cross track via two gates.  Carry on down to bottom of field and crossfootbridge.

Go straight across next field, initially uphill and then down again, to cross another footbridge.  Cross next field soon with hedge and fence on left and left hand edge of field to stile in corner and into lane.

Go straight across the lane onto a track through a wooded glade.  Follow this track until it forks in front of a house that stands immediately ahead.  Take the left fork back to the village green at Sevenoaks Weald.

Points of Interest

Bore Place

The house and estate are home to the Commonwork social enterprise organisation working for sustainable farming, environmental protection and education.  They operate an organic farm and a conference and study centre.

Public Transport

Bus service 5 between Tonbridge and Sevenoaks stops at Sevenoaks Weald.  There are only three buses a day in each direction, none at weekends, but it is feasible to use these buses to tackle 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.